From the Presidential Medal
of Freedom presentation

Warren E. Buffett : as a world-known investor and philanthropist, Warren E. Buffett business acumen is matched only by his dedication to improve the lives of others. He is the co/founder of the Giving Pledge, an
organization that encourages wealthy Americans to donate at least 50percent of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

Warren Buffett’s example of Generosity and Compassion has shown us the power of one individual’s determination in inspiring countless women and men to help make our world a brighter place.

Last posts

Don’t worry, be honest

The most important thing I always looked for in great investors and great business minds is integrity. From there I started to evaluate my relationships with the others in every field under a new light. It improved my life a big deal. Ethics improves your skills in business teaching you that everyday you advertise yourself with your words and actions, with your positive attitude.

If you are passionate about doing things for the others, if you like giving, you’ll be successfull in the “give and take” journey of life. I think we are out there everyday doing our best to earn trust from people and customers. “Trust then Verify” Reagan said once.

Conversely, an italian writer once described a world we don’t want in which a crook is asked by a friend if he’s not worried about his reputation at least among his neighbours..He answered: “Don’t worry, They are too busy with their crimes to notice mine”.

Buy the unpopular

Year 2000 is approaching: at 70 years old Buffett was considered obsolete and old. His time over, his gold touch gone in the face of the new tech wave of companies which prices had sky-rocketed as much as their popularity. Berkshire had not a single tech stock in portfolio.The price of BRK at his lowest. Recent investments? 22Billion, a huge sum, for General RE seemed from its start to be disappointing. Shareholders were discomforted to say the least and already urged him to do something, to follow the crowd in the tech field or go more international.

So, we are back in 2020, two decades later. Having polished my rear-mirror when I meet people and they tell me that they are buying the stocks of the moment, the “hot ones”, those that are popular..I’m glad I’m not. Conversely I’m happy if a price of an unpopular stock makes sense to me and only to my reasoning. I feel I’m on the right path even though many people can think I’m “out of touch” and old-fashioned or something of the sort. Not only I don’t care but I’m happy. The biggest mistake you can make in stocks is to buy at a high price something everybody is buying and because everybody is buying it. There are in 2020 compared to 1999 tech companies that really have value and are wonderful businesses. However, I still think, like Sir John, that we must look for bargains, and/or for wonderful companies but at least at “reasonable prices”.

“You’re not right or wrong because a thousand people agree with you or because a thousand people disagree with you. You’re right because your facts and reasoning are right” . And you have to base your facts and reasoning upon the fundamental qualities and numbers of a business. To do so learn from the best teachers, be a constant learning machine and analyse as many companies and reports you can absorb. Then build your own castle of investing. I bet you will be a lot happier in the process than following the crowd, and a lot richer too.

 

It’s a temperamental quality

You have to have discipline. You have to be consistent in your reading, analysing, in doing your homework everyday. But then there’s something you have to deal with that I don’t know if it’s teachable, if it is talent or what. You feel it’s time to swing, the business you want to buy shares of, or you want to buy into seems excellent from a value standpoint. You did what you had to do but it’s time to test your temperament, your emotions. It’s time to spend the money and you are not going to use the eyedropper. It’s time to test if you are really wired to stick with the fundamentals and the facts upon which you based your reasoning. It’s time to test if you are going to sleep well with your investment because you know that your reasoning was right even if all other investors or funds or analysts said otherwise.

Sir John Templeton used to say that the lowest price of a stock could easily be when this particular stock is not only out of fashion among the crowd but when rumors that it will go worse in the future are thrown around. Are you ready like us to be greedy when other are fearful? Ready to feel sincerely good when the Dow is down?

September is a special month for many reasons worldwide. It’s kind of a re-start. It was a wonderful month for me in 1987 (I was actually 11 year old and starting a new chapter of my life at a new school with extraordinary kids that I still count as friends). It was a great time to buy stocks too if only I had the money back then… So lets celebrate and keep our september spirit up. I’m confident that if it’s true that some people are really out of tune about the market and they shouldn’t buy stocks, many others can improve also their temperamental qualities over the long run. If so, the improvements in every aspect of life and in the lives of others will be wonderful. That’s what “blikebuffett” means, more than money to be made.

