Warren Buffett was asked at Berkshire Hathaway's 1999 annual shareholder meeting how a new investor could amass $30 billion (£22.7 billion). His answer, delivered to thousands of shareholders in Omaha, Nebraska, centred on three principles: start early, think small, and stay within what you know.
Buffett, who officially stepped down as chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway on 1 January 2026 after more than five decades running the company, told the audience he would focus on overlooked smaller businesses if he were starting again with $10,000 (£7,560). 'I probably would be focusing on smaller companies because I would be working with smaller sums and there's more chance that something is overlooked in that arena,' he said, as reported by CNBC.
