Episode 12 - Rob Copeland

The 12th episode of Read The Bull is an in-depth conversation with Rob Copeland about his best-selling book, "The Fund: Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates, and the Unraveling of a Wall Street Legend" in front of a live audience at the historic Troutbeck Inn located in Amenia, NY.  Copeland, a finance reporter for New York Times, has covered Dalio and the $97B hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates for more than a decade. Copeland explained in the interview how Dalio masterfully pivoted from a top hedge fund manager to a leadership and management guru with the publication of Dalio's 2017 own book, "Principles: Life & Work." The resulting book was a cumbersome 600 pages that was part memoir and part self-help guide filled with rules aimed to help you be successful at work and in life. The book relies on Dalio's management philosophy and principles which he cultivated from his decades of success. The cornerstone of the philosophy is 'radical transparency,' an approach Dalio claims has helped Bridgewater's employees with their own personal and professional growth. The transformation is impressive but according to Copeland the reality is far different from what Dalio and Bridgewater present. Copeland presents a much different portrait of the one Dalio has carefully curated over three decades. How did Dalio really build his business, was Bridgewater a cult, was the fund really just a Ponzi scheme? Stefan presses Rob on these questions, but the truth is more complicated. You'll need to listen to the interview and decide for yourself.