Poker Princess Molly Bloom Shares Lessons in High Stakes and Resilience
OKLAHOMA CITY —
Molly Bloom, the best-selling author of the memoir Molly’s Game, recently visited The Entrepreneur’s Studio, a podcast produced and sponsored by Heartland Payments Systems, to share lessons from her harrowing personal story of transitioning from an Olympic-level skier to host of the most exclusive poker club in the world to an FBI target.
Bloom, who has since seen her story adapted into Aaron Sorkin’s Oscar-nominated screenplay, is now an inspirational speaker sharing her story of redemption and resilience to audiences all over the world. Chris Allen, Heartland’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and host of The Entrepreneur’s Studio, sat down with Bloom to discuss lessons in accepting responsibility, seeking forgiveness, and redefining success on her own terms.
“What do you do when you don’t like the way your story is being told?” asked Bloom. “You figure out a way to tell it differently.”
In part 1 of the interview, which is now live on all major podcast platforms, YouTube (link at bottom of page) and theentrepreneurs.studio, Bloom recounts her personal story that began in her home state of Colorado. After an injury derailed her skiing career, Bloom moved to Los Angeles and took a job as an office assistant. There, she began helping her boss run an exclusive poker game that hosted famous politicians, athletes, and other A-list celebrities. Bloom later took over the game after multiple feuds with her boss.
“Poker teaches you a couple of things just by observing it,” said Bloom. “It teaches you that you have to take calculated risks, and if you’re too afraid to take those risks, over time, you lose the game.”
Eventually Bloom lost the LA poker game and moved to New York. It was there that she started a new game and built it into the most exclusive private poker game in the world. But that level of success came at a cost.
“When I moved to New York I stopped being what I would call a healthy entrepreneur and became completely obsessed with the money, power and status – it became like a drug,” said Bloom. “My entire identity became wrapped around this game, what it meant for my access, and how much money I was making. The more I became that person, the less I liked my life and myself.”
Eventually, Bloom’s game got the attention of federal law enforcement and she was arrested and charged with 33 others as part of money laundering and illegal sports gambling operation. From “poker princess” to convicted felon and a social pariah – Bloom said her long journey from the bottom started with one very important step.
“I had to forgive myself and be accountable,” said Bloom. I went around, sometimes flying to places, and said sorry to the people I needed to say sorry to.”
That lesson in forgiveness, both of forgiving herself and asking forgiveness of others, is at the center of Molly’s lessons to listeners.
Now a successful entrepreneur, public speaker, author and mother, Bloom credits much of her bounce back to one key thing.
“One of the most profound lessons I learned during that time was the unbelievable importance and impact of being able to manage your mind and your emotions,” said Bloom. “If everything is my fault, then everything is my opportunity as well.”