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Thursday, March 25, 2010
If you could ask either of these men a question, what would it be and why? -OR- What was the most interesting response or comment made by either Mr. Gates or Mr. Buffett? Why?
If I asked one of these men a question, i would ask Mr. Buffet how he determines what stocks to invest in and when he knows to sell them. I would ask this question for several reason. Firstly, I do not know much about buying and selling stocks so if he told me his strategy to stocks maybe I would be as successful as him. Also, I would learn from his mistakes and this would prevent me from making the same mistakes he did so I would not waste money. By asking him when he knows it is time to sell stocks, hopefully i will be able to follow his advice and get maximum profit out of my stocks. Another reason why i would want to know how he knows what stocks to buy is this would help me monitor the stocks and when i see a good opportunity i could jump on it and not miss out. By knowing what he does to determine what stock to choose i might be able to choose the same stock as him, and he has proven that his choices end up with a great end result. I would also like to ask him what he does with all of his money. Besides from buying fancy, expensive things, I wonder if he donates a good amount of his money to deserving causes. With his large amount of income he could greatly make a difference to many charities.
If I were to ask one of these men a question, I would ask Mr. Gates about his decision to drop out of Harvard. It is clear that Bill Gates is a smart man, and after doing some research, I came to discover that Mr. Gates graduated at the top of his class and scored a 1590 out of 1600 on his SAT's. He enrolled in Harvard University in the fall of 1973. I also learned that Mr. Gates did not have a definite study plan while a student at Harvard, and spent a lot of time using the school's computers. He obviously knew that computers interested him from a young age, but dropping out of a respected college junior year is a risky decision. Bill Gates dropped out to focus on Microsoft, which he founded in 1975. I would want to know how he knew that this was the right decision for him. Did his parents try to persuade him otherwise? I know that, personally, if I was enrolled in Harvard University and my parents were paying for my education there, they would not be very happy with my decision to drop out. Mr. Gates's decision to drop out worked out well for him, and he is very lucky, but I wonder if he ever regrets dropping out, and not finishing his schooling at Harvard.
If I had the oppurtunity to ask either of these men one question, I would ask Mr. Gates how to determine whether your company will be successful or not and whether or not to pursue it. Harvard is an amazing school. By dropping out, Bill Gates risked everything, and could have been left with nothing. What makes a company a success versus a failure? When is it okay to take the chance? Millions of people try to build their own companies, however few succeed like Bill Gates. Within a short amount of time, Mr. Gates became famous as one of the richest people in the nation. Not only did Mr. Gates become rich, however many of his friends who agreed to leave Harvard with him also became rich very quickly. I would love to know what triggered their amazing confidence and made them so sure that they could be successful without Harvard.
I would ask Mr. Gates what his teachers and fellow students thought of him dropping out of college. We all got Mr. Gates' side of the story in the video, but I would like to know if teachers or friends tried to stop him from making a possible bad decision. Were his teachers concerned for him, or accepted the reason for dropping and gave him their support? It is a question that would probably give us a better look on how this not only affected his peers, but his parents as well.
if i had to ask one of these men a question, i would ask Mr. Gates what did his parents, peers, and professors think of him when dropping out of one of the most prestige schools in the country? Most people would think he was out of his mind and was ruining his future. Mr. Buffet said in the clip that you have to pursue something you have a great passion for and Mr. Gates knew that was his passion. Bill Gates is obviously very successful now, but i was wondering what did his parents think of his decisions of dropping out of Harvard. As well as his peers if i were attending Harvard i don't think i would drop out with Mr. Gates. So i wondered what his friends, parents, and professors thought of him at the time.
My question would be for Warren Buffet. I'd want to ask him what he thinks the impact is of the enormous amount of day traders in the market today, and what he thinks of investors relying on derivatives and trends in the market as opposed to company research and long term growth of stocks. I know he personally is in favor of holding investments over the long term but I am interested as to how he thinks day trading affects the market as a whole/
If I could ask Mr. Buffet and Mr. Gates a question, I would choose to ask them how they distinguish innovation when they see it. I would choose to ask them this question, because even though many new inventions are now entering our world, not all of them are successful. I believe Mr. Buffet and Mr. Gates have been very successful in determining what ideas will be popular, aka "hot", and what ideas will not do well in the market. I believe it will be interesting to get a sense of what both of these men look for when they look at innovative stocks, especially when it comes to technology. It would also be interesting to see where their ideas differ when choosing innovative stocks.
I think Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are quite interesting people with great influence. During their interview they made very interesting points and comments. In fact several though provoking questions were asked by the business grad students at Columbia at the seminar. Therefore, if I were to ask them a question it would be aimed towards Bill Gates. I would ask him what inspired him to become an entrepreneur. And by this question I mean he was already attending Harvard, one of the greatest universities in the world and then he suddenly decides to drop out for a dream that might not come true. However, this was not the case but it could have been a possibility and all that hard work would have been a waste and he would once again have to start form scratch.
