The Fund by Rob Copeland Summary
Overview of The Fund
Peek inside Ray Dalio's $150 billion Bridgewater Associates, where surveillance and "Principles" reduced employees to tears. Even as an NYT bestseller, this expose prompted Dalio himself to dismiss it as "tabloid gossip" - while revealing his secretive trading strategies impact billions.
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The Rise of a Wall Street Legend
Ray Dalio's origin story is the stuff of Wall Street legend. A middle-class kid from Long Island, he bought his first stock at age 12 and was trading by high school. After graduating from Harvard Business School, he founded Bridgewater out of his two-bedroom apartment in 1975. From these humble beginnings, Dalio built Bridgewater into a behemoth, amassing a fortune of over $19 billion. By the 2000s, Bridgewater was the world's largest hedge fund, managing $150 billion and boasting eye-popping returns. But it wasn't just Bridgewater's financial success that set it apart. Dalio had developed a unique management philosophy centered on radical transparency and what he called an "idea meritocracy." Employees were encouraged to challenge each other openly, regardless of rank. Every meeting was recorded. Performance was constantly evaluated through a system of public ratings and rankings. Dalio codified these practices in a 123-page manifesto called "Principles," which became required reading for all Bridgewater employees. He claimed this system allowed the best ideas to rise to the top, creating a workplace nirvana of truth-seeking and personal growth. The reality, as I discovered, was far different.
Inside the Bridgewater Bubble
The Man Behind the Curtain
The Emperor's New Clothes
The Unraveling
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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