90 years and still rockin’

It’s 90 years and the best is yet to come. Many people, individual investors and business entities of all kinds in America and all over the world thank you today Mr. Buffett.  They will do it in many ways. My personal tribute today is celebrating 1 year of this little blog that would be an unpretentious homage to you. It’s a humble way to say thank you for all the priceless lessons that since many years are there available for the scrupulous Buffett-student and all for free. They are there available in your letters to shareholders, in the shareholders meetings (hours and hours of the best University in the world with Mr. Munger).

I’m proud today like many others to be a part of the Berkshire Family, to own with my 13 y.o. son a piece of the business. A business that is more than that. It is our values, our positive cult, our investment credo. A cast of mind for a happier life. Something that is here to stay and not for sale.  I’m sure that in exchange of our loyalty you are there today Mr. B still painting this beautiful canvas for us. Instead of reading this article and many other movies and magazines about you today, you are there, painting, with the same passion you had back in the day.

Happy Birthday Mr. Buffett

Blogs

Il primo suggerimento sono due blogs: “Rational Walk” ha bisogno di poche presentazioni. Se avete lo spirito giusto e siete appassionati di tutto cio’ che Buffett ha da dire non potrete che trovare fantastica questa fonte di ispirazione. Non solo, ma suggerimenti di letture, analisi di come Berkshire si muove sul mercato e su acquisizioni, sono molto aggiornate. E’ un blog che mette in pratica cio’ che il mestiere di investire richiede: “Pensare”. E pensare in termini razionali ed autonomi, senza andare in giro a raccogliere opinioni e fare sondaggi. Siamo alla ricerca di fatti, e che siano valutabili. “Rational Walk” ve ne dà la possibilità. Molto meglio di me e del mio blog. Io lancio solo scintille, suggerimenti. Accendere un fuoco che si espanda e soffiarci sopra spetta a ciascuno di noi. Alla disciplina ed al talento di ciascuno, alla nostra iniziativa ed al nostro coraggio. (The first quality of a money manager is a “temperamental quality” not an “intellectual quality”). E meno male, nel mio caso almeno.

Vi raccomando anche un altro interessante blog a cura di Nick Maggiulli : “ofdollarsanddata”. Debbo fare i miei complimenti a Maggiulli, che non conosco di persona, ma sospetto comunque dal cognome abbia un “italian heritage” perchè ha impostato il blog non solo sull’analisi di dati e strumenti di investimento ma ha un tocco “umano” nello scrivere e scegliere gli argomenti che condivido.

I posts sul “Rischio”, cosa realmente è “rischioso” e imprevedibile ed un’analisi di come approcciare i rischi in generale nella vita, su errori e “regrets” sono ottimi spunti e scintille.

Inoltre, l’obiettivo finale di vivere una vita piu’ serena e di soddisfazioni emotive e personali puo’ essere perso di vista se non ricordiamo a noi stessi che un mero accumulo di ricchezza senza un fine ultimo piu’ alto non ha molto senso. Nè ha senso a costo di sacrifici distruttivi del nostro benessere o di quello altrui. Questo è un mio pensiero ma credo che Maggiulli, da cio’ che si respira negli articoli possa condividere. Sarebbe abbastanza “unamerican” e non BuffettStyle il contrario. Provero’ a chiederglielo. Non sono molto della sua opinione riguardo il post sull’oro. Ma anche li’ Maggiulli esprime un’opinione razionale che puo’ essere anche accettabile e “suitable” per alcuni. Ma non per me.