If I had to ask Mr. Gates one question, it would be "Did you know you were going to be this successful when you dropped out of college, and how did you feel after you dropped out?" I couldn't believe a man with that much success didn't even get a college degree. You'd think after all that hard work in highschool and going two years at the best college in the world, you'd want to finish up your degree. I guess it goes to show that you don't exactly need a college education to be successful.
I would also ask him how his parents felt about his decision to drop out? I know my parents wouldn't be too happy if I was going to Harvard, spending there money, and I decide to drop out. But at the same time, maybe his parents knew that eventually he would be very successful. A lot of times, parents can see that there son has a talent, and maybe Gate's parents weren't too worried about his future.
If I were to ask one of these two capitalists a question, I would direct it to Bill Gates. The question would be, “what technology do you think is ripe for the kind of revolution that personal computers underwent because of Microsoft?” (For example, I would guess genetic engineering, nanotechnology, or commercial space flight.) These are all examples of technologies on the verge of becoming commonplace, much like personal computers during the 70s. I have no way of knowing which, if any of these technologies will be the next to take off, so I would like to ask one of the world’s most successful businessmen about it.
After watching this question and answer session at the Columbia University School of Business, the answer's that the two business giants gave couldn't have been more appreciated. When listening to Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, one cannot help but to think what they personally would ask the two men if they were lucky enough to have the chance. That is why, if I had the opportunity, I would have to direct my question towards Warren Buffet. My question would concern his early years. I would ask "What exactly was it about investing and the financial world, in general, that drew him in at such a young age?" I would ask this question because it is just simply put, unusual for a child that young to be involved in something that complex. After buying his first stock at age 11 and completing his first tax return at age 13, it was clear that that is what Mr. Buffet wanted to do with his life. I would absolutely love to know what drew him to that field of study at such an early age, as that would most definitely be my question to him.
I would ask either of these men what they believe will be the next big company and would invest in whatever they predicted it to be. If a person is lucky enough to buy stock in a company before it takes off and becomes a major corporation, they will make a hefty profit. If even a small amount of money is invested in a new company that is trading at a very low price and that company makes it big, the investor is looking at hundreds of percent increases. For example if I invested in apple the day I was born it would be trading at around $20 a share. Today it trades around 220 a share. After including stock splits, which it has done twice since I was born and may split again, I would be have made a ridiculous amount of profit. There are going to be companies like apple that are about to spring up and if I could just invest a bit of money in one, I could very well be a rich man. Considering their success, either of these men would probably have a decent prediction for the next big company to invest in.
Gary If I had the opportunity to ask either Mr. Gates or Mr. Buffet any question I could think of I would most likely ask them some thing that has nothing to do with the economy or their stories about achieving such tremendous wealth. I would just ask them questions I was honestly curious about. I would ask about their favorite music and movies and things you ask every day people, because to me that’s all they are. If I had to ask them a question that related to their success I suppose I would ask Mr. Gates “who if any one inspired you the most, and how did you get started with software?”
If I was able to ask one of these men a question, I would ask Mr. Gates if he ever thought when he was younger that he would be one of the most richest men in the world, and if he ever regreted anything while going through the process of becoming rich..Such as dropping out of Harvard; was he ever afraid to take that chance? Was he happy with the choice he made of dropping out of school? Did his friends or parents ever think he would become this successful in life?
If I could ask Bill Gates a question, I would ask him did his friends that he asked to come work for him have as much confidence in him as Bill had in himself? When Bill was asked what was the quality that set him apart from others who aspire to be like him, Bill said self confidence. His friends who left harvard to work for Bill were taking a huge risk cause there was no way they could foresee what would result from working for Mr. Gates. Mr. Gates was also taking a chance by pursuing what he enjoyed and dropping out of one of the best schools in the country. This is why I would want to know if his friends had as much confidence in Mr. Gates as Mr. Gates had in himself.
If I could ask Mr. Buffett or Bill Gates a question I would ask them how they plan to manage their companies after they pass and if they were to downfall what would they do? I would ask them these questions for a couple reasons. I've always wondered what happens when the people who founded these huge multi-billion dollar companies plan to leave the corporation to. Will they leave it to family or people they've hired? How would men who have so much money leave it strangers possibly and strangers who could also make or break the company. What if their companies were to downfall too, what would they do? Do these men have a back up plan or would they just call it quits and finally retire?
If i had the opportunity to ask either of these men a question, i would ask them for advice on how to be financially successful. I would ask them this because i would like to know how to maximize the return on my advesments. Both of these men have been extremely successful, even though Gates dropped out of Harvard and Buffett wasn't accepted. I would also want them to tell me how to be more self-confident. By dropping out of Harvard Gates must of had a lot of trust and confidence in himself to know that he would be successful.
Matt Bailey If i could ask one of those men a question, then i would ask Mr. Gates what he actually thought was going to happen when he dropped out of one of the most prestigous universities in the world. I would ask this because it was one of the major turning points in his life. It also probably ended up being the most important decision of his life because it sent him down the road of wealth. I think this is also a question that many people are wondering because that decision could have also made his life go in the totally wrong direction. So, thats why i would like to know his answer to that question.
