Life in the Soviet Union (w/ Vitaliy Katsenelson)

Life in the Soviet Union (w/ Vitaliy Katsenelson)

Author: Paul Ollinger September 17, 2026 Duration: 58:21

Vitaliy Katsenelson grew up in the Soviet Union - in Murmansk, the largest city north of the Arctic Circle. Today, he is the CEO & Chief Investment Officer of IMA (Investment Management Associates).

An award-winning writer, Vitaliy has authored two books on investing and the widely acclaimed Soul in the Game: The Art of a Meaningful Life, which has been translated into multiple languages. Forbes has called him “The New Benjamin Graham,” and his writing has appeared in the Financial Times, Barron’s, and The Wall Street Journal. His newsletter reaches a global audience of over 100k subscribers.

In this Substack live-streamed conversation from last week, Vitaliy and I discuss:

* Daily life up under a communist government

* The rise in anti-Semitism from both the Right and the Left

* Why he is so disturbed by President Trump’s profiting off of market-moving social media posts

Vitaliy lives in Denver with his wife and three children. In his free time, he enjoys reading, listening to classical music, playing chess, and writing about the intersections of investing and life.

Subscribe to Vitaliy’s Substack here or his newsletter here.

Subscribe to Paul’s Substack 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: 50

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