The Story of Ray Dalio
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Ray Dalio is amongst the most talked about hedge fund managers in the world. When he speaks, people listen and when he takes action, others do too.
His methods have sometimes been criticised, but more often, they have been imitated and spurred on new approaches to investing and business. The way he runs his company has influenced how companies are run, even outside the financial services industry.
His company, Bridgewater Associates, has consistently been one of the largest hedge funds in the world. Over the decades Dalio has been in business, he has stayed ahead of the curve, truly understanding and anticipating the macro picture, while delivering consistently enviable returns for his investors.
This is a man that shaped the direction of an entire industry. This is his story.
Early Years
Raymond Dalio was born on August 1st 1949 in Queens, New York. His father was a jazz musician and his mother was a homemaker, Raymond was the only child.
Ray had a very close relationship with his mother who died when he was 19. His dad worked late hours, which meant he didn’t have a close relationship with him as a child. Dalio describes him as a reasonable man dealing with an unreasonable kid. They did, however, become close after his mother had died, and he admired his father’s strong character.
Dalio describes himself as a curious, independent thinker as a child. He was enthusiastic and excited about visualising his goals. He would strive to achieve ambitious things and then learn from any failures; something he credits as a key to his success.
He didn’t enjoy school, as he wasn’t interested in what he was being taught. He found it hard to remember facts and follow instructions, but he was curious about finding things out for himself. When Dalio was excited about something, nothing could hold him back and he would give it his full determination.
He had a newspaper round at the age of 8, and many other paid jobs. He would struggle to complete his chores at home, but away from home, he was really keen to do them because it meant earning money.