If i was to ask one of these men a question it would be to Mr. gates about dropping out of college. Everyone knows Harvard is a top ivy school, so i am wondering what made him drop out? Did he just feel he was going to be a billionaire some day? Was it just luck that got him there after dropping out? What would of happened if he had failed?
If I could ask Warren Buffett and Bill Gates a question, I would probably ask them what they think is the most important skill or personality trait for a successful businessperson to have. I know they touched upon this in the interview they had at Columbia, but they didn’t really talk about which personality traits make one person stand out from another in the business world. I would like to hear what they have to say, because they are obviously very knowledgeable and have insightful advice. I might also want to ask them a more fun question, like what the most daring thing they’ve done in their lives is, or what they always wanted to be when they grew up.
If I had the opportunity to ask Mr. Buffet or Mr. Gates a question I would ask, have there been any business moves in your career that you consider a mistake or regret? I would ask this question because I think it would be interesting to see if Mr. Gates addresses the accusations that he stole the idea of the operating system from Steve Jobs and Apple and the movie made about it. Also to see if there were any business investments or ideas that he thought would succeed but didn’t. I would want Mr. Buffet to answer this question as well because I would like to know if there were any major stocks he bought and predicted incorrectly about. Maybe there were some misjudgments he made about stock in the beginning of his career. I think both of their answers would be beneficial to anyone entering the competitive field of business and to learn from their mistakes would be valuable.
If i could ask either of them a question i would ask them what do they see as some good stocks for our generation to invest in. i think it would be interesting to see where they think successful corporations are going. they seem very optimistic about our future economy and it would be good to know where to invest.
jochai mor if i were to ask one or these men a question i would ask Mr. Gates what he thinks about his decision about not finishing college. i mean it worked out for him very well but the thing is lots of people look up to him and make there decisions based on successful men like him. does he think that it was a smart thing to just quit college and not get a degree or should u finish what u started and then prosed to what your plans are. i would ask him this question because like i said before people look up to him for is success but i dont think that every one will be as lucky as this man was. i feel that it is really important no matter what your plans are that u get a college degree so that just incase u always have some thing to back you up.
I thought the most interesting comments the two speakers made were how they said they strictly werent doing any of it for the money. They both got involved in there jobs at a very young age and they both loved what they were doing. If i rememeber right it said something like Mr Buffet bought his first stock when he was 11 years old. He has had the interest of investing since that young of a agae. And it also said that Mr Gates started programming at the age of 13 or something like that. They were very strict in saying that you should find a career that you want to do. When that girl asked the question asking what career is going to have the biggest salary. They both answered the question but right after said not to do the job for the money do it for the passion. Not only are these two men insanely rich they both have a career that they love doing.
I would ask Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet if they could meet anyone in the world, dead or alive, and have lunch with them who would it be and why. I think it'd be interesting to see their response because Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet are two people others would love to meet and have a conversation with. Im sure they have the ability to meet so many amazing people but i think their responses would say a lot about them. After being so successful, I'd like to see who holds their interest at this point in their lives.
If I was given the privilege to ask Mr. Buffet and Mr. Gates a question it would have to be something along the lines of how they are able to determine a breakthrough to a new and inspiring idea when they see it; knowing it will be successful in the future. I would imagine this to be a difficult task for any person, but these remarkable business men obviously have an extreme amount of experience and ingenuity under their belts that have lead them to great successes. It would be an incredible opportunity to receive any type of economic or innovative advice from these two men, who have made an incredible name for themselves due to the precise, influential decisions they have made in the business world. It would be intriguing to say the least if I were to get a glimpse into how their minds work methodically, determining one good investment to the next, separating them out from the ones with less promise. Seeing if both Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet have the same thought process when distinguishing auspicious ideas from all the others; would also be very interesting to find out.
If I were to ask one of these me a question I would ask them how they discern where the next field of innovation will occur. It would seem that no one could get to the place they are in without an enormous amount of foresight and skill. I would ask how men with such substantial money-wielding power can tell how the free market will shift in the near future. I would also ask how the two men can possess such a large sum of money without having their every financial move cause ripples effecting the entire economic pond. If i were in an investing position and i saw someone shifting that much financial power around it would surely make me consider my own shares. No matter what these are obviously great world powers just by themselves and any entrepreneur could learn from their teachings.
