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. 🚀

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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: 100

Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger
Podcast Episodes
Nathan Macintosh | Reasonably Happy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:09
Join hilarious comedian and hater of all things technology Nathan Macintosh as he sits with host Paul Ollinger and discusses his love hate for tech, the overabundance of screens in socoiety and the fear of what AI will d…
Paul Shaffer | Reasonably Happy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:44
Join legendary musician Paul Shaffer, famed as David Letterman’s long-time musical director, as he shares his extraordinary career journey—from his childhood in Thunder Bay to iconic roles on Saturday Night Live and The…
Deepak Chopra & Dr. John Kaag | Reasonably Happy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:46
Paul sits down to talk happiness with Deepak Chopra who is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation alongside award winning author, professor, writer and speaker Dr, John Kaag.Visit Re…
Rickey Smiley: Living with Loss | Reasonably Happy with Paul OIlinger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:59
Paul sits down with comedian and syndicated radio legend Rickey Smiley and talk about happiness in the face of grief after losing a son to opioid addiction, surviving being shot at point blank range and continuing a life…
Is music meaningless? | Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:18
Paul is joined by SNL music director Eli Brueggemann to discuss everything from what landing a gig like Saturday Night Live does for a musician to how quickly a masters level university degree can become outdated because…
I sleep with a blankie | Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:17
Paul sits down with lawyer turned comedian Liz Glazer to discuss how a successful lawyer and law professor can find happiness by saying goodbye to a tenured career by pursuing a life in the arts.Follow Reasonably Happy h…
Start Thinking Rich | Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:25
Join us for an insightful conversation with Adrian Brambila and Brad Klontz, authors of "Start Thinking Rich," as we dive deep into the mindset strategies that lead to success. Discover how your background, no matter the…
Claiming Confidence | Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:06
We are joined by Lydia Fenet, the founder and CEO of the Lydia Fenet Agency, a boutique agency representing best in class charity auctioneers. Lydia is a best selling author and ground breaking art auctioneer who sits wi…
What Cocaine Taught Me | Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:33
We are joined by New York Times best selling author and former Wall Street wild man Turney Duff to discuss Hookers, Blow, Million-dollar bonuses on Wall Street and the journey through recovery and what lies the other sid…