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Bully Market: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs
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 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 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.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 30, 2022
156 people are currently reading
7094 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Fiore Higgins
1 book69 followersJamie Fiore Higgins worked as a managing director at Goldman Sachs. One of just 8 percent of Goldman employees to earn the managing director title, she was the highest-ranking woman in her department. An active member of the Women’s Network Committee, Fiore Higgins spent her workdays running the trainee and internship programs, recruiting, and managing top equity clients and $100 billion in stock. Living in New Jersey with her husband and four children, she is a trained coach, working with teens to hone in on their leadership skills, high school, and college graduates as they begin careers, professionals as they navigate the workforce, and those in midlife looking to reinvent themselves.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 342 reviews
December 21, 2022
NO BULL! "Bully Market" is a 5-star "must-read" memoir.
This is the second Goldman Sachs "tell all" memoir that I have read. "Why I Left Goldman Sachs" by Greg Smith (2012) was the first.
Not surprisingly, both books have similar messaging:
1) Working at Goldman Sachs is not for the faint-hearted.
2) The high compensation earned by Goldman Sachs employees magically make the intense pressures, long hours, cut-throat and toxic work environment conditions, and back-stabbing team members acceptable.
Author Jamie Fiore Higgins was a math major at Bryn Mawr when she was hired by Goldman Sachs in 1998.
The author was the daughter of blue-collar Italian immigrants who encouraged her to work in finance instead of her preferred field of social work so that she could quickly pay off her college loans.
At the time the author was hired. there were few females working at Goldman Sachs and the firm was aggressively recruiting female team members.
The book read like a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction novel and it was unputdownable.
The author held nothing back: professionally and personally.
Some names were changed to protect the privacy of Goldman Sachs employees.
I listened to the audiobook read by the author. I always love it when authors read their own memoirs and Jamie Fiore Higgins did an outstanding job with the narration.
5 enthusiastic stars!
This is the second Goldman Sachs "tell all" memoir that I have read. "Why I Left Goldman Sachs" by Greg Smith (2012) was the first.
Not surprisingly, both books have similar messaging:
1) Working at Goldman Sachs is not for the faint-hearted.
2) The high compensation earned by Goldman Sachs employees magically make the intense pressures, long hours, cut-throat and toxic work environment conditions, and back-stabbing team members acceptable.
Author Jamie Fiore Higgins was a math major at Bryn Mawr when she was hired by Goldman Sachs in 1998.
The author was the daughter of blue-collar Italian immigrants who encouraged her to work in finance instead of her preferred field of social work so that she could quickly pay off her college loans.
At the time the author was hired. there were few females working at Goldman Sachs and the firm was aggressively recruiting female team members.
The book read like a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction novel and it was unputdownable.
The author held nothing back: professionally and personally.
Some names were changed to protect the privacy of Goldman Sachs employees.
I listened to the audiobook read by the author. I always love it when authors read their own memoirs and Jamie Fiore Higgins did an outstanding job with the narration.
5 enthusiastic stars!
November 27, 2022
In Bully Market, Jamie Fiore Higgins shares the story of her time working for Goldman Sachs for 18 years. During her almost 2 decades there, Jamie rose to become Managing Director, an elite senior level role at the company. She was the highest ranking woman in her department and repeatedly encountered harassment and boys club behavior, but also felt compelled to stay, more than once, by the massive payouts.
In addition to detailing the cutthroat culture at GS, Jamie shares her personal experiences during this time — About her marriage, pregnancies, and motherhood. She endured a lot and I felt for her but also appreciate her acknowledgement of some serious mistakes she made, jeopardizing her personal life at times.
While Jamie’s experience would be rightfully deemed unacceptable by many, GS is far from the only company with these kinds of issues. Money remains a powerful motivator. I was disgusted reading about what she endured, but I can’t say I was shocked in every instance either and that itself is telling (& disappointing) about where we are as a society when it comes to corporate culture.
