How I (Almost) Met Warren Buffett – A Tribute to the Sage of Omaha

It was in 2010 when I met Warren Buffett for the first time.

Or so I thought.

I had been invited by an investment company in New York to attend a small private roundtable. I was still early in my career, more excited than qualified, and completely unaware of how that evening would change my perspective forever.

The setting was modest but elegant. A quiet boardroom high above Manhattan. A dozen people. Coffee in hand. Nervous glances toward the door.

Then Warren entered the room.

No grand entrance. No introduction. Just a warm smile, a can of Cherry Coke, and a stack of handwritten notes. He greeted each of us personally, shaking hands and asking names. There was nothing rehearsed or performative about it. Just genuine interest.

When he reached me, I stumbled a little while introducing myself, caught off guard by the presence of someone I had admired for years. But he was kind and calm. That put me at ease.

Later, during the Q and A, I asked, “Mr Buffett, if you could give just one piece of advice to someone starting out, what would it be?”

He smiled, leaned back, and said something I will never forget:

“Don’t try to be smarter than everyone else. Try to be more patient than everyone else.”

Silence. Not because we didn’t understand, but because we immediately did.

That evening, I left with more than just a story. I left with a shift in mindset. And to this day, whenever I feel the urge to overthink or overreact, I hear his voice again: patience over brilliance.

Well, that never happened. But I wish it had.

The truth is, I have never met Warren Buffett. Not in person anyway. But through his shareholder letters, interviews, and timeless investment philosophy, he has shaped the way I think more than most people I have actually met.

In fact, his influence played a part in inspiring my book Basecamp – Making Your Money Work for You, which is grounded in many of the same principles: long-term thinking, emotional discipline, and the power of compounding.

Warren Buffett, the legendary chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, has influenced millions of investors around the world. This week, he announced his long-anticipated retirement, officially stepping back after more than six decades at the helm. It marks the end of an era not just for Berkshire Hathaway, but for global investing.

A Lifetime of Lessons

Buffett was born in 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska. He bought his first stock at age 11. By 30, he was already a millionaire. But here is something many people do not know: over 99 percent of his wealth was accumulated after the age of 50. His secret? Compound interest, discipline, and time.

He studied under Benjamin Graham at Columbia Business School and went on to build Berkshire Hathaway into a global investment powerhouse with holdings in Apple, Coca-Cola, American Express, Geico, and many others.

His strategy was simple. Buy undervalued companies with strong fundamentals and hold them for the long term. He ignored market noise and focused on intrinsic value, always asking, “Is this stock, currently selling at X, actually worth 2X?” If it wasn’t, he waited.

The Retirement Announcement

At this year’s annual Berkshire Hathaway meeting in Omaha, Buffett confirmed that he will hand over the reins to Greg Abel, his long-time deputy who has overseen non-insurance operations since 2018. Buffett expressed full confidence in Abel, stating, “The time has come. I have complete confidence in Greg and our leadership team to carry Berkshire forward.”

Though stepping down, Buffett’s legacy is firmly embedded in Berkshire’s DNA and in the principles followed by investors around the world.

The Man Behind the Billions

Despite managing a portfolio worth hundreds of billions, Buffett famously resisted modern trends. Until 2020, he used a basic Samsung flip phone. He still writes some personal letters on a manual typewriter. He lives in the same modest Omaha house he bought in 1958. He drinks Coca-Cola daily and reportedly orders breakfast from McDonald’s based on how the market is doing that day.

This lifestyle is not just quirky. It is intentional. Buffett believes that distractions are the enemy of sound decision-making, and his simple, focused habits reflect that belief.

More Than Wealth

Buffett’s influence extends beyond markets. In 2006, he pledged to give away more than 99 percent of his fortune to philanthropic causes. He co-founded The Giving Pledge with Bill and Melinda Gates, encouraging other billionaires to do the same.

Even in retirement, his principles — clarity, discipline, patience — will continue to shape how people invest and how they lead.

A Lasting Message

Warren Buffett once said, “A sound investment approach is crucial. If you have the right philosophy, opportunities will emerge, often in times of panic.” That mindset guided him through decades of financial cycles, crises, and speculation.

As this chapter closes, the investing world does not just lose a CEO. It says thank you to a teacher, a thinker, and a voice of reason.

No, I never met Warren Buffett.

But like many others, I feel like I have.