Ultimo consiglio è iscrivervi alla newsletter “Buffett Watch” della Cnbc a cura di Alex Crippen. Ogni venerdi vi invia un resoconto breve, esaustivo, preciso di cio’ che è rilevante sapere sia successo in settimana (dichiarazioni, interviste, articoli su e con Buffett, ed i suoi “movimenti noti” e a volte meno noti). Ringrazio Alex per il suo personale apprezzamento al mio approccio “filantropico” che ovviamente deriva dall’esempio del maestro ed in quell’ottica soprattutto va vista la B di BeLike Buffett e tutto lo scopo di questo piccolo blog. Per questo l’introduzione a questo blog è quella che leggete appena aprite il sito. Essere avidi è un atteggiamento da poveri. Essere generosi è un atteggiamento da ricchi. E per questo chiudo ricordando Mrs. Doris Buffett (1928-2020) spentasi il 4 Agosto scorso non dopo aver donato sè stessa ed il suo patrimonio a chi è colpito da pesanti colpi di sfortuna, che nella vita, no matter how good you are, succedono eccome. Senza colpa nei riceventi. L‘”Education” è cio’ che per noi conta cosi’ tanto per migliorare il mondo e uscire dai colpi di sfortuna. O impiegare bene la nostra Fortuna, ed essere generosi. Doris Buffett ha speso cio’ che possedeva per questo fine con la “Sunshine Lady Foundation” e non solo. Ecco perchè “Giving all away” ha un senso molto razionale e profondo. Se sarete abbastanza fortunati vorrete che il vostro utimo assegno rimasto nel blocchetto sia scoperto, quando sarete anche abbastanza morti.

Italy, vacations today, a country “vacant” tomorrow?

Consistency in reading, like in everything else in life, is critical. However some people find the time to read only during summertime or generally speaking during vacations (I dread the word..). Here follows some suggestions for everyone interested in making the best investment always possible and available: the investment in yourself. The best and irreplaceable asset you may have is you.

For tomorrow the little paragraph below will be in Italian and english. I will suggest some books and two blogs I find valuable and useful to change your mind about many stereotypes, that are not conducive to good profits. Here’s why: we complain about the level of financial education in the States and almost everywhere. But I can guarantee you that even commonsense and simplicity are killed everyday on the road by financial experts and professional money managers or consultants in countries like Italy, that should be anyway a small but developed economy. Inept politicians and incompetent professionals make Italy an unattractive place from a business and investing standpoint. Decisions to make the situation curable are really distant down the road. And it’s like three decades that the conflicts rage on and nothing changes.That’s why I must only have faith in very young students ready to make the extra-effort and the extra-work in the field of educating themselves and reaching a wider international view.  Eventually, when things will be changing and reforms in Italy will be made(really?),  this new generation will be so audacious and equipped to invest in the country again, or otherwise have success abroad and go away like many did.

“LEAVE THE CANNOLI, BRING THE BOOKS” (tomorrow August 16th some books and two blogs for a different point of view on investing and the business of Life)

 

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Last posts

Don’t worry, be honest

The most important thing I always looked for in great investors and great business minds is integrity. From there I started to evaluate my relationships with the others in every field under a new light. It improved my life a big deal. Ethics improves your skills in business teaching you that everyday you advertise yourself with your words and actions, with your positive attitude.

If you are passionate about doing things for the others, if you like giving, you’ll be successfull in the “give and take” journey of life. I think we are out there everyday doing our best to earn trust from people and customers. “Trust then Verify” Reagan said once.

Conversely, an italian writer once described a world we don’t want in which a crook is asked by a friend if he’s not worried about his reputation at least among his neighbours..He answered: “Don’t worry, They are too busy with their crimes to notice mine”.

Buy the unpopular

Year 2000 is approaching: at 70 years old Buffett was considered obsolete and old. His time over, his gold touch gone in the face of the new tech wave of companies which prices had sky-rocketed as much as their popularity. Berkshire had not a single tech stock in portfolio.The price of BRK at his lowest. Recent investments? 22Billion, a huge sum, for General RE seemed from its start to be disappointing. Shareholders were discomforted to say the least and already urged him to do something, to follow the crowd in the tech field or go more international.

So, we are back in 2020, two decades later. Having polished my rear-mirror when I meet people and they tell me that they are buying the stocks of the moment, the “hot ones”, those that are popular..I’m glad I’m not. Conversely I’m happy if a price of an unpopular stock makes sense to me and only to my reasoning. I feel I’m on the right path even though many people can think I’m “out of touch” and old-fashioned or something of the sort. Not only I don’t care but I’m happy. The biggest mistake you can make in stocks is to buy at a high price something everybody is buying and because everybody is buying it. There are in 2020 compared to 1999 tech companies that really have value and are wonderful businesses. However, I still think, like Sir John, that we must look for bargains, and/or for wonderful companies but at least at “reasonable prices”.

