Warren Buffett: The Boy Who Became the Oracle of Omaha

Before he became the “Oracle of Omaha,” Warren Buffett was just a boy with an unusual obsession: making money. Born in 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska, Buffett made his first stock purchase at age 11—three shares of Cities Service Preferred at $38 each. When the stock dipped to $27, he panicked but held on. It later rose to $40, and he sold. The stock eventually soared to $200.

That early lesson—about patience and long-term thinking—would define his future philosophy.

Buffett’s childhood was a whirlwind of entrepreneurial experiments. He sold chewing gum, delivered newspapers, and set up pinball machines in barber shops. By the time he finished high school, he had already saved over $5,000 (worth over $60,000 today). While his peers were dreaming about jobs, Buffett was dreaming about owning companies.

He read every book on investing he could find. One book—The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham—became his bible. Graham’s principles of value investing guided Buffett’s strategy: buy great businesses at fair prices and hold them long-term. At Columbia Business School, Buffett studied directly under Graham, and later worked for his firm.

In 1965, Buffett took control of a struggling textile company called Berkshire Hathaway. Over decades, he transformed it into a holding company that owns giants like Coca-Cola, Geico, and Apple. He avoided flashy trends and stuck to fundamentals—investing only in businesses he understood.

Buffett's lifestyle also became part of his legend. Despite being one of the richest people on Earth, he still lives in the same Omaha house he bought in 1958 and drives modest cars. His wealth wasn’t inherited—it was built through discipline, reading, and a lifelong love of compounding interest.

Buffett also pledged to give away over 99% of his fortune through the Giving Pledge, co-founded with Bill Gates. His philanthropy, simplicity, and unmatched investment success make him not just a billionaire—but a role model.