Parsad Posted June 6, 2013 Posted June 6, 2013 I thought I would start a thread on what the value investor's desk looks like. I'm always intrigued by what sits in people's homes or desks. I started with mine, but I'm hoping many of you will share photographs of your desk as well. Picture 1: I literally have a cup of coffee sitting on my desk every day by the phone...usually a hot cup, but in the summer it may be an iced drink. I don't think you can tell, but the coaster is from "Joe Badali's Restaurant", where we used to hold our early "Fairfax Financial Shareholder's Dinners". My scissors and stapler also always sit right there. Picture 2: Those are the accounting binders for Corner Market Capital, Corner Market Capital U.S., Corner Market Management, MPIC Fund I, LP & MPIC Canadian LP. That's just the last two years!! Picture 3: My laptop open to my favorite website...Corner of Berkshire & Fairfax! Not sure if you can see it, but there is a photograph of Prem and JoAnn I took the day I had lunch with Prem back in 2005. Picture 4: My In/Out box. Top tray is Corner Market Capital/MPIC Funds administrative paperwork, etc. 2nd tray is different folders for things I'm working on...Toronto Trip, Chicago/LA Trip (Pabrai Funds), Personal Expenses, CCFC stuff. 3rd tray is just business cards. 4th tray is CMC labels...GST quarterly return forms...etc. My calendar rests on my Berkshire bible...Andy's book "Of Permanent Value". My pen/pencil holder is a Tim Horton's coffee cup...never used! ;D On the right side is a photograph of Alnesh and me in Omaha 2010...Guy Spier's took that photograph! Picture 5: Letter From Buffett...November 7, 2000...changed my life...say no more! Picture 6: Reading material I have waded through recently, or have to wade through. It never stops, that pile stays the same height all year...no matter how much I get through! Look forward to your pictures. Cheers!
Parsad Posted June 6, 2013 Author Posted June 6, 2013 May I ask what prompted the letter to Mr. Buffett? I had put all of my money into Berkshire B stock right at the bottom through the end of 1999 and early 2000. The tech wreck emerged and Berkshire stock rose dramatically. I just wrote him a letter to thank him for running Berkshire and that I probably would not be coming to the AGM that year, because I preferred to buy more investments. He suggested I was better off doing that as well! I did end up going the next year anyway, and that's when I met him at the Yellow BRK'ers Party! ;D Cheers!
hyten1 Posted June 6, 2013 Posted June 6, 2013 parsad, what did you write to buffett about? i would like to have a letter from him as well :( hy
Parsad Posted June 6, 2013 Author Posted June 6, 2013 parsad, what did you write to buffett about? i would like to have a letter from him as well :( hy Basically just thanking him. I remember that after I sent the letter, I had received a letter back within 7 days...I thought that was amazing that he read the letter, had it dictated and typed out, and then mailed back to me all within 7 days from when I sent it. I don't know if he really writes letters that much these days as there is just so much notoriety around the company now. Has anyone recently written to him and received a response? Cheers!
Uccmal Posted June 6, 2013 Posted June 6, 2013 Valueinv will appreciate this: http://syncronet.net/syncro/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/ipad.jpg
CorpRaider Posted June 6, 2013 Posted June 6, 2013 neat! Thanks for sharing. I love this site and feel so fortunate to have found it!
boilermaker75 Posted June 6, 2013 Posted June 6, 2013 The image I posted of my investing desk was a joke. I do all my investing and research on my MacBook Pro. So my investment desk is wherever I am. Here is how I look when I enter an order for more BRK/B!
berkshiremystery Posted June 6, 2013 Posted June 6, 2013 parsad, what did you write to buffett about? i would like to have a letter from him as well :( hy Basically just thanking him. I remember that after I sent the letter, I had received a letter back within 7 days...I thought that was amazing that he read the letter, had it dictated and typed out, and then mailed back to me all within 7 days from when I sent it. I don't know if he really writes letters that much these days as there is just so much notoriety around the company now. Has anyone recently written to him and received a response? Cheers! I wrote my first letter to his office address in January of 1993 mentioned that I was interested to purchase shares in Berkshire, but before I would do so, requesting politely some hard copies of annual reports and 2 compilation booklets of his older shareholder letters. I got them promptly in a Berkshire Hathaway envelope for free. A year later in 1994, as I asked his office address again, I got some anonymous naughty written typewriter notice with Berkshire's address above, asking me to reimburse Berkshire for shipping and handling with some tiny handwritten side note. You can guess who played Scrooge McDuck ;D
Icarus Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 Basically just thanking him. I remember that after I sent the letter, I had received a letter back within 7 days...I thought that was amazing that he read the letter, had it dictated and typed out, and then mailed back to me all within 7 days from when I sent it. I don't know if he really writes letters that much these days as there is just so much notoriety around the company now. Has anyone recently written to him and received a response? Cheers! Your letter inspired me to write a letter to Warren Buffett. I'll get back to you guys if I get a response :)
Guest Dazel Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 I wrote the master in 2003? I think...when his reputation was being smeared over the reinsurance witch hunt that was going on...remember guys! He was being implicated in the scandal interviews etc... Gen Re was under fire...I told him my story and how he had helped change my life years before... I told him his dad would be proud of him for the way he had handled himself through out his life...which I still very much believe. He wrote back "you made my day!" He has given me a way to make money and live a life unimaginable...I will forever be in his debt. I have never owned a Berkshire Share out of principle of not jumping on his coattails...he has taught a man to fish. Dazel.
