How did a Middle class boy turned himself to be richest man in the world – Warren Buffett

Sairam friends,

Yes. I wish to write about Warren Buffett. Before that few experiences from Sai devotees.

I was really devoted to her last year when I was going through worst pain. She’s incarnation of Goddess Durga and lived in 14th century for over 150 years. She’s a very fierce Goddess and I shall tell you a small example of her leela.

Once my friends wanted to go for Drink and asked me to come with them. I don’t drink and also don’t have Non Veg food but could not say anything as they called me just because they simply wanted me near them to chat. I used to eat the snacks and drink coke. I have good friends to trust them but people start to drink for first time because of someone asking them to. You must avoid such company and better keep away from such friends.

Karni mata don’t like cutting trees and also having liquor.So I kept chanting Sai Karni, Sai Karni all the day. Surprisingly my friends idea to go for drink was cancelled…he he..they all were upset about it and I felt its by grace of Karni ma.

I am not someone who says “People who drink are very bad”. That’s the stupid Idea in India. There are people who don’t drink but are they really good?.

One must have control over his/her desires be it drinking or any other bad habit.

I also don’t encourage drinking by the way. I am sure these guys will quit drinking as they grow up and have other responsibilities in family. I am pretty sure about it though I never force it on them.  Giving up a bad habit is possible by one’s own effort and willingness to give up.

Now lets come to Sai…

There are thousands of devotees to whom Shirdi Sai Baba has blessed with a high paying Job, Profitable business and helped them earn a lot by his grace. There are also devotees to whom Sai blessed with a simple Job or way to earn a living and expected them to be content with what they have.

My Sister always used to tell me “Never be behind money in life” . But I had always tried to do things Online for over a decade and making money was really going through my Mind. When ever I was unsuccessful I am happy for learning from what I did. You can’t do something for money alone unless it gives your satisfaction that you accomplished something.

I used to have a Advertising website in 2004. I bought it pleading the programmer to give it to me for free and I shall pay him back after I earned enough money with it.I have done this several times as a freelancer. When ever I want to buy something online, I will write a mail requesting a discount and during most occations, they have been kind enough to give me one.

He was really generous and immediately gave me the script. It was the time when Internet was filled with people who wants to make instant Money.

Someone in U.S provided me Web hosting account for few dollars and I skipped paying fee few month. Later when I had money, I paid him. The only problem was he forgot that I paid him and asked my friend if I will ever pay back. I reminded him that I paid and he must make a note of it. Later in 2006, I moved to a professional Hosting company. My journey was too difficult as I learned what ever I do from Tutorials.

I mailed the owner of the script that I wanted to pay him few dollars that I owe him. He was surprised that I honestly remembered it and he happily accepted it.

After few month, The I lost my advertising account and could not continue the site further. There are few times when you feel dejected with life and that was a time I realized I am not supposed to make “Making Money” itself as a motive.

We have to simply do what we love to do and if Sai wills Money will come or its his choice.

Sai’s guidance to Damu Anna

When Damu Anna wanted to invest 2 lakh Rupees in Cotton Trading business his friend suggested, he sent a letter to Baba. Even before Shama read the letter to Saibaba, Sai said “Is he planning to reach the sky? Is he not content with what he have?”

When Baba rejected the idea of investing he added “He will only suffer a loss if he invested in cotton business”. Even Damu Anna came all the way to Shirdi and while massaging Baba’s legs thought in his mind “Baba, if I get good share of profit in this business, I shall give a part of it to you”. Baba knowing the thoughts of Damu replied “I don’t want to be a part of your worldly desires”

Damu Anna din’t invested in the business as Baba adviced him. To his shock someone else who invested only faced a big loss in the end.