I would ask these men about something I have thought about significantly: paying for college. This is in that, Bill Gates, a college dropout, and Warren Buffet, a self made investor were able to become exceptionally rich without the usage of much of the education they have had in the collegiate system. Most of their wealth was created by hard work, intuition, and gaining competitive advantage over competitors. Now with the cost of college skyrocketing because of government subsidization and increased demand for competitiveness in the global market, I would love to know whether they thought it was actually worth it to pay 50,000 dollars for college per year and how they feel about public institutions for a much cheaper price. I would love to know what they feel the true monetary value of college is and if there is a formula to figure out how much one should be paying for a specific institution and which would be a good “buy”. I know their answer will be personal because it depends on each person but it is something that I question a lot obviously because it is extremely tough to determine the answer to this and will undoubtedly affect me in the long run. Likewise, I would ask them as a tax payer today and future tax payer if they could help increase efficiency and competitiveness of government agencies if the government could provide them with return on compensation. It would be awesome to have these two guys who understand true market value and thriving successes in operations to manage some government services and perhaps even advise on policy.
If I would have to ask a question of Mr. Gates or Mr. Buffet I would ask them both about their opinion on the healthcare debate. I would want to ask them how they would approach the financial issue with this debate. I would ask this question because healthcare is one of the most important issues out there right now, and it would be a good idea of asking two of the smartest men in the world about what they think, and how they might solve this.
Had I been given the opportunity, I would have asked both Bill Gates and Warren Buffett about their experiences raising their children. Did their individual wealth and prestige complicate the already difficult job of raising a child? Did their extremely successful careers take time out of their parenting?
How did they discipline their children? What were their children's allowances? Did they have allowances? What did a typical Christmas present consist of? How did they keep their children grounded, when they grew up knowing very well that their fathers were among the most powerful men in the U.S. What are their hopes for their children? Do they want their children to follow in their footsteps?
When looking at both Warren Buffet and Bill Gates I can't help but wonder what type of parents they were. Were their successes in stock buying and software production equal to their successes raising his children? And if not, were their career gains worth their failings at home?
If I was given the chance to ask Mr. Buffet and Mr. Gates a question there is one question I would like to ask them. I would like to ask them was there ever a moment when you thought you were going to fail and not make it and if so what did you do to stay positive and change the outcome? I would like to ask this question because I am sure the road to success was not easy and there were many times that they almost failed. A lot of people have failure in their life and just give up but what did they do that caused them to not give up and continue to pursue their dream? This question would inspire everyone in the crowd because as you graduate college it is the time to try new things and not everything is going to be perfect. Everyone could benefit from their words of advice and I would be interested in hearing a time when they almost failed because it makes them a little more human showing everyone that everyone makes mistakes. If I got the chance this would be the question I would love to ask.
After watching this video, if I was able to ask a question to either Mr. Gates, or Mr. Buffet, my question would be intended for Mr. Gates. My question would be, how did your parents support your decision of dropping out of Harvard University? I would ask this because I was wondering how his parents would react if they herd that their son who enrolled in one of the best Universities in the country is dropping out. If I was Mr. Gates parents, I don't think that I could support his decision making because I would think that he wouldn’t turn out to be what he could have achieved with a Harvard degree but instead it turned out that he is one of the richest people in the world.
If I could ask either Warren Buffet or Bill Gates any question possible, I would firstly ask them what the most important decision they ever made was early on in their life. For example, does Mr. Gates believe that dropping out of Harvard was the best thing he could have possibly done at the time? And how he thinks his life now would be different had he remained in college. I wonder what they would suggest the best decisions for our generation would be to make. I would also consider asking about stocks and how they each decide on whether certain companies are worth it or not. I feel as though such questions would help get to the root of their success.
Todd Heritage If I could ask one question to either one of these men, I would ask Mr. Gates why he took such a risk by dropping out of one of the most prestigious colleges in the world in order to pursue his work? Why risk everything you have going for you, in order to pursue something that you may never succeed in doing? I would like to ask this question because even though Warren Buffet and Bill Gates always say throughout the interview, “do something and go into something that you have a passion for”… you could be risking your entire career or potential for future jobs. How does he know when to take a risk and when not to in order to succeed? Or is a lot of it just plain luck. By dropping out of college he didn’t graduate and brought many friends along with him in order to start a business that now has nearly100 of the first employees with millions and millions of dollars. Many people try building a company from scratch, but few succeed in the long run. I think it is very interesting Bill Gates and his friends had the confidence to do this, but where did so much confidence and foresight come from, leading to the billions of dollars he now makes?
If i were to ask one of these men a question i would ask Mr. Buffet, when he first invested in the stocks did he think he had a good chance of making profit off of it? I would ask this because im sure he just invested in stocks not knowing what could happen and then soon down the road he is one of the richest men in the world. I don't know very much about stocks or buying and selling them but hye had to have some knowledge about it and what stocks he should invest in. So I am just wondering whether he knew from when he started that there was going to be a good chance that he would make some profit off of these, or if he just went in blind and hoping for money. Overall, i would want to know the answer to this question because it just shows how people with maybe not as much knowledge in the stock market could become a billionaire or if you do have knowledge, how that knowledge pays off in the end.
If I had to ask one of these men a question, I would ask Mr. Gates to establish the basis for a successful business/company. Bill Gates obviously holds important secrets in determining whether or not a company will succeed. I would ask him about different aspects including profit, revenue, and advertisement. I would also ask him what important knowledge he had gained both inside, and outside of school that led to his success.
