Author Gary Sernovitz

Author Gary Sernovitz

Author: Paul Ollinger December 5, 2023 Duration: 59:08
Gary Sernovitz is one of the funniest financial writers working today. His hilarious new novel The Counting House tells the story of a university’s Chief Investment Officer who is suffering a mid-life crisis. If you possess either an interest in finance or a robust / dark sense of humor, The Counting House will make you laugh and, at times, cry in empathy with the protagonist. Gary has spent the last 25 years observing how money works from inside Goldman Sachs and the private equity business, bringing a keen writer’s eye to the money business through two previous novels, a non-fiction account of the oil and gas industrial, and a bunch of essays in The New York Times, The New Yorker and The Wall Street Journal. A Milwaukee native and longtime resident of New York, Gary now lives in New Orleans with his wife and daughter. See more about Gary and The Counting House here.

In this conversation, Gary and I discuss:

Investing with the constraints of a modern university stakeholders

Whether your performance is your identity

The state and cost of college 

Writing as a side hustle while working full-time in finance


See Paul live in comedy mode:

Austin, Jan 11 - Buy Tickets Here


San Francisco, Feb 22 -  Buy Tickets Here


Nashville, Feb 28 - Buy Tickets Here 


🔥Learn and laugh by reading Paul’s Substack here. 🔥
🚀 Follow Paul on Instagram here. 🚀

Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe

Paul Ollinger has worn a few different hats-stand-up comedian, tech executive, and now, the curious host of Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger. This isn't a lecture series or a dry self-help guide. Instead, it feels more like pulling up a chair for a series of genuinely engaging talks that wander into the places where our daily lives, careers, and inner worlds collide. The conversations, which feature authors, thinkers, and various creatives, are refreshingly candid. They dig into the practical and philosophical questions about what it actually means to build a life that feels both successful and satisfying. You'll find that each episode of this podcast approaches big themes-money, purpose, and the pursuit of contentment-with a blend of wit and thoughtful depth. The underlying idea isn't about finding a perfect, Instagram-ready version of happiness, but something more grounded and attainable. It's for anyone who's ever wondered if there's a smarter, more meaningful way to navigate the pressures of business and culture without losing sight of what matters. Tuning in, you get the sense that Paul is figuring it out alongside his guests, making the insights feel earned and relatable. The result is a consistently interesting exploration of how we can all aim for a life that feels reasonably, and authentically, well-lived.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 321

Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger
Podcast Episodes
"Willful" with Author Richard Robb - Ep 40 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:49
Richard Robb is an economics professor at Columbia University. And the CEO of Christofferson, Robb and Company, a New York and London based investment management firm. Robb holds a BA from Duke University (1981) and a Ph…
Stacey Ollinger, Paul’s wife - Ep 39 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:57
My wife, Stacey, and I talk about how we talk about money, budgeting, and household expenditures. And how we manage our careers and identities in a post-corporate job reality. I hereby acknowledge that the tradeoffs disc…
The Happiness Research Institute with its CEO, Meik Wiking - Ep 38 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:55
Meik Wiking is the CEO of The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark. He is a New York Times best-selling author of The Little Book of Hygge,The Little Book of Lykke, and The Art of Making Memories. His book…
Failure’s lessons with AJ Jain - Ep 37 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:38
AJ Jain is a retired C-level insurance executive, former strategy consultant, and professor of marketing at Southern Methodist University. He holds a Ph.D. and MBA from SUNY Buffalo and two other degrees from prestigious…
"Civilized to Death" with Author Christopher Ryan - Ep 36 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:59
In his new book, Civilized to Death: The Price of Progress, Chris Ryan, PhD. questions whether civilization has actually been a net benefit to our species. Ask yourself: would you rather spend your life fighting traffic…
Comedy Entrepreneur, Rick Bronson - Ep 34 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:10
Rick Bronson is an award-winning comedian, magician, TV Host, and entrepreneur. He has worked with President Bill Clinton, Spinal Tap, Martin Short, The Smothers Brothers, and many other fascinating people. Rick is the r…
"Stillness is the Key" with Author Ryan Holiday - Ep 33 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:26
Ryan Holiday is the author of ten books, which have sold sold more than 2 million copies worldwide and been translated into 30 languages. World-class athletes, celebrities and political leaders use his lessons to achieve…