A Life-Changing Buffet: How Li Lu Found His Path to Success

Sometimes, go for the food.

Li Lu migrated to the United States from China, fleeing from the Chinese Communist Party. As a student, he struggled both to support himself and to pay for his education. The question of money was always on his mind. One day, a classmate told him, "If you want to make money in America, there will be a speech at the Business School that you must hear." The speaker's name sounded odd, and Li Lu thought he’d heard there would be a "buffet" at the event—literally, a buffet.

He went in for the food.

Unfortunately for him, there was no buffet that day. Instead, he encountered Warren Buffett. Buffett's speech changed Li Lu's life. He decided to become an investor and went on to found Himalaya Capital, an investment company that now manages $15 billion in assets.

Moral of the story: Sometimes, go for the food.