Long Strange Trip: CEO to CEO with Brian Halligan Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon: What Startup Founders Get Wrong About the CEO Job
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Dec 18, 2025 David Solomon, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, shares insights from his extensive banking career. He argues that CEOs often face difficult '51/49' decisions, emphasizing the importance of experience over pure intelligence. Solomon reflects on mentorship from industry giants, highlights the value of resilience in hiring, and discusses how partnerships can succeed or fail based on alignment. He also explores how AI will influence the apprenticeship culture and recounts lessons from winding down Goldman’s consumer banking efforts. Plus, some unexpected twists about his passion for DJing!
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How The Consumer Bet Began
- Goldman pursued digital deposits and a consumer platform culminating in the Marcus and Apple card efforts.
- Lloyd Blankfein championed the deposit strategy and Apple later approached Goldman to partner on a credit card.
Insularity Cost Expertise
- Solomon admits Goldman erred by being too insular when building consumer expertise.
- He believes buying established capability would have been better than building from scratch.
Pull Back When Distractions Threaten Core
- If a new line distracts core business during regulatory or market stress, consider pausing it.
- Prioritize focus on areas that materially move market cap and shareholder value now.