In addition to detailing the cutthroat culture at GS, Jamie shares her personal experiences during this time — About her marriage, pregnancies, and motherhood. She endured a lot and I felt for her but also appreciate her acknowledgement of some serious mistakes she made, jeopardizing her personal life at times.
While Jamie’s experience would be rightfully deemed unacceptable by many, GS is far from the only company with these kinds of issues. Money remains a powerful motivator. I was disgusted reading about what she endured, but I can’t say I was shocked in every instance either and that itself is telling (& disappointing) about where we are as a society when it comes to corporate culture.
July 7, 2022
Absolutely captivating. This was one of my fastest reads in a while. Normally you don’t think an average biography will be all too intriguing, but I literally couldn’t put the book down. It was fascinating to find out what the next thing going on in Jamie’s life was. This was her real story and I just am in awe of her brutal honesty and vulnerability. She truly grips you with her story, and provides moments so relatable they can rip your heart out and then mend it all over again. I couldn’t say enough amazing things about this book. I have already told all of my friends to pre-order.
July 7, 2022
Loved it! I couldn’t put it down. A must-read for anyone who wants to learn real experiences of a woman on Wall Street and the unhealthy and toxic working conditions of Goldman Sachs.
September 2, 2022
I was really eager to read this, both because I work in finance (not at Goldman Sachs, thank goodness!) and because I love the novel The Escape Room, which is about investment bankers at a fictional firm that is obviously based on Goldman Sachs).
Don't get me wrong, I did like this book. I can't imagine working at Goldman—what a nightmare! Add in to those long working hours a four hour commute (that's two hours each way) and that sounds like a nightmare to me, regardless of salary! For close to twenty years, Jamie saw her work colleagues more than her family or friends. It's one thing to do that for a couple of years to make a ton of money—but nineteen years (that's the amount of time she says she worked for Goldman) is a really long time to miss out on.
Of course, she waited until the end to throw in some random support for black lives matter. Really? That's not going to make the culture at Goldman, or any company better. Black lives matter isn't going to make anything better. Just saying. If she'd put that in the introduction instead of the epilogue, I probably wouldn't have read the book.
Don't get me wrong, I did like this book. I can't imagine working at Goldman—what a nightmare! Add in to those long working hours a four hour commute (that's two hours each way) and that sounds like a nightmare to me, regardless of salary! For close to twenty years, Jamie saw her work colleagues more than her family or friends. It's one thing to do that for a couple of years to make a ton of money—but nineteen years (that's the amount of time she says she worked for Goldman) is a really long time to miss out on.
Of course, she waited until the end to throw in some random support for black lives matter. Really? That's not going to make the culture at Goldman, or any company better. Black lives matter isn't going to make anything better. Just saying. If she'd put that in the introduction instead of the epilogue, I probably wouldn't have read the book.
January 16, 2023
Closer to 2.5 stars. Too many reasons to list.
When over a period just over a decade you are also experiencing 4 births and multiple pregnancies with intervals of extended "off" leave etc. - it will be hard in any business or job. Physically.
She talks out of both sides of het mouth. Millions of women don't get that paycheck or access.
Having some valid points, she often is also fully over the top in bias eyes. And in uneven logic too.
Poor writing and redundant by habit?
When over a period just over a decade you are also experiencing 4 births and multiple pregnancies with intervals of extended "off" leave etc. - it will be hard in any business or job. Physically.
She talks out of both sides of het mouth. Millions of women don't get that paycheck or access.
Having some valid points, she often is also fully over the top in bias eyes. And in uneven logic too.
Poor writing and redundant by habit?
November 12, 2022
Shocking but not surprising.
I got so frustrated with Jamie towards the end of the book for not leaving earlier, but I’m glad everything ended up working out for her and her family.
I got so frustrated with Jamie towards the end of the book for not leaving earlier, but I’m glad everything ended up working out for her and her family.
October 6, 2022
I struggled with this one, I can't imagine having these levels of money and feeling like you need more and more and more.
