Bully Market
My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs
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4.2 • 64 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
A “riveting and powerful” (Gretchen Carlson, cofounder of Lift Our Voices) insider’s account on Wall Street where greed coupled with misogyny and discrimination enforces a culture of exclusion in the upper echelons of Goldman Sachs.
Jamie Fiore Higgins became one of the few women at the highest ranks of Goldman Sachs. Spurred on by the obligation she felt to her working-class immigrant family, she rose through the ranks and saw it all: out-of-control, lavish parties flowing with never-ending drinks; affairs flouted in the office; rampant drug use; and most pervasively, a discriminatory culture that seemed designed to hold back the few women and people of color employed at the company.
Despite Goldman Sachs having the right talking points and statistics, Fiore Higgins soon realized that these provided a veneer to cover up what she found to be an abusive culture. Her account is one filled with shocking stories of harassment and jaw-dropping tales of exclusionary behavior: when she was told she only got promoted because she is a woman; when her coworkers mooed at her after she pumped for her fourth child, defying the superior who had advised her not to breastfeed; or when a male boss used a racial epithet in front of her, other colleagues, and clients without any repercussions.
Bully Market sounds the alarm on the culture of finance and corporate America, while offering clear, actionable ideas for creating a fairer workplace. Both a revealing, extraordinary look at the industry and a top Wall Streeter’s explosive personal story, Bully Market is an essential account of one woman’s experience in a flawed system that speaks to the challenge and urgency for change.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
One of America's leading financial institutions is rife with misogyny, homophobia, and racism, according to this scintillating exposé. Higgins, a former managing director at Goldman Sachs, documents her 20-year rise from trainee to the highest-ranking woman in her department, explaining that the toxic environment nearly destroyed her marriage and family life, even as she was seduced by the huge income and prestige. She documents a workplace culture of grueling hours, drunken parties, and commonplace sexual harassment and discrimination, and notes that when her twin girls were born, she was strongly discouraged from breastfeeding at work. Later, when her son was born, she was in a more senior position and did breastfeed and pump in the office but was mocked by "mooing" sounds on her way to the lactation room. And after a difficult miscarriage, Higgins was pressured to return to work well before her physician advised it, causing even more health difficulties. Setting a brisk pace, Higgins packs the narrative with dramatic scenes but somewhat distracts from her larger point with gossipy details about an affair with one of her bosses. Still, this is a persuasive warning that Wall Street still has a long way to go to become a more human and equitable workplace.
Customer Reviews
Bully Market
Beautifully written book! Learned so much and can relate. The finance field is hard for working moms. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Bully Market
Scary and fascinating history of a woman in Wall Street. It’s still an old boys’ club and women are at a total loss to dismantle it. A great read.
Liar’s Poker for women
A real page-turner. Jamie is clear-eyed and honest about her time at Goldman Sachs - detailing the firm’s failures and her own. A must-read for any woman going into financial services, and any man who wants to understand how the business world needs to change.