dpvalliant Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 I have written Warren 3 times over the years and he has always responded. I always put a return self addressed envelop WITH POSTAGE in the letter. I wrote him a simple question about a month before the annual meeting. I just wanted his opinion on Dividend Reinvestment Plans on Great companies like Coke. Sad to say 1st time no response. Maybe he's backed up and it will come some day. Wishful thinking (:. But it is always great to get a letter from your hero. D Valliant
Guest Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 I wrote this letter to him, with return postage and a sharpie included...just got a form letter back from his secretary. :(
Guest Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 The image I posted of my investing desk was a joke. I do all my investing and research on my MacBook Pro. So my investment desk is wherever I am. I thought it was funny. ;)
Guest valueInv Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 I thought I would start a thread on what the value investor's desk looks like. I'm always intrigued by what sits in people's homes or desks. I started with mine, but I'm hoping many of you will share photographs of your desk as well. Picture 1: I literally have a cup of coffee sitting on my desk every day by the phone...usually a hot cup, but in the summer it may be an iced drink. I don't think you can tell, but the coaster is from "Joe Badali's Restaurant", where we used to hold our early "Fairfax Financial Shareholder's Dinners". My scissors and stapler also always sit right there. Picture 2: Those are the accounting binders for Corner Market Capital, Corner Market Capital U.S., Corner Market Management, MPIC Fund I, LP & MPIC Canadian LP. That's just the last two years!! Picture 3: My laptop open to my favorite website...Corner of Berkshire & Fairfax! Not sure if you can see it, but there is a photograph of Prem and JoAnn I took the day I had lunch with Prem back in 2005. Picture 4: My In/Out box. Top tray is Corner Market Capital/MPIC Funds administrative paperwork, etc. 2nd tray is different folders for things I'm working on...Toronto Trip, Chicago/LA Trip (Pabrai Funds), Personal Expenses, CCFC stuff. 3rd tray is just business cards. 4th tray is CMC labels...GST quarterly return forms...etc. My calendar rests on my Berkshire bible...Andy's book "Of Permanent Value". My pen/pencil holder is a Tim Horton's coffee cup...never used! ;D On the right side is a photograph of Alnesh and me in Omaha 2010...Guy Spier's took that photograph! Picture 5: Letter From Buffett...November 7, 2000...changed my life...say no more! Picture 6: Reading material I have waded through recently, or have to wade through. It never stops, that pile stays the same height all year...no matter how much I get through! Look forward to your pictures. Cheers! For some reason, I expected a big picture of Marissa Meyer on your desk ::)
hyten1 Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 man i wrote WEB I think few years ago and along with the letter i send him my book. my letter stated how i have learn a lot from his teachings etc and how it change my life i got no response :( so say the least i was sad hy
oddballstocks Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 man i wrote WEB I think few years ago and along with the letter i send him my book. my letter stated how i have learn a lot from his teachings etc and how it change my life i got no response :( so say the least i was sad hy What's your book? If you don't want to disclose publicly feel free to send a PM.
giofranchi Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 Hi Parsad! The letter you received from Mr. Buffett is simply amazing! Just a few days ago I received a PM from dcollon asking me if I had attended the SIC put on by Mr. Mauldin, and my answer follows: I would have liked very much to have been there, just to meet you and to make the acquaintance with other very knowledgeable investors! But … and maybe you won’t believe me and now you will take me for a fool … I simply don’t travel much!! Because I still keep very much at heart Mr. Franklin’s advice: “a penny saved is a penny earned”. I know it sounds strange … but that is the way I am done! All the best, Gio So, you see: I still behave exactly as you did way back in 1999-2000!! ;) I attach some pictures I have just taken of my own office (I am the worst photographer in the world!). Cheers! giofranchi
Parsad Posted June 7, 2013 Author Posted June 7, 2013 Giofranchi, Obviously that is a well-read study of a value investor! I think you will like the picture I've posted here as well. It's from a friend of mine who wants to remain anonymous. Each pile of paper is for one specific company! No room for his laptop! ;D Cheers!
bmichaud Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 Gotta be **cough** Pabrai. Davita is at the top of the pile - one of the newer tailcoat ideas ;)
giofranchi Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 Giofranchi, Obviously that is a well-read study of a value investor! I think you will like the picture I've posted here as well. It's from a friend of mine who wants to remain anonymous. Each pile of paper is for one specific company! No room for his laptop! ;D Cheers! WOW!! That’s what I call a VERY LARGE circle of competence!! ;) And I can see a VERY TALL pile on the floor: are all those papers about just one specific company?!?! ;D ;D Cheers! giofranchi
dcollon Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 He's got a Bloomberg on that desk Sanjeev, so he's not that cheap. ;) Great pictures Gio.
alwaysinvert Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 I'd love to be able to get my hands on annual reports on paper, but most companies here only publish online nowadays. So I do most of my report reading on the computer or on my ipad, which is a less effective way to do deep reading. Printing all that stuff isn't a viable option as far as I'm concerned. Just splashed out on a new chair because my back was killing me. Got it from Ikea, though, so I hope I'll get a value pass on that one. Here's my office corner (perhaps one day it'll be a corner office instead).
LC Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 I'd love to be able to get my hands on annual reports on paper, but most companies here only publish online nowadays. So I do most of my report reading on the computer or on my ipad, which is a less effective way to do deep reading. Printing all that stuff isn't a viable option as far as I'm concerned. Just splashed out on a new chair because my back was killing me. Got it from Ikea, though, so I hope I'll get a value pass on that one. Here's my office corner (perhaps one day it'll be a corner office instead). Simply contact Investor Relations and request that a copy be mailed to your address!
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