MI368: Bill Ackman: The Highs and Lows w/ Shawn O'Malley

In today’s episode, Shawn O’Malley (@Shawn_OMalley_) breaks down the rollercoaster ride of Bill Ackman’s career, who is one of the most famous investors alive. You’ll learn about how Ackman’s career got its start, why his biggest successes were so brilliant, why his biggest losses were so painful, what his current portfolio looks like, why his company is looking to IPO, and what sparked his decade-plus feud with billionaire Carl Icahn, plus so much more! IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN 00:00 - Intro 02:24 - How Bill Ackman’s career got its start 03:56 - What started the feud between Bill Ackman and Carl Icahn 08:38 - Why Ackman’s first hedge fund, Gotham Partners, failed 15:54 - How Ackman was able to foresee MBIA’s collapse and the 2008 Financial Crisis 19:39 - Why Ackman wanted Wendy’s to spin off Tim Horton’s 22:01 - How Ackman made one of the greatest hedge fund trades ever  30:14 - Why Ackman’s campaign against Herbalife was a financial fiasco but not necessarily wrong 31:36 - What Ackman got incorrect about Valeant Pharmaceuticals 44:37 - What Ackman’s portfolio looks like today and his latest ventures And much, much more! *Disclaimer: Slight timestamp discrepancies may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Kyle and the other community members. Bill Ackman’s question at the 1998 Berkshire shareholder meeting. 2003 NYT article on Gotham Partners. Highlights from the Bill Ackman and Carl Icahn debate over Herbalife. Christine Richard's book, Confidence Game. Bill Ackman’s research on MBIA. Bill Ackman’s letter to Wendy’s CEO in 2005. Check out Betting On Zero — Herbalife movie. Check out the books mentioned in the podcast here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Check out our Millennial Investing Starter Packs. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try Kyle's favorite tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Stay up-to-date on financial markets and investing strategies through our daily newsletter, We Study Markets. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: Range Rover Toyota Airbnb Found Public Facet Fundrise Airbnb NetSuite Connect with Shawn: Twitter | LinkedIn | Email HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm