What I Learned from Warren Buffett (2024)

What I Learned from Warren Buffett (1)

A book on Buffett spurs Gates to reflect on their friendship.

What I Learned from Warren Buffett (2)

Warren Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist, Roger Lowenstein (New York: Random House, 1995).

A version of this article appeared in the January–February 1996 issue of Harvard Business Review.

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What I Learned from Warren Buffett (3)

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    Bill Gates is chairman and CEO of Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, Washington.

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Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Finance Essentials. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.

Strengthen your fluency in financial statements.

What I Learned from Warren Buffett (6)

Read more on Financial analysis or related topics Managing people and Leadership

What I Learned from Warren Buffett (2024)

FAQs

What is the best advice from Warren Buffett? ›

Buffett's most commonly cited financial advice is as follows, “Rule №1: Never lose money. Rule №2: Never forget rule №1.” So, before investing, determine whether you can lose the money you're investing in.

What did Bill Gates learn from Warren Buffett? ›

″[I] remember Warren showing me his calendar ... he [still] has days that there's nothing on it,” Gates said, adding that Buffett's sparser schedule taught him an important lesson. “You control your time ... It's not a proxy of your seriousness that you fill every minute in your schedule.”

What is so great about Warren Buffett? ›

Warren Buffett, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is widely regarded as one of the greatest investors of all time. Buffett made the bulk of his fortune through smart investments, starting from a young age. Although he is a self-made billionaire he is best known for his wit, wisdom, and down-to-earth investment philosophy.

What are the 5 teachings of Warren Buffett? ›

While Buffett's annual letter was shorter than usual, it still had plenty of timeless lessons for investors. This piece will focus on five lessons: learn and adapt, focus on what's important, risk management, the value of stock repurchases, and let your winners run.

What are Warren Buffett's 5 rules of investing? ›

A: Five rules drawn from Warren Buffett's wisdom for potentially building wealth include investing for the long term, staying informed, maintaining a competitive advantage, focusing on quality, and managing risk.

What is Warren Buffett's most famous quote? ›

Price is what you pay, value is what you get.” This famous Buffett quote strikes at the heart of the “value investor” approach and reveals the secret of how Buffett made his fortune. After Buffett was rejected by Harvard, he enrolled in an undergraduate degree at Columbia Business School.

What does Warren Buffett read daily? ›

So Buffett says he reads around 5-6 hours daily, including newspapers, magazines, 10Ks, annual reports, and biographies. For Buffett, reading is priority number one. While most executives focus on networking or analyzing financials, Buffett dedicates the majority of his workday to reading.

How to ask Warren Buffett for money? ›

Email or write to Warren Buffet at Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. for large investment requests that meet his published criteria. Email, call, or write to Warren Buffet at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for charitable requests.

What religion is Warren Buffett? ›

Buffett worked with Christopher Webber on an animated series called "Secret Millionaires Club" with chief Andy Heyward of DiC Entertainment. The series features Buffett and Munger and teaches children healthy financial habits. Buffett was raised as a Presbyterian, but has since described himself as agnostic.

Who is Bill Gates's best friend? ›

Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have been best friends for over 30 years.

Why is Warren Buffett special? ›

Buffett is better known for his non-standard, rather contrarian approach to investing. While Buffett is an outlier, his investment sensibilities, styles, and philosophies offer elemental insights for anyone looking to learn stock market trading or master the art of online trading in the present day.

What is Warren Buffett's greatest achievement? ›

Warren Buffett (born August 30, 1930, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.) is an American businessman and philanthropist, widely considered the most successful investor of the 20th and early 21st centuries, having defied prevailing investment trends to amass a personal fortune of more than $100 billion.

How is Warren Buffett inspirational? ›

The impact of Warren Buffett on the investment world is apparent. His theory of value investing and long-term perspective has inspired countless investors as one of the most recognized and successful investors in history.

What we learn from history Warren Buffett? ›

Warren Buffett Quote: “What we learn from history is that people don't learn from history.”

What has Warren Buffett done for society? ›

Buffett created the grantmaker in 1964 to manage the family's charitable giving, and it remains a family affair. Two of his three children serve on its board, and it is led by his former son-in-law. The foundation primarily backs women's reproductive health.

Why study Warren Buffett? ›

Learn how Buffett took $100 and turned it into a multi-billion dollar fortune without ever starting his own business, taking a lucrative salary, or issuing management stock options. Gain insights into his unique and uncommon management style. Understand how Buffett created a world-class board of directors.

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