Nick Sasso If I were to ask Bill Gates or Warren Buffet a question, I would ask them, what jobs do they think are going to have the biggest growth with in 10-20 years. Alot of people are going to graduate college but there might not be jobs out there with that degree. With a good idea from two very succesful busniess men I believe that they could point young students in the right directon in where to go in life.
If I could ask these two men a single question, it would be "Did you ever think you would get to where you are today, even back when you started your companies?" I would ask this for quite a few reasons. The first would be to see if they have always kept their ideas real and possible, or if they had really been "dreamers" at one time. Another reason would be that if they had thought about that early on, than all one really needs to succeed is confidence in yourself and a vision you want to make a reality. I would be deeply interested in these two men's individual answers to this question.
If I could ask either Warren Buffett or Bill Gates a question, I think I would ask them if paying for college tuition makes going to really good, but really expensive, schools even worth it. For Mr. Gates, he dropped out of Harvard, one of the most prestigious schools in the world, in order to pursue his dream and start his company. At the time, it may have seemed like a crazy thing to do, but now he has benefitted more than he ever would if he had remained in school and continued to pay the costly fees with the hopes that he will find a stable job upon receiving his degree. On the other hand, Mr. Buffet did graduate from Columbia, but he was already a self-made investor. This leads me to wonder if all of the work we put into applying for colleges, choosing the right one, and paying those thousands of dollars just to go there is even worth the trouble. Why put yourself and your family through that financial strain if you can just start your own company or become an investor? Would Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet advise to follow your passion, or stick to school and studies? Which would be more beneficial in the long run? Was their success just from luck, or is it possible for anyone to have that kind of success if they put their heart into it? I would love to hear an answer from either one of these men as to whether I am doing the right thing by spending so much money on a college education, or perhaps to hear reassurance that it will be worth it in the end.
If I could as two questions I believe atleast one of my questions would be a more personal question instead of focusing on business. I would like to know the daily life of Gates and Buffet to see what their normal activities involved. I would also ask them for advice they could give future business workers. Such as obstacles that they had met that could have been avoided. If I was at this meeting I would ask the two wealth men a personal-life question because I'm curious and I'd ask for their advice so young business people can benefit from hearing tips from very successful me.
I would also like to say that I found one of Mr. Buffet's answeres important. A student asked if greed was the root of the financial crisis and I believe Buffet brought up a very good point. If greed was the reason for the issues, we would have had this issues a very long time ago and would always have this issue. Since we have not suffered with this crisis earlier, greed is not the prime reason for the issues.
If I were to ask Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet a question I would ask them both if there was one business decision they made that they wish they could take back and do it differently. I think they would both have very interesting answers to this. Seeing how both men are very successful I feel they have made few bad decisions when it comes to their businesses but I would be curious to see if they would like to do something differently. A lot people make mistakes in their lives and many relating to their careers. With all the wealth and knowledge that these two men have gained it’s safe for the average person to assume they haven’t made any major mistakes dealing with their success. But I would like to hear their own opinions on the choices they have made and if they wish they could redo any of those.
If I had a chance to ask these men a question I would ask them if they every had the feeling their luck would run out. I mean Both of them did risky things, Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard to start Microsoft and he was one of the top students! And Warren Buffet buys huge amounts of stocks in a short amount of time. Both of them live thier life taking these risks and they got lucky so many times so I wonder if they ever felt any doubts about what they chose to do since they've been lucky all this time and luck brought them pretty far.
If i had the opportunity to ask these men both a question i would first start with Bill Gates. I would like to know how he knew to drop out of the well president ivy league school Harvard, and to pursue his dreams. Most would find his actions audacious and not the right decision.
My question for Warren Buffet would be why did he keep trying to be successful in the stock market. And if he was and is so consistently successful, why cant most other people follow suit?
As a growing individual, I have come to realize that my personal judgment and decision making will indeed progress throughout the upcoming years. However, given the opportunity to ask one of these accomplished business men how do build these two characteristics at a faster rate would be an amazing learning experience. Mr. Buffet bought his first share at the age of 11. At 17, I don’t even know how or where to buy a share even if I was interested in doing so. He developed an interest for stocks and shares at a very young and showed a vast amount of maturity. Having someone of this nature guide me in improving skills such as this would most definitely help with my developing future.
In the video both Buffet and Gates said that they learned a lot from their mistakes. So if I had a chance to ask Buffet and Gates a question I would ask them, if you had a chance to go back to when you were still in college what, if anything, would you do differently. I would ask this because I would like to know if their failures helped them acheive all of their goals, and if they value what they learned from their mistakes more then their successful experiences.