“You’re not right or wrong because a thousand people agree with you or because a thousand people disagree with you. You’re right because your facts and reasoning are right” . And you have to base your facts and reasoning upon the fundamental qualities and numbers of a business. To do so learn from the best teachers, be a constant learning machine and analyse as many companies and reports you can absorb. Then build your own castle of investing. I bet you will be a lot happier in the process than following the crowd, and a lot richer too.

 

It’s a temperamental quality

You have to have discipline. You have to be consistent in your reading, analysing, in doing your homework everyday. But then there’s something you have to deal with that I don’t know if it’s teachable, if it is talent or what. You feel it’s time to swing, the business you want to buy shares of, or you want to buy into seems excellent from a value standpoint. You did what you had to do but it’s time to test your temperament, your emotions. It’s time to spend the money and you are not going to use the eyedropper. It’s time to test if you are really wired to stick with the fundamentals and the facts upon which you based your reasoning. It’s time to test if you are going to sleep well with your investment because you know that your reasoning was right even if all other investors or funds or analysts said otherwise.

Sir John Templeton used to say that the lowest price of a stock could easily be when this particular stock is not only out of fashion among the crowd but when rumors that it will go worse in the future are thrown around. Are you ready like us to be greedy when other are fearful? Ready to feel sincerely good when the Dow is down?

September is a special month for many reasons worldwide. It’s kind of a re-start. It was a wonderful month for me in 1987 (I was actually 11 year old and starting a new chapter of my life at a new school with extraordinary kids that I still count as friends). It was a great time to buy stocks too if only I had the money back then… So lets celebrate and keep our september spirit up. I’m confident that if it’s true that some people are really out of tune about the market and they shouldn’t buy stocks, many others can improve also their temperamental qualities over the long run. If so, the improvements in every aspect of life and in the lives of others will be wonderful. That’s what “blikebuffett” means, more than money to be made.

90 years and still rockin’

It’s 90 years and the best is yet to come. Many people, individual investors and business entities of all kinds in America and all over the world thank you today Mr. Buffett.  They will do it in many ways. My personal tribute today is celebrating 1 year of this little blog that would be an unpretentious homage to you. It’s a humble way to say thank you for all the priceless lessons that since many years are there available for the scrupulous Buffett-student and all for free. They are there available in your letters to shareholders, in the shareholders meetings (hours and hours of the best University in the world with Mr. Munger).

I’m proud today like many others to be a part of the Berkshire Family, to own with my 13 y.o. son a piece of the business. A business that is more than that. It is our values, our positive cult, our investment credo. A cast of mind for a happier life. Something that is here to stay and not for sale.  I’m sure that in exchange of our loyalty you are there today Mr. B still painting this beautiful canvas for us. Instead of reading this article and many other movies and magazines about you today, you are there, painting, with the same passion you had back in the day.

Happy Birthday Mr. Buffett

Blogs

Il primo suggerimento sono due blogs: “Rational Walk” ha bisogno di poche presentazioni. Se avete lo spirito giusto e siete appassionati di tutto cio’ che Buffett ha da dire non potrete che trovare fantastica questa fonte di ispirazione. Non solo, ma suggerimenti di letture, analisi di come Berkshire si muove sul mercato e su acquisizioni, sono molto aggiornate. E’ un blog che mette in pratica cio’ che il mestiere di investire richiede: “Pensare”. E pensare in termini razionali ed autonomi, senza andare in giro a raccogliere opinioni e fare sondaggi. Siamo alla ricerca di fatti, e che siano valutabili. “Rational Walk” ve ne dà la possibilità. Molto meglio di me e del mio blog. Io lancio solo scintille, suggerimenti. Accendere un fuoco che si espanda e soffiarci sopra spetta a ciascuno di noi. Alla disciplina ed al talento di ciascuno, alla nostra iniziativa ed al nostro coraggio. (The first quality of a money manager is a “temperamental quality” not an “intellectual quality”). E meno male, nel mio caso almeno.

Vi raccomando anche un altro interessante blog a cura di Nick Maggiulli : “ofdollarsanddata”. Debbo fare i miei complimenti a Maggiulli, che non conosco di persona, ma sospetto comunque dal cognome abbia un “italian heritage” perchè ha impostato il blog non solo sull’analisi di dati e strumenti di investimento ma ha un tocco “umano” nello scrivere e scegliere gli argomenti che condivido.