Her experience seemed utterly miserable
Her experience seemed utterly miserable
October 31, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down! I hate what she went through though. Great insight into this world.
July 15, 2022
In the last year and a half, my own interest in the stock market has risen, likely because I have reached that certain age where I am teetering between the fierce saving for my children's college 529 plans and our own retirement. I've often cursed that my own passions didn't line up with a career that lined up with the compensation it deserves, but I cannot help but love what I love.
Higgins didn't choose that path, which is perhaps why I wanted to read the book--I wanted to see what it would be like to set aside a social service profession's path for something that would make money not a concern. Higgins, when Higgins was Fiore, wanted to be a social worker, but her family influenced her to pick a path that earned real money, and earn it she did. Her hours left little room for anything else, though she did manage to get married and have four children, a feat I cannot understand until I realize she sacrificed time for those things--she saw her kids on the weekends, even though they slept in the same house, and she almost lost her marriage as they drifted apart.
There is a portion where that marriage begins to fall apart, but the passages feel as if a lot is left out, which is fine--it is not my business to know the sordid details--but the thing is, Higgins presents it as if she's given us all the information. We get two scenes in which she seems to be telling all, but also, she is able to excuse away so much. I feel that these moments could have been handled differently; she could have said, there were moments when I was unfaithful, and my husband knew, and given us some paragraphs, but to feel as if we were let behind the curtain when I'm sure there was more felt strange.
It felt that much of the book, Higgins was painting herself as a "this is not me" and "these are not my morals" kind of person, but she stayed in an abusive environment for nearly two decades. Yes, there is so much that shows how hard it is to leave an abusive relationship-like situation: she is assaulted and yet she stays, she is demeaned and yet she stays, she has to make an exit plan and yet she stays right up until that day. Instead of suing, she stays. Instead of reporting most of the incidents, she keeps quit so she can stay. She writes about how she wants to be a role model for women rising in the company, but she keeps quiet when one of them takes actual action. She doesn't sue because she claims she wants to keep her reputation intact but then she writes a tell-all memoir, and perhaps that is what could do more harm to Goldman Sachs than suing, but to me, I've always been told to report those things and make those changes. For me, reading this book, I couldn't understand how she didn't report things within those first months, but I would not have lasted for nearly two decades and never would have made the bonuses she had. That's what makes reading this memoir so difficult.
I don't want to imply that I haven't been in similar toxic situations; I have. I've just left because I knew I couldn't influence the change that needed to happen. This could be why and how I can't understand all the things I wrote above. I was also raised differently--my parents told me I have to feel good and passionate about what I do.
For a bit, I felt envy that her bonuses were more than I could make in a decade and a half.
I do wonder if Higgins will end up in social work. At the end of the book, she's a stay at home mom, and more power to her--I was one too for a few years. It was its own kind of wonderful and hard.
The writing itself is fine. It is no literary memoir, so I am not sure what kind of shelf life it will have, but it's competent and truly interesting to see things from a world I will never live in. I'm glad Higgins wrote this book because I think women need to tell their stories. I have criticized her above for not speaking out before, but she's doing it now, and that takes a hell of a lot of courage. She does it in a way that reads in a smooth narrative and I found myself looking forward to returning to the pages.
This would be a good read for anyone who is interested in the real stories of women in powerful positions (who are made to feel powerless) and wants to read a true story of those things. Honestly, I hope this book ends up making the change it should make, and I hope women in power find more ways to break away from that feeling of powerlessness to get what they truly deserve, which is so much more than what Higgins got.
I read this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Higgins didn't choose that path, which is perhaps why I wanted to read the book--I wanted to see what it would be like to set aside a social service profession's path for something that would make money not a concern. Higgins, when Higgins was Fiore, wanted to be a social worker, but her family influenced her to pick a path that earned real money, and earn it she did. Her hours left little room for anything else, though she did manage to get married and have four children, a feat I cannot understand until I realize she sacrificed time for those things--she saw her kids on the weekends, even though they slept in the same house, and she almost lost her marriage as they drifted apart.
