The Story behind their success Part II

By Keith Thuerk | Financial Stewardship | 5 Sep 2025

The Story behind their success Part II

Thank you for your readership, I am in awe of all the reads I received for part I of this series, I hit my highest number of readers in my five years on Pub0x. I am humbled, so based upon the success here are my next two individuals I have reviewed and how their upbringing's shaped their successes.

Warren Buffet

Sure, he is viewed as the greatest investor ever! Let's rewind to see how did he develop and earn that moniker! Warren's father’s career: Howard Buffett was originally a stockbroker and later served four terms as a U.S. Representative from Nebraska. He gained prominence through his integrity and financial savvy, even during the Great Depression. Digging a bit further and discovering his Grandfather’s Enterprise: Warren’s grandfather, Ernest P. Buffett, was a grocer—he established a modest family business, but wasn't part of the elite. The Buffett family thus had long-standing local roots, though not substantial inherited wealth.

Warren's path starts early:

From as early as age 6–7, Buffett showed entrepreneurial flair—selling chewing gum, Coca-Cola bottles, and magazines door-to-door. By age 11, he made his first stock purchase: three shares of Cities Service Preferred for himself and three for his sister Doris. Warren's other ventures included buying a used pinball machine with a friend, placing it in a barber shop, and scaling to multiple machines which were later sold for profit.

During high school, he earned over $175 a month delivering The Washington Post (US Newspaper now owned by Jeff Bezos. Warren also invested in a 40-acre farm at age 14 using his own savings, I have not found anything alluding to the use of loans (AKA Leverage). Under his father’s guidance he encouraged Warren’s independent thinking and fiscal literacy. His father took him to the New York Stock Exchange at age 10, sparking a deeper fascination with markets. Additionally, when his father was in Congress, the family moved to Washington, D.C., where he finished elementary school and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1947. Additionally, his yearbook comments predicted “future stockbroker”. The Buffett's were financially comfortable and well-respected but not affluent. Warren inherited privilege through education and values, not riches. Work ethic was the fuel behind his teachings.

Elon no last name needed!

Elon Reeve Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa, to Errol Musk. By trade Elon is an electromechanical engineer and pilot. There are reported claims a half share in an emerald mine by the family. Believe what you want! From a young age, Elon was an avid reader and self-learner. At age 10, he taught himself computer programming and created a video game called Blastar, which he sold for about $500. The information I have found lays out that Elon had a nurturing environment, instilling independence and resilience. Elon's parents ( were successful in their own right his mother was Maye Musk and she was a model and ran her own nutrition business. Maye proved beauty and brains can and do coexist

and his father was Errol Musk a South African electromechanical engineer, pilot, sailor, and property developer

Summary

Critical skills for both Warren and Elon are independent thinking and fiscal literacy and they both have rankings in the wealthiest in the world. Unpacking more I believe both have and used sales skills. They may not of had outright sales jobs, however, they understood the importance of sales in their skills repertoire. For Warren, a very early exposure to money and the workings of finance, depression lessons imprinted to govern his value investing thesis. Warren learned hard work on the farm and in school, I am almost certain that he learned the lesson of a cool head and its importance during turbulent times such as the Great Depression where he was first hand how fortunes were won and lost on the Farm and Wall Street.

Elon had first hand experience of both starting and running businesses. Don't overlook his ambitions and Huge goals, for example. Mars mission!

I believe both are self-starters and self-learners on top of that add in great work ethic(s). Here in the good Ole' USA you can still achieve great things! Thanks for reading!