Sai’s blessing for Boravke

Boravke was a very poor man who came to Shirdi just with one ana in pocket. He gave it as dakshina to Baba. Sai blessed him and he used to serve Sai in his own way. He started taking care of his Uncle’s farm and earned him good profits. His Uncle’s friend made him a partner and asked him to take care of his farm land also. So with in a year he earned profits of more than one lakh. He bought a bunglow near Shirdi and settled there itself. I wrote about it in below article

Shirdi Sai Baba blessings for Prosperity – Story of how Sai changed life of Boravke

We can see ways Saibaba blessed for two different devotees. To one, he says “be content with what you have’ and to another “He blesses with wealth unasked for”. Sai knows whats good for each kind of devotee and he handles us differently. That doesn’t mean Sai shows partiality. Sai only protects us from forthcoming danger or bad phase in life.

Now let me write few words from Warren Buffett, One of the Richest Man in the world as I really wish we have something to learn from him.

How did a Middle class boy turned himself to be richest man in the world – Warren Buffett

Yesterday, I was watching a documentary film about Warren Buffett. It was really interesting and I wanted to share few words from various resources about Warren Buffett

Warren Edward Buffett (born August 30, 1930) is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is widely considered the most successful investor of the 20th century. Buffett is the primary shareholder, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and consistently ranked among the world’s wealthiest people.  In 2012, American magazine Time named Buffett one of the most influential people in the world.

Worked Smart to Earn and Save Money from childhood

Even as a child, Buffett displayed an interest in making and saving money. He went door to door selling chewing gum, Coca-Cola, or weekly magazines. For a while, he worked in his grandfather’s grocery store. While still in high school he was successful in making money by delivering newspapers, selling golfballs and stamps, and detailing cars, among other means.

The BBC Documentary says “He was earning more money than his School Teachers”.

His First Income Tax

Filing his first income tax return in 1944, Buffett took a $35 deduction for the use of his bicycle and watch on his paper route.
In 1945, in his sophomore year of high school, Buffett and a friend spent $25 to purchase a used pinball machine, which they placed in the local barber shop. Within months, they owned several machines in different barber shops.

When the family moved to another city, it seems Buffett was doing mischief like stealing Gold Balls from Local Stores etc. Later he really tried to be good.

When he was 15-16 ,he told his sister “I am going to be a Millionaire by the time I was 30” and he really did.

After School Buffett went to New York for studies and joined university. One of his professor introduced him to a friend and the friend is Mr.Market – The Stock Market.

He made a point to visit the New York Stock Exchange. At the age of 11, he bought three shares of Cities Service Preferred for himself, and three for his sister. He worked in few companies and learned a lot from his experiences.

Return to Omaha and Inspiration from Dale Carnegie

Buffett returned to Omaha and worked as a stockbroker while taking a Dale Carnegie public speaking course.He was fearing to speak to people and wanted to come out of his negative quality. So Dale Carnegie was his Guru in a way. Using what he learned, he felt confident enough to teach an “Investment Principles” night class at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. The average age of his students was more than twice his own.

Don’t just buy shares. Be a Business Owner.

Buffett not only bought Shares. He also became a business owner and was in board of many of the companies.

He’s a Manager as well as an Investor.

In his annual Share holders meeting you can see all the kinds of companies he has invested in..

You’ve got Children’s toys, Metal working solutions, High Technology companies, Real Estate, Insurance, gloves, T shirts, candies – collection of different companies.

Warren Buffett’s Management secretes

Warren never did Micro Management but was smart in calculating whats the future for a company and business he invested in. Today when many people believe in visiting the companies or business they own what they call as “on site visit” Buffett never bothered about it. He will read about companies and make a phone call to buy and he would have already bought it.

He Wastes no time on visiting states to see the business he buys

Bill Gates is many years younger than Warren but they are good friends.

Bill gates very humorously puts it like this

It seems Gates once took Warren to tour around Microsoft for half a day and warren said “Now I have seen Microsoft so much more than any other business I own”

Gates laughed at it and adds ” On Site tours are not a part of how he does analysis”

He was not micro managing each business but he had a formula

“Allocate Capital Efficiently”

It means taking the profits of one business and Investing in another.