There is a portion where that marriage begins to fall apart, but the passages feel as if a lot is left out, which is fine--it is not my business to know the sordid details--but the thing is, Higgins presents it as if she's given us all the information. We get two scenes in which she seems to be telling all, but also, she is able to excuse away so much. I feel that these moments could have been handled differently; she could have said, there were moments when I was unfaithful, and my husband knew, and given us some paragraphs, but to feel as if we were let behind the curtain when I'm sure there was more felt strange.
It felt that much of the book, Higgins was painting herself as a "this is not me" and "these are not my morals" kind of person, but she stayed in an abusive environment for nearly two decades. Yes, there is so much that shows how hard it is to leave an abusive relationship-like situation: she is assaulted and yet she stays, she is demeaned and yet she stays, she has to make an exit plan and yet she stays right up until that day. Instead of suing, she stays. Instead of reporting most of the incidents, she keeps quit so she can stay. She writes about how she wants to be a role model for women rising in the company, but she keeps quiet when one of them takes actual action. She doesn't sue because she claims she wants to keep her reputation intact but then she writes a tell-all memoir, and perhaps that is what could do more harm to Goldman Sachs than suing, but to me, I've always been told to report those things and make those changes. For me, reading this book, I couldn't understand how she didn't report things within those first months, but I would not have lasted for nearly two decades and never would have made the bonuses she had. That's what makes reading this memoir so difficult.
I don't want to imply that I haven't been in similar toxic situations; I have. I've just left because I knew I couldn't influence the change that needed to happen. This could be why and how I can't understand all the things I wrote above. I was also raised differently--my parents told me I have to feel good and passionate about what I do.
For a bit, I felt envy that her bonuses were more than I could make in a decade and a half.
I do wonder if Higgins will end up in social work. At the end of the book, she's a stay at home mom, and more power to her--I was one too for a few years. It was its own kind of wonderful and hard.
The writing itself is fine. It is no literary memoir, so I am not sure what kind of shelf life it will have, but it's competent and truly interesting to see things from a world I will never live in. I'm glad Higgins wrote this book because I think women need to tell their stories. I have criticized her above for not speaking out before, but she's doing it now, and that takes a hell of a lot of courage. She does it in a way that reads in a smooth narrative and I found myself looking forward to returning to the pages.
This would be a good read for anyone who is interested in the real stories of women in powerful positions (who are made to feel powerless) and wants to read a true story of those things. Honestly, I hope this book ends up making the change it should make, and I hope women in power find more ways to break away from that feeling of powerlessness to get what they truly deserve, which is so much more than what Higgins got.
I read this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 17, 2022
Another whining MD who helped to contribute to the very toxic environment she left once she made enough cash. But wants employees to now risk their careers to speak up when she never could. Spare me. A typical don’t be like me!! Be the change yet couldn’t do it ever while in the seat. Don’t waste your money. Glad I could return this book.
September 30, 2022
Everyone who has ever worked anywhere should read this. I felt all the feelings. This book is triggering, disturbing, and inspiring all at the same time. 5 stars. I finished it in one day.
November 19, 2022
This isn't the first book book to expose the toxic culture of Wall St. investment banks. I have read other books that talk about the closed loop of the old boys' network that holds the reins of power, despite all of the theoretical rules about fairness, recruiting women and minorities etc., which are mostly just window dressing, but this is the first book I have read that tells the story from a woman's perspective. It shows how Ms. Higgins is pulled into the Wall St. culture that is antithetical to her values and how she helps to perpetuate it because it is the only way for her to succeed and because she can't resist the lure of the staggeringly large amounts of money that the big time investment bankers make. I can understand these contradictions, which I have experienced with much less toxicity and much less money in my own career. So many people are drawn to the dark side, and addiction to money and power makes it so hard to remain a decent person. Almost anybody who has spent time in the business world will be able to empathize.