If I had to ask Bill Gates or Warren Buffet a question it would be directed to Bill Gates, in regards to him dropping out of Harvard to pursue his software creation, and how his friends and family felt about it. His friends must have had a lot of faith in him to follow his example and drop out with him. I’m sure they are VERY happy they did now, but when it first happened I wonder what was said to Bill in regards to this decision and of him asking his friends to do the same. I also wonder how his family must have felt, to see years of tuition, and their sons chance to be a Harvard graduate, go down the tubes. This decision proved to be the most important in his life, creating the successful man he is now, but it could not have been an easy decision to make.re
What was the most interesting response or comment made by either Mr. Gates or Mr. Buffet? Why?
I think the most interesting response to a question was both Mr. Gates' response and Mr. Buffet's response to one student's question: What industry do you think is going to produce the next Bill Gates, because that's the industry that I want to get a job in?
Mr. Gates' response had to do with industries that were very popular, or were on the up and coming. H mentioned 3 industries: electronic and computer industries that posses the "magic" of the optic fiber and the chip that double in power every year or two, the energy industry that is coming up with new ways to provide the world with cleaner, cheaper energy, and the medical industry, which still needs to come up with cures for many diseases in both civilized and third world countries.
Mr. Buffet's response was more typical, but no less helpful that Mr. Gates' response. He said that coming out of college, he knew exactly what he wanted to do, and he was successful with it. He said to go out into the world and do what you want to do, because you will do great at whatever "turns you on". He also said not to let people tell you what to do, but to do what you love and what is most interesting to you.
I love both of these responses, because they give you the correct ethical way of thinking, at the same time as giving you some pointers in the right direction if you are completely lost.
Karen Novak One of the interesting things that were talked about in this interview was one of the students asking what would make them get a lot of money. Mr. Buffet responded with saying do whatever makes you happy and you will succeed in the long run. For example Bill Gates dropped out of school and followed his dream and created a multimillion dollar business, that he loves. Bill Gates started Microsoft in a recession, that shows a lot of hard work and dedication. Just doing a job that will make you a lot of money isn't everything you have to want it, you have to work for it.
Ryan Hobson If I could ask either Warren Buffet or Bill Gates a question, I would ask them both, "What was the biggest risk you have taken investment wise?" I think that this would be interesting to know because the whole stock market is based on taking risks and not knowing if it will pay off in the end. Also, they are both successful businessmen so I think my question would apply to their businesses as well. It would also be interesting to know how much money they put on the line in investments, etc.
Emma Velcofsky If I were to ask both these men a questions i would ask, "how can we compete with China, and what long term impact will they have on our economy?" I would ask this because China seems to be creeping up on us with the sale of products. In the U.S for what it takes one company to produce a product for a certain amount of money, China is able to produce that same product at a lower amount.
If I had the opportunity to ask Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet a question it would be what company they wished they would have invested in twenty years ago. I would have asked this question because I find the way the stock market works quite interesting. Also, because both of these men were quite successful in the companies they either created or invested in it would be interesting to see what they wish they would have done. Their answers would show a company that was able to slip under their radar and become successful.
The most interesting response made by Mr. Buffett was his view on the economy now and whether capitalism itself was to blame for this. Although I did not expect him to be critical of a system that allowed him to reach his fullest potential and become one of the richest people in the world, I was shocked when he said he was not worried about the economy right now. Amidst all of the fear about the state of the economy, his reassuring words were nice to hear, but also shocking, because some of the institutions that failed during the recession were financial institutions, and the fact that he was disheveled by their fall was astonishing. I thought that he got funded by some of these big banks, and that their failure would scare him, but his calmness and attitude that the economy would recover just fine was astonishing.
If I got the chance to ask either Mr. Gates or Mr. Buffet a question, I would ask them what mistakes they learned from in their early years that helped them be as successful as they are today. I would ask them that because everyone learns from their mistakes, and I don't believer that Mr. Gates or Mr. Buffet would be excluded in that, and I would be interested to see what type of lapses in judgment 2 most successful people have had. I would also like to know how those mistakes helped them in the future. I think that their answers would probably inspire people to keep trying even when things don't go as planned the first time. Therefore, I would ask them about their mistakes because I believe that their optimistic answers could help teach people the importance of determination as well as having a passion for what your doing.
If i got the opportunity to ask either of these successful men a question, i would probably ask Mr. Gates about him leaving those schools when he was younger. Did his parents agree with his decision? Did he have any doubts about it? Dropping out of the best schools in the world isn't just something you do for the fun of it, how did he know he would succeed and did he have a back up plan? Im very interested in what his friends or people around him thought about his decision. Im curious to know if they stood by him and told him to go for it or if they told him not too. Clearly looking back on it he made the best decision of his life. Thats another reason why i wanted to know what people thought about him leaving looking back on it now.
If I could ask Bill Gates or Warren Buffet a question, it would probably be regarding Bill Gates’ decision to drop out of Harvard and pursue Microsoft. Such a decision must have taken a lot of thought and consideration – how did he know that he would succeed, or how did he evaluate the risk of dropping out of school to be worth it? Especially now, as I am considering colleges, waiting on decisions, and in the process of making some major life choices with regard to my education and my future, I want to know what, exactly, made Gates think that the road to success lay in dropping out of school, especially one so prestigious. Was there something about the school environment that drove him away, or something in his personality that made him impatient with a formal education? What did his peers, mentors, and parents think about his decision? Did Gates particularly care? I am rather curious about all the components of his life that may have influenced this huge, incredibly risky decision.
