--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Vanguard never would have happened if I…" description: "\"Vanguard never would have happened if I hadn't been fired as CEO of Wellington Management Company, the firm that did the investing for the Wellington f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/john-c-bogle-2199_ceo_vanguard-never-would-have-happened-if-i_2123417.jpg" --- # Vanguard never would have happened if I hadn't been fired… ![“Vanguard never would have happened if I hadn't been fired as CEO of Wellington Management Company, the firm that did the investing for the Wellington fund and eight sister funds.” quote by John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/john-c-bogle-2199_ceo_vanguard-never-would-have-happened-if-i_2123417.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/john-c-bogle-2199_ceo_vanguard-never-would-have-happened-if-i_2123417.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/john-c-bogle-2199_ceo_vanguard-never-would-have-happened-if-i_2123417.jpg) > “Vanguard never would have happened if I hadn't been fired as CEO of Wellington Management Company, the firm that did the investing for the Wellington fund and eight sister funds.” [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal setback led to creation of Vanguard, showing failure can spark innovation. **In simple terms:** Failure can inspire new ventures. Key Takeaway Embrace setbacks as opportunities. Themes entrepreneurship failure innovation Mood inspirational pragmatic Type business motivational When to use this quote - startup founding - career pivots Key Concepts business strategy leadership resilience Practical Applications - investment management Questions to Reflect On - What conditions turn failure into success? - How can leaders foster a culture that learns from mistakes? A Different Perspective Failure alone doesn't guarantee success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ceo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo/) [Ceo Wellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo-wellington-4343596/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Fired Ceo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fired-ceo-4343597/) [Hadn Fired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hadn-fired-305667/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Sister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sister/) [Vanguard Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanguard-happened-4343598/) [Wellington Fund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wellington-fund-4078926/) ## Related quotes > [My favourite holdings are Vanguard's Wellington Fund, a balanced mutual fund which is a legacy investment from my first career at Wellington Management Co.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/my-favourite-holdings-are-vanguard-s-wellington-fund-a-balanced/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [2009 was one of the busiest, most insane, stressful periods in my entire career. I was raising a bunch of money, buying a bunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sacca/2009-was-one-of-the-busiest-most-insane-stressful-periods-in-my/) [Chris Sacca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sacca/) > [“With the sleep deprived pounding behind Brent’s closed eyes, he made a decision. He wouldn’t quit, and he hadn’t been fired; however, without a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleatha-romig/with-the-sleep-deprived-pounding-behind-brent-s-closed-eyes-he-made-a/) [Aleatha Romig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleatha-romig/) > [I'd never have left Hawkwind if I hadn't been fired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/i-d-never-have-left-hawkwind-if-i-hadn-t-been-fired/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [The relationship between executive CEO pay, stock performance is tenuous and not easily unscrambled, just one of myriad factors that affect the price of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-relationship-between-executive-ceo-pay-stock-performance-is/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [Governor Romney may be running for CEO, I'm running for President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/governor-romney-may-be-running-for-ceo-i-m-running-for-president/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [If the CEO is not going to give you a fair chance, you're probably not going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/if-the-ceo-is-not-going-to-give-you-a-fair-chance-you-re-probably-not/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [I want to share that I had and still do, and a great relationship with Angela Ahrendts. She was the CEO of Burberry. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-e-glaser/i-want-to-share-that-i-had-and-still-do-and-a-great-relationship-with/) [Judith E. Glaser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-e-glaser/) > [I draw the line at some things. Some things I won't do for any amount of money. Like for instance, there's a couple of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-draw-the-line-at-some-things-some-things-i-won-t-do-for-any-amount/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [For any CEO that is skeptical at all: you have to create a social enterprise today!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-ahrendts/for-any-ceo-that-is-skeptical-at-all-you-have-to-create-a-social/) [Angela Ahrendts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-ahrendts/) > [Strategy is not a solo sport, even if you're the CEO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-mckeown/strategy-is-not-a-solo-sport-even-if-you-re-the-ceo/) [Max McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-mckeown/) > [I learned a lesson that I don't ever want to be a CEO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilcox/i-learned-a-lesson-that-i-don-t-ever-want-to-be-a-ceo/) [Larry Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilcox/) > [I took on the role of CEO, which involves directing the Management Team and overall day-to-day operations of 500.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-tsai/i-took-on-the-role-of-ceo-which-involves-directing-the-management/) [Christine Tsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-tsai/) > [When you're young and you have money, you become the CEO, automatically, of life, of your family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-haim/when-you-re-young-and-you-have-money-you-become-the-ceo-automatically/) [Corey Haim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-haim/) ## More by John C. Bogle > [The basic idea of retirement income is, to me, to get a check, two checks every month, one from your fixed income and one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-basic-idea-of-retirement-income-is-to-me-to-get-a-check-two/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [When you're young, you've got plenty of time to recover from your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/when-you-re-young-you-ve-got-plenty-of-time-to-recover-from-your/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [I almost hate to say how proud I am of my career and, most of all, helping folks get the returns they deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/i-almost-hate-to-say-how-proud-i-am-of-my-career-and-most-of-all/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [The Vanguard Experiment was designed to prove that mutual funds could operate independently, and do so in a manner that would directly benefit their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-vanguard-experiment-was-designed-to-prove-that-mutual-funds-could/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest. Learning is to the Studious, and Riches to the Careful. If a man empties his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/an-investment-in-knowledge-always-pays-the-best-interest-learning-is/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [I liked the so-called Volcker Rule. I would have separated investment banking and commercial, deposit banking, as we did under the Glass-Steagal Act. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/i-liked-the-so-called-volcker-rule-i-would-have-separated-investment/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [We make too much out of past performance, and it's very misleading to investors. It causes them to move money around. They buy a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/we-make-too-much-out-of-past-performance-and-it-s-very-misleading-to/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [It's very difficult for any particular segment of the stock market to sustain superior performance. The watch word for our financial markets is, "reversion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/it-s-very-difficult-for-any-particular-segment-of-the-stock-market-to/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [I do think that impact investing is not that effective. Shares go from investor A to investor B, and the company doesn't even know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/i-do-think-that-impact-investing-is-not-that-effective-shares-go-from/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [I was born in an earlier generation and, as a group, my classmates at Blair Academy and Princeton University were as ethical, straightforward, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/i-was-born-in-an-earlier-generation-and-as-a-group-my-classmates-at/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [My only regret about money is that I don't have more to give away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/my-only-regret-about-money-is-that-i-don-t-have-more-to-give-away/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [U.S. companies are innovative and entrepreneurial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/u-s-companies-are-innovative-and-entrepreneurial/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [Successful investing is about owning businesses and reaping the huge rewards provided by the dividends and earnings growth of our nation's - and, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/successful-investing-is-about-owning-businesses-and-reaping-the-huge/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [Without getting into brothels, there are ethical capitalists the problem is that there aren't enough of them. It is not "just a few bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/without-getting-into-brothels-there-are-ethical-capitalists-the/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [The average hedge fund manager is going to earn zero per cent in extra return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-average-hedge-fund-manager-is-going-to-earn-zero-per-cent-in/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) [Explore all 179 John C. Bogle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) ## More Ceo quotes > [When you're young and you have money, you become the CEO, automatically, of life, of your family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-haim/when-you-re-young-and-you-have-money-you-become-the-ceo-automatically/) [Corey Haim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-haim/) > [I took on the role of CEO, which involves directing the Management Team and overall day-to-day operations of 500.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-tsai/i-took-on-the-role-of-ceo-which-involves-directing-the-management/) [Christine Tsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-tsai/) > [I learned a lesson that I don't ever want to be a CEO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilcox/i-learned-a-lesson-that-i-don-t-ever-want-to-be-a-ceo/) [Larry Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilcox/) > [Strategy is not a solo sport, even if you're the CEO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-mckeown/strategy-is-not-a-solo-sport-even-if-you-re-the-ceo/) [Max McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-mckeown/) > [For any CEO that is skeptical at all: you have to create a social enterprise today!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-ahrendts/for-any-ceo-that-is-skeptical-at-all-you-have-to-create-a-social/) [Angela Ahrendts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-ahrendts/) > [I draw the line at some things. Some things I won't do for any amount of money. Like for instance, there's a couple of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-draw-the-line-at-some-things-some-things-i-won-t-do-for-any-amount/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [I want to share that I had and still do, and a great relationship with Angela Ahrendts. She was the CEO of Burberry. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-e-glaser/i-want-to-share-that-i-had-and-still-do-and-a-great-relationship-with/) [Judith E. Glaser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-e-glaser/) > [If the CEO is not going to give you a fair chance, you're probably not going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/if-the-ceo-is-not-going-to-give-you-a-fair-chance-you-re-probably-not/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Governor Romney may be running for CEO, I'm running for President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/governor-romney-may-be-running-for-ceo-i-m-running-for-president/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [Culture is what happens when the CEO isn't in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collison/culture-is-what-happens-when-the-ceo-isn-t-in-the-room/) [John Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collison/) > [Political journalists love graduate student intelligence, the ability to make clever allusions in seminars, and in 1999-2000 they hassled George W. Bush for not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/political-journalists-love-graduate-student-intelligence-the-ability/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [The deck is still stacked in favor of those already at the top. And there's something wrong with that. There's something wrong when CEOs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-deck-is-still-stacked-in-favor-of-those-already-at-the-top-and/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [While they're in WWE, we absolutely have a health and wellness policy. I'll probably always say 'we,' even though I've resigned as the CEO.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-mcmahon/while-they-re-in-wwe-we-absolutely-have-a-health-and-wellness-policy/) [Linda McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-mcmahon/) > [It doesn't make much sense and it's nil premium. They're going to have co-CEOs...which is a very uncomfortable structure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/it-doesn-t-make-much-sense-and-it-s-nil-premium-they-re-going-to-have/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) [Browse all 668 Ceo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Vanguard never would have happened if I hadn't been fired as CEO of Wellington Management Company, the firm that did the investing for the Wellington fund and eight sister funds.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John C. Bogle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/vanguard-never-would-have-happened-if-i-hadn-t-been-fired-as-ceo-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ceo" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/vanguard-never-would-have-happened-if-i-hadn-t-been-fired-as-ceo-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/john-c-bogle-2199_ceo_vanguard-never-would-have-happened-if-i_2123417.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/john-c-bogle-2199_ceo_vanguard-never-would-have-happened-if-i_2123417.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/john-c-bogle-2199_ceo_vanguard-never-would-have-happened-if-i_2123417.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Vanguard never would have happened if I hadn't been fired as CEO of Wellington Management Company, the firm…” — John C. Bogle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John C. Bogle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Vanguard never would have happened if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/vanguard-never-would-have-happened-if-i-hadn-t-been-fired-as-ceo-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/vanguard-never-would-have-happened-if-i-hadn-t-been-fired-as-ceo-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```