The best part of this book is the happy ending in which Ms. Higgins manages to escape with her family and values intact and many millions in her pocket.
The best part of this book is the happy ending in which Ms. Higgins manages to escape with her family and values intact and many millions in her pocket.
August 11, 2025
“Ugh, it sucks that I make SO much money! Everyone here is so sexist and racist and homophobic and I have waaaay too much privilege and I definitely don’t have the same values but I NEVER speak out because I’m just SO SCARED. And I could NEVER leave because how will I get a million dollars every year? And I feel SO bad about cheating on my husband but I HAVE to write in great detail how STEAMY it was but I feel SO BAD for cheating! And being a mom for one week is like SO HARD guys, kids puke and no one brings me coffee?? Waaaaaah!”
January 1, 2024
Wow wow wow. Could not put this down. Cannot believe how disturbing some of the behaviour is. Grateful for the women who have paved the way before me and glad my experience does not match Jamie’s.
February 18, 2023
As a fellow woman on Wall Street I can fully appreciate this account of what it’s like. Here’s to a new generation of women supporting other women
November 6, 2022
This was going to be a 5 star rating, but the more I read, the more I started to question the narrative. It's repetitive and overly detailed in some parts yet seems to be missing key details in other parts. There are many passages where the author tries to justify her decisions and actions, but some just don't make sense given the toxic culture in the Goldman Sachs workplace. By the end of the book, I was puzzled and annoyed for various reasons.
Then we have the epilogue where the author berates corporate America while giving directives on how powerful companies can fix the broken system. It's all very good to point fingers and generalize, but, frankly, I find that ineffective and 'holier-than-thou. She essentially directs new employees to do exactly what she chose not to do.
Lastly, a pet peeve of mine is included in the epilogue. A direct quote: "Multiple studies have shown that "diverse companies are more likely to outperform less diverse peers on profitability" and non homogenous teams are smarter...challenging brains to overcome stale thinking and sharpen performance." Okay, so here's my problem with that information - where's the source??? It drives me crazy when journalists refer to multiple studies without offering the source. It's a convenient way to offer your viewpoint without accountability.
This would be a great book for a book club discussion, centering on misogyny and corporate greed. However, I'd hope that other issues might be brought up as well, including life choices and priorities.
Then we have the epilogue where the author berates corporate America while giving directives on how powerful companies can fix the broken system. It's all very good to point fingers and generalize, but, frankly, I find that ineffective and 'holier-than-thou. She essentially directs new employees to do exactly what she chose not to do.
Lastly, a pet peeve of mine is included in the epilogue. A direct quote: "Multiple studies have shown that "diverse companies are more likely to outperform less diverse peers on profitability" and non homogenous teams are smarter...challenging brains to overcome stale thinking and sharpen performance." Okay, so here's my problem with that information - where's the source??? It drives me crazy when journalists refer to multiple studies without offering the source. It's a convenient way to offer your viewpoint without accountability.
This would be a great book for a book club discussion, centering on misogyny and corporate greed. However, I'd hope that other issues might be brought up as well, including life choices and priorities.
January 16, 2023
Hmmm, where to begin? I was really looking forward to reading this book. I mostly found that the choices that Jamie makes throughout the book are not very good. How can someone who constantly complains about everything at her job, barely do anything about it, and her life, while making millions and millions of dollars...for almosr 2 decades!?! Are we supposed to feel bad for this woman? You accepted a job in a traditionally male driven business, either stand up, break through the standards, and make changes or get the heck out. Instead, she allows herself to get physically sick, have an affair with her boss cheating on a husband she probably doesn't deserve, spend weeks and weeks away from her children and scrape by miserably to make her millions for way too long. And I still ask how someone can do something for so long when they are completely miserable, and I guess the answer for Jamie is money.