My question to either Warren Buffet or Bill Gates would be how did they rebound after a setback in their companies and how did they deal with failure in starting up their businessses? Though both men are highly successful in Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway respectively, I am sure that they encountered problems in creating their businesses. I think that it would be interesting to see how Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet worked through the issues throughout their careers and how they were able to create such profitable companies. I may also ask a question such as how each man spends their day to day life at work? What components make up the work schedual of a billionaire and what does their day entail? I would enjoy getting an insight into their work day and how they spend their time.
If I could ask these two men anything, I would ask them what they think the role of the Federal Government is. This would encompass taxation, how they believe the government should get money to run programs, as well as what programs to run. It would be interesting to see what two men who are so successful in business think about the role that government has to play in making the world a better place. I would want to see if they support initiatives like Health Care, and if they support government funding for science and research on issues like energy. I wonder whether they believe the government should be involved in development or should leave it to private companies.
If I had the chance to ask either Gates or Buffet a question, I would ask Gates about his decision to drop out of Harvard. I am intrigued by this decision because he must have had a lot of confidence in his future plans in order to take such a risk. I would like to know when he came up with the idea for Microsoft. It could have been an idea that came to him when he first started at Harvard or during the final year or few months of his time there. If it had been a thought for a long time, I'd like to know the process that he began in order to gain confidence in his idea. If it was a last minute decision, it proves that somewhat insane risks are worth taking. Gates is without a doubt one of the greatest businessmen of our time, and I think learning about his process of beginning the company would be extremely beneficial to students to aspire to begin their own company.
It was ironic how we were learning about Bill Gates in class because just recently I had to use his name in a very important conversation. The other day, my grandmother and I were talking about one of my friends, whom she has not met yet, and I had to prove her wrong on a situation. She had judged my friend right off the bat because she found out that he wasn't a college graduate. It made me so angry for her to put down someone like that. I immediately struck back with the first example that came to my head. Bill Gates. HE DIDN'T GRADUATE FROM HARVARD...and look where it's got him! I explained that not all people who don't graduate from college are morons. It takes an extremely hard worker and driven person to succeed, not where he or she has graduated from a university. My friend is an incredibly hard working business man. I believe Bill Gates is a perfect example of accomplishing goals and achievement. I would want to ask him how he lead his family members or friends to believe in him? Or if they didn't believe in him, and had to prove them wrong, like I did with my Grandmother.
Chris Donnelly If i had the option i would ask Bill Gates a question as to what inspired him to create the first computer system? Did he actually think it would be as revolutionary as it was or was he nervously guessing? I would also probably ask both men if they are naturally risk-takers that are confident in what they do or if they calculate every single move ?
Although, judging by their actions (buying mass amounts of stock/ dropping out of college) i would say that they risk-takers, Both of those moves could have changed their whole lives. If Bill gates stayed in Harvard we could have never heard of him, and if Mr. Buffet hadn't invested in the ways he did, he too would be unknown.
I would ask Mr. Gates if he ever expected any of this when he started up. Did he go in with the hopes of becoming a multi-billionaire or was he just going in to sell his idea? I'd want to know if he always planned to start a software company. By asking him we could learn about the younger Bill Gates and what he originally wanted to grow up to be and how he could come to expect such great wealth.
If I were to ask either of them a question I would ask Mr. Gates if he ever regretted leaving college so soon. I know he ended up becoming the richest person in the world and what not but I would be interested to see his responses considering he dropped out of one of the most prestigious universities in the nation. I would definitely ask Warren Buffet for a job so i could get some inside tips about investing in the stock market.
If I were to ask either of them a question I would ask Mr. Gates if he ever regretted leaving college so soon. I know he ended up becoming the richest person in the world and what not but I would be interested to see his responses considering he dropped out of one of the most prestigious universities in the nation. I would definitely ask Warren Buffet for a job so i could get some inside tips about investing in the stock market.
Both Warren Buffett and Bill Gates had some very good responses throughout the program. However, one in particular response from Mr. Buffett stood out in my mind. The question to them was what made you standout among all others during their time when they were breaking through into wealth and higher power. His response had little to do with money at all. He explained to the fine young man or woman that he thinks that he became so rich and successful not because he specifically wanted to, but because he had a passion for what he did. I find this interesting because many people today are just going after wealth just because they want to be rich. What he is saying, is to find something that you love, do it passionately and hopefully you’ll make some good money along the way.
if i had to ask one of these men a question, i would ask why the education isn't improving from grades k-12? What factors contributed to his decision, did he look at the location of the school, how much special education is at the school?.
