Jamie Fiore Higgins’ new book, Bully Market: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs, recounts her harrowing tale of the harassment, sexism, racism, and challenges she encountered as one of the few female Managing Directors at the firm. Her book offers a rare glimpse at the prestigious firm’s abusive culture where people were regularly told they were worthless and overpaid. While most people were treated badly, except the few chosen people, women were especially subjected to sexual harassment, unfair rules, and sometimes psychical harassment. People of color and those belonging to the LGTBQ+ community quickly found that the company culture was not welcoming to them and many unfortunately left. Higgins quickly found the company persona that Goldman Sachs presented was not, in fact, the true company culture.

Higgins discusses the obstacles stacked against her as she climbed the corporate ladder at Goldman Sachs. Being a woman and one of color, she quickly found that the cutthroat culture was toxic for her mental health. At Goldman Sachs, women were seen as nothing but eye candy, with little regard for their intelligence and ideas. Even with achieving the title of Managing Director, a prestigious title that only 8% of people achieved, she still struggled to earn the respect of her team (mostly men who did not want a female boss). When Higgins became a mother (against the advice of the firm), she found herself facing even more intense pressure from the firm and her team. Tired, worn down, and realizing that the company culture was not going to change, Higgins was finally able to leave due to years of saving up money.

Overall, Bully Market was hard to read because it shows not much has changed for women in the workforce. While many companies have preached the importance of workplace wellness, there are still many toxic workplaces that leave people emotionally damaged. It’s of the upmost importance for companies to create healthy workplaces where people are respected and valued. In 2023, there’s no excuse for toxic work cultures. I’m proud of Higgins’ bravery for telling her story and demanding more from Goldman Sachs. I’m hopeful more people will continue to share their toxic workplace stories, and together we will continue to fight for healthy workplaces.