What Is It Like To Work For Warren Buffett?

Billionaire Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway started his financial career out young at the age of six when he made his first profit. The young, savvy investor bought a six-pack of Coke for twenty-five cents, which he then resold each for five cents. At 11, Buffett bought three shares of Cities Services Preferred at $38 per share. The stock dropped after he purchased it, and when it bounced back, he sold it immediately. Later, Buffett recognized his mistake as the stock skyrocketed and learned the first lesson in investing: Patience is a virtue. 

Buffett is a wealth of knowledge and has plenty of shareholders and admirers alike, wondering what it must be like to work with him or work for one of his businesses. A few of his employees have come forward to answer the question! Below are responses from those who’ve worked with Buffett describing what it was like to work with the greatest investor of all time.

Robert P. Miles, Executive in Residence at the University of Nebraska at Omaha

While Robert P. Miles hasn’t had the opportunity to work with Buffett himself, he is what he calls himself a “Buffettologist.” Miles is also a Berkshire shareholder and from Buffett’s native Omaha, Nebraska. “He’s really heralded as an investor. What he’s not heralded for, which I think he should be, he’s the world’s greatest manager.” Miles goes into the management style of Berkshire Hathaway in his book, The Warren Buffett CEO.

Tom Manenti, CEO and President of MiTek

Tom Manenti, CEO and President of MiTek, came out of retirement when Buffett bought a controlling stake at the company in the early 2000s. Manenti knew Buffett prefers a hands-off to business, but that didn’t stop him from speaking with Buffett when it came to making big decisions. Manenti recalls Buffett’s candid response, “I don’t pretend to know your business. If you think that’s a good idea, I support your decision.” Manenti laughs, adding, “then he would talk about baseball.” Baseball and business? That makes for the perfect boss!

Todd Combs, money manager and key investment operations of Berkshire 

Charlie Munger, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, was the one who first introduced Buffett to Todd Combs. After a meet and greet over breakfast, Buffett hired Combs to join the Berkshire family. Combs explains his typical day at the office, beginning with him getting in a full twelve hours worth of work. What he does in those twelve hours isn’t what you may expect from a money manager. “And you know, there might only be three to four phone calls the entire week. So there are very, very few interruptions… But it’s literally just reading about 12 hours a day.” That seems to fit Buffet’s avid reading personality to a T.

Ted Weschler, money manager and key investment operations of Berkshire

Alongside Combs is Ted Weschler helping Buffet at Berkshire Hathaway. About the same time Buffett was interviewing Combs, he was also speaking to Weschler. Weschler agrees with Combs that the majority of his day is all reading. He also adds, “to be able to [work] in an environment like Berkshire, and be able to learn by osmosis and compare notes with Warren. We get together for lunch every Monday, the three of us, and Tracy [Britt Cool, another top exec at Berkshire], if she’s in town she’ll join us.” While it must be a demanding job, it sounds like the executives at Berkshire know how to learn from one another over a relaxing lunch.

Years ago, when Buffett was at the beginnings of his career, he said he would read 600 – 1,000 pages every day! The excuse of “I have no time to read” doesn’t exist in his world, and it shouldn’t exist in yours either. When you learn to speed read, you are able to accomplish much more in less time while increasing your comprehension, productivity, and education. Click the link to learn more about all of our speed reading courses today and challenge yourself to read as much as Buffett does!