I posts sul “Rischio”, cosa realmente è “rischioso” e imprevedibile ed un’analisi di come approcciare i rischi in generale nella vita, su errori e “regrets” sono ottimi spunti e scintille.

Inoltre, l’obiettivo finale di vivere una vita piu’ serena e di soddisfazioni emotive e personali puo’ essere perso di vista se non ricordiamo a noi stessi che un mero accumulo di ricchezza senza un fine ultimo piu’ alto non ha molto senso. Nè ha senso a costo di sacrifici distruttivi del nostro benessere o di quello altrui. Questo è un mio pensiero ma credo che Maggiulli, da cio’ che si respira negli articoli possa condividere. Sarebbe abbastanza “unamerican” e non BuffettStyle il contrario. Provero’ a chiederglielo. Non sono molto della sua opinione riguardo il post sull’oro. Ma anche li’ Maggiulli esprime un’opinione razionale che puo’ essere anche accettabile e “suitable” per alcuni. Ma non per me.

Ultimo consiglio è iscrivervi alla newsletter “Buffett Watch” della Cnbc a cura di Alex Crippen. Ogni venerdi vi invia un resoconto breve, esaustivo, preciso di cio’ che è rilevante sapere sia successo in settimana (dichiarazioni, interviste, articoli su e con Buffett, ed i suoi “movimenti noti” e a volte meno noti). Ringrazio Alex per il suo personale apprezzamento al mio approccio “filantropico” che ovviamente deriva dall’esempio del maestro ed in quell’ottica soprattutto va vista la B di BeLike Buffett e tutto lo scopo di questo piccolo blog. Per questo l’introduzione a questo blog è quella che leggete appena aprite il sito. Essere avidi è un atteggiamento da poveri. Essere generosi è un atteggiamento da ricchi. E per questo chiudo ricordando Mrs. Doris Buffett (1928-2020) spentasi il 4 Agosto scorso non dopo aver donato sè stessa ed il suo patrimonio a chi è colpito da pesanti colpi di sfortuna, che nella vita, no matter how good you are, succedono eccome. Senza colpa nei riceventi. L‘”Education” è cio’ che per noi conta cosi’ tanto per migliorare il mondo e uscire dai colpi di sfortuna. O impiegare bene la nostra Fortuna, ed essere generosi. Doris Buffett ha speso cio’ che possedeva per questo fine con la “Sunshine Lady Foundation” e non solo. Ecco perchè “Giving all away” ha un senso molto razionale e profondo. Se sarete abbastanza fortunati vorrete che il vostro utimo assegno rimasto nel blocchetto sia scoperto, quando sarete anche abbastanza morti.

Italy, vacations today, a country “vacant” tomorrow?

Consistency in reading, like in everything else in life, is critical. However some people find the time to read only during summertime or generally speaking during vacations (I dread the word..). Here follows some suggestions for everyone interested in making the best investment always possible and available: the investment in yourself. The best and irreplaceable asset you may have is you.

For tomorrow the little paragraph below will be in Italian and english. I will suggest some books and two blogs I find valuable and useful to change your mind about many stereotypes, that are not conducive to good profits. Here’s why: we complain about the level of financial education in the States and almost everywhere. But I can guarantee you that even commonsense and simplicity are killed everyday on the road by financial experts and professional money managers or consultants in countries like Italy, that should be anyway a small but developed economy. Inept politicians and incompetent professionals make Italy an unattractive place from a business and investing standpoint. Decisions to make the situation curable are really distant down the road. And it’s like three decades that the conflicts rage on and nothing changes.That’s why I must only have faith in very young students ready to make the extra-effort and the extra-work in the field of educating themselves and reaching a wider international view.  Eventually, when things will be changing and reforms in Italy will be made(really?),  this new generation will be so audacious and equipped to invest in the country again, or otherwise have success abroad and go away like many did.

“LEAVE THE CANNOLI, BRING THE BOOKS” (tomorrow August 16th some books and two blogs for a different point of view on investing and the business of Life)