Buffett’s skill to Influence people

Persuasion was one of the remarkable skill of Buffett. He was good at Influencing people and knows How to deal with people
He is a master physiologist.

This is one of his experience which made him a Billionaire.

There’s a women who came from Russia, worked in U.S for 16 years, She could save only 500$ with which she started a furniture shop which turned out to be the largest home furnishing store in the United states and the Punch line is “She doesn’t know to read or write”

The company is Nebraska Furniture.

She was 89 years old in 1983 when Warren Buffett wanted to buy her business. There were many who wanted to buy but Buffett won the deal with his own way and probably his cool smile.

He bought the business for 3 times less than what it is worth.He has done that several times before. He used to sit on table with people who are going to sell their business to him and smile to them. He knows the business is worth more than what he pays and the people who sold them realize it only later.

It made him a billionaire.

He also became a big investor of GIECO insurance business. The good part is customers pays upfront which can use to
invest with out borrowing money.

One of the tips Buffett gives to investors is

Don’t Get into Debt

If you are smart you won’t loose money.

Good qualities of Warren in bringing up children

It seems when Warrens son wanted to buy something when he was a child , his father would give 5 dollars and say “Bring back the change” ….and he would laugh.

He really meant it. He don’t want to let his wealth spoil his children.

It continued even when the kids were growing up.

When his daughter was pregnant she asked for just 30,000 $ and he said “NO”

That’s what he is but today his daughters takes care of his huge Philanthropic efforts. He’s one of those big “Givers”

He doesn’t have expensive foods.He will have peanuts and coca cola and that will be his breakfast. One of my favorite quote from him is below..

In Marriage, Food or Investing – Think Independently.

You have to think for yourself.

Saved a Company and hundreds of Jobs with his Honesty and reputation

In early 1990’s wall street had a trouble with financial authorities due to some malpractice by few staff in Solomon Brothers. He was persuaded to step in as chairman of Solomon brothers. He was dragged into it because his reputation can save the company. Bank has failed to report some illegal trading.

The U.S treasury was preparing to take action that would finish Solomon Brother off.

But on a Sunday morning, Buffet put his reputation on the life and begged the top treasury officials. He said “Its most
important day in his life and I meant it”

“I was over dramatizing but I also belived it and then he changed the order of U.S Treasury which is not possible on a sunday”
All this was done as they trusted Warrens honesty. A gentle man of all times he would Never loose his composer.

After the crisis he tried to clean up the bank in a very public manner. He saved the company and also the Jobs. But  Warren din’t got the gratitude for saving the jobs of bankers when he cut their salary. They just wanted to get rid of him.

Always be ready to break your own rules

This another good tip i liked from him. We all have assumptions and rules but be ready to break it when time needs you to.

Give it away

What you do when you made it? Lots of Money! Give it away

Once Warren met Bill gates and expressed his interest to donate most of his wealth to Bill and Melindagates Foundation.
31 billion dollars will go to Bill and Melinda gates foundation

He simply puts it this way..

I am may be better in making money and may not be in giving.  so he said i tought Gates foundation can take that responsibility of giving.

When his daughter was asked How you like him to be remembered, she says

“I see him as Father.”

Someone in the shop saw my name and said “You must be lucky for being daughter of Warren Buffett”

She tells us…

“I am not lucky for I got a rich famous and Dad. Not for the reasons they think but because I got “HIM” as Father.

His friend says…
If we have been a little more successful than other people its because we always thought the school of life
is always open.

I believe this is really beautiful. We all must realize that School of life is always open and must keep learning.

Warren Buffett is uniquely clever, funny and generous.

His wealth is more than GDP of many countries in the world and he is still leading a simple generous life.

I feel inspired and hope Sai devotees learn something from his life too.

Many devotees write me due to financial problem and when they are in debt. Please keep praying Sai and the message is simple.

Earn Honestly, Save money and Give – Little that you can afford for good cause.

Am getting late for work friends…

Love

Venkat