November 29, 2022
2.5 stars. After graduating college, Jamie pursued a job at Goldman Sachs solely for the high compensation. She had no interest in finance, but succeeded due to a willingness to work diligently, make tremendous personal sacrifices, and tolerate a toxic work environment. Her revelations didn’t surprise me based on my industry knowledge, but do appreciate her courage (albeit delayed) in an attempt to increase awareness and foster change. However, there were some inconsistencies in her perspective and outlook that have me a bit puzzled.
July 7, 2022
I loved this book. It provided a much-needed perspective in the world of finance, and it was so refreshing to hear this story told by a woman I could completely relate to. The writing was excellent, and I found myself rooting for the author as the story unfolded. Higgins exposed true, raw, and even conflicted feelings, and I cried more than once while reading this memoir. A page-turner for sure.
October 29, 2022
Ugghhhhhh
November 8, 2022
A bit too close to the bone…felt like my every day
January 19, 2025
A gripping novel about life on Wall Street and all of the horrors/perks that come with it - couldn’t put it down!!
June 9, 2023
Intriguing and captivating read! I couldn’t wait to pick it up each day to see how much closer Jamie was to leaving Goldman Sachs. She wrote from her heart and told a difficult account of her years at Goldman Sachs. How she withstood the discrimination took so much strength and was able to still climb to Marketing Director is riveting. She was very courageous and had an amazing supporting husband. Highly recommend for all women to read from any background.
July 28, 2023
Bully Market captivated me from start to finish (despite having 0 interest in the stock market or financial industry). The author is brutally honest about her life and experiences - sharing all the good, bad and ugly. It shows the chaos, intimidation and ruthless competition that people can be conditioned to put up with.
The authors story has stuck with me throughout reading it, and I will happily be re-reading it again in the future.
The authors story has stuck with me throughout reading it, and I will happily be re-reading it again in the future.
August 10, 2025
Overall, it’s a solid glimpse into the culture at Goldman Sachs (or any major corporation of a similar calibre): ruthless, cutthroat, and with a limited space for true diversity, whether in thoughts or backgrounds. That said, I couldn’t help but be irritated by the hypocrisy in Jamie’s narrative. She was part of the very culture she now critiques by shaping it, driving it, and clinging to it for the sake of bonuses and the comfort of a generous remuneration package, only to start finger-pointing after her resignation. Like… duh.
November 9, 2022
Very interesting read about the less than inspiring experience of being a woman in a big bank on Wall Street. I appreciate how she pulls the curtain back on the culture, but doesn’t fully separate herself from it. She takes accountability for her role in perpetuating the problems and acknowledges that she diminished the experience of women who did come forward to ensure she kept her spot.
All corporations should take this book as a warning that the culture and values set by your executive teams doesn’t automatically make its way into meeting rooms and trading floors. What’s really going on? What values do your employees embody? How do you know for sure? These questions can’t be passive.
I heard a Michael Lewis interview a few years ago and someone asked him what the biggest risk in the financial system is today and he said “the lack of women on Wall Street.” I always knew big finance was male dominated but this book really showed me why. There are honestly some horrific things in here.
Shout out to Jamie for writing this, very brave. I imagine she had to burn some bridges.
Xoxo
All corporations should take this book as a warning that the culture and values set by your executive teams doesn’t automatically make its way into meeting rooms and trading floors. What’s really going on? What values do your employees embody? How do you know for sure? These questions can’t be passive.
I heard a Michael Lewis interview a few years ago and someone asked him what the biggest risk in the financial system is today and he said “the lack of women on Wall Street.” I always knew big finance was male dominated but this book really showed me why. There are honestly some horrific things in here.
Shout out to Jamie for writing this, very brave. I imagine she had to burn some bridges.
Xoxo
October 24, 2022
A story so brilliantly told, loved this - captivating and eye opening.
November 22, 2023
An insider's look at the culture within high finance that wouldn't have been possible without a narrator who enables the culture and ultimately sacrifices her happiness and relationships for extreme wealth.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 342 reviews