Analyze, read, discuss internally, analyze again, find good people, talk to them, bring in the right people, give them autonomy and resources to succeed.”
Jacob Jay Gottlieb, MD, CFA, PRMIA, was awarded his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter from the Association for Investment Management and Research (AIMR) in 2001. Jacob Gottlieb was awarded a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in economics from Brown University located in Providence, Rhode Island.
In addition, Dr. Gottlieb attended New York University Medical School in New York City, New York, where he graduated magna cum laude and received his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. After receiving his degrees, Jacob succeeded in completing an internal medicine internship at St. Vincent’s Hospital located in New York City, New York. However, his ongoing fascination with the stock market inspired him to quit the medical field and pursue his dream of becoming a financial pundit.
Jacob Gottlieb served in the position of Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Visium Asset Management, LLC, a company he founded in 2005. Before he established Visium Asset Management, LLC, Jacob Gottlieb was a founding member at Balyasny Asset Management, L.P. (BAM). Prior to working at Balyasny Asset Management, L.P., Dr. Gottlieb thriverd as an investment portfolio manager at Merlin Financial in London, England. Jacob Gottlieb was formerly engaged as a buy-side analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC.
Jacob Gottlieb was born in the city of Brooklyn, New York, where he grew up with younger brothers. His mother and father emigrated from Poland to the United States during the turbulent 1960s. Dr. Gottlieb’s father, Max Gottlieb PhD, is a professor of economics at the City University (CUNY) located in New York City, New York. His mother, Dr. Helena Gottlieb, is a respected pediatrician. With his upbringing by parents with degrees in the fields of economics and medicine, Jacob Gottlieb was fascinated with both professions.
As an avid baseball fan, Jacob Gottlieb traded baseball cards during his youth and worked hard as a baseball card trader, collecting many full teams—especially the Yankees. When he was in the 7th grade, Jacob won an unusual contest at school. The contest required him to pick stocks. His father was duly impressed with the young man’s ability to select winning stocks and promptly made arrangements for young Jacob to have his own investment trading account. In addition, Jacob gained entrepreneurial experience selling beverages to golfers at a local course- buying supplies at a grocery store and pulling a heavy shopping cart behind him with drinks for thirsty golfers.
Jacob Gottlieb is a thoughtful person with unique insights about how to choose the right career. He has mentioned that surgeons and fund managers share similar characteristics. Jacob believes that physicians and stock brokers are both risk takers and risk managers. He has stated that physicians need to have excellent planning skills and think about issues in a practical manner. He shared his conviction that doctors need to eliminate potential risks for their patients before further medical conditions occur.
In the same way, trading on Wall Street involves risk taking and managing finances before the portfolios are completely out of control. Professionals in both fields need to know which actions to take in any situation. Nevertheless, Jacob’s love for trading and learning ultimately blended with his fascination with medicine.
Gottlieb is active with the nonprofit Covenant House, working with homeless children, as well as in organizations like Math for America and the poverty-fighting charity Robin Hood in New York City.
Where did the idea for Visium Asset Management come from?
Always fascinated with investing—read dozens of books on investing and management by while in high school. Favorites include books by George Soros, Ben Graham, Warren Buffett.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
Wake up 6AM, gym, office by 8 AM. Meetings and calls scheduled every day with time for reading and thinking about major issues.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Analyze, read, discuss internally, analyze again, find good people, talk to them, bring in the right people, give them autonomy and resources to succeed.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
AI and big data.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
Efficient use of time, meeting people regularly and asking for them to stick to an efficient schedule.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Always work with the best people.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
We will get to a world where life expectancy is 100.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Review your plan regularly and make sure it is still the best plan.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
Hiring good people and giving them autonomy and resources to succeed.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Online retraining for jobs that will be replaced by AI.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
Wireless headphones.
What software and web services do you use? What do you love about them?
Amazon, Microsoft. Comprehensive and easy to use.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
Ready Player One – a fun read and a perspective on the future. Also, Sapiens by Harari.
Connect:
Jacob Gottlieb on LinkedIn:
Steve (Stefan) Junge hails from Germany and helps with the day-to-day publishing of interviews on IdeaMensch. While he and Mario don’t share a favorite soccer club, their enthusiasm to help entrepreneurs is a shared passion.