67 comments:
If I asked one of these men a question, i would ask Mr. Buffet how he determines what stocks to invest in and when he knows to sell them. I would ask this question for several reason. Firstly, I do not know much about buying and selling stocks so if he told me his strategy to stocks maybe I would be as successful as him. Also, I would learn from his mistakes and this would prevent me from making the same mistakes he did so I would not waste money. By asking him when he knows it is time to sell stocks, hopefully i will be able to follow his advice and get maximum profit out of my stocks. Another reason why i would want to know how he knows what stocks to buy is this would help me monitor the stocks and when i see a good opportunity i could jump on it and not miss out. By knowing what he does to determine what stock to choose i might be able to choose the same stock as him, and he has proven that his choices end up with a great end result. I would also like to ask him what he does with all of his money. Besides from buying fancy, expensive things, I wonder if he donates a good amount of his money to deserving causes. With his large amount of income he could greatly make a difference to many charities.
If I were to ask one of these men a question, I would ask Mr. Gates about his decision to drop out of Harvard. It is clear that Bill Gates is a smart man, and after doing some research, I came to discover that Mr. Gates graduated at the top of his class and scored a 1590 out of 1600 on his SAT's. He enrolled in Harvard University in the fall of 1973. I also learned that Mr. Gates did not have a definite study plan while a student at Harvard, and spent a lot of time using the school's computers. He obviously knew that computers interested him from a young age, but dropping out of a respected college junior year is a risky decision. Bill Gates dropped out to focus on Microsoft, which he founded in 1975. I would want to know how he knew that this was the right decision for him. Did his parents try to persuade him otherwise? I know that, personally, if I was enrolled in Harvard University and my parents were paying for my education there, they would not be very happy with my decision to drop out. Mr. Gates's decision to drop out worked out well for him, and he is very lucky, but I wonder if he ever regrets dropping out, and not finishing his schooling at Harvard.
If I had the oppurtunity to ask either of these men one question, I would ask Mr. Gates how to determine whether your company will be successful or not and whether or not to pursue it. Harvard is an amazing school. By dropping out, Bill Gates risked everything, and could have been left with nothing. What makes a company a success versus a failure? When is it okay to take the chance? Millions of people try to build their own companies, however few succeed like Bill Gates. Within a short amount of time, Mr. Gates became famous as one of the richest people in the nation. Not only did Mr. Gates become rich, however many of his friends who agreed to leave Harvard with him also became rich very quickly. I would love to know what triggered their amazing confidence and made them so sure that they could be successful without Harvard.
I would ask Mr. Gates what his teachers and fellow students thought of him dropping out of college. We all got Mr. Gates' side of the story in the video, but I would like to know if teachers or friends tried to stop him from making a possible bad decision. Were his teachers concerned for him, or accepted the reason for dropping and gave him their support? It is a question that would probably give us a better look on how this not only affected his peers, but his parents as well.
if i had to ask one of these men a question, i would ask Mr. Gates what did his parents, peers, and professors think of him when dropping out of one of the most prestige schools in the country? Most people would think he was out of his mind and was ruining his future. Mr. Buffet said in the clip that you have to pursue something you have a great passion for and Mr. Gates knew that was his passion. Bill Gates is obviously very successful now, but i was wondering what did his parents think of his decisions of dropping out of Harvard. As well as his peers if i were attending Harvard i don't think i would drop out with Mr. Gates. So i wondered what his friends, parents, and professors thought of him at the time.
My question would be for Warren Buffet. I'd want to ask him what he thinks the impact is of the enormous amount of day traders in the market today, and what he thinks of investors relying on derivatives and trends in the market as opposed to company research and long term growth of stocks. I know he personally is in favor of holding investments over the long term but I am interested as to how he thinks day trading affects the market as a whole/
If I could ask Mr. Buffet and Mr. Gates a question, I would choose to ask them how they distinguish innovation when they see it. I would choose to ask them this question, because even though many new inventions are now entering our world, not all of them are successful. I believe Mr. Buffet and Mr. Gates have been very successful in determining what ideas will be popular, aka "hot", and what ideas will not do well in the market. I believe it will be interesting to get a sense of what both of these men look for when they look at innovative stocks, especially when it comes to technology. It would also be interesting to see where their ideas differ when choosing innovative stocks.
I think Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are quite interesting people with great influence. During their interview they made very interesting points and comments. In fact several though provoking questions were asked by the business grad students at Columbia at the seminar. Therefore, if I were to ask them a question it would be aimed towards Bill Gates. I would ask him what inspired him to become an entrepreneur. And by this question I mean he was already attending Harvard, one of the greatest universities in the world and then he suddenly decides to drop out for a dream that might not come true. However, this was not the case but it could have been a possibility and all that hard work would have been a waste and he would once again have to start form scratch.
Nick Cesca
If I had to ask Mr. Gates one question, it would be "Did you know you were going to be this successful when you dropped out of college, and how did you feel after you dropped out?" I couldn't believe a man with that much success didn't even get a college degree. You'd think after all that hard work in highschool and going two years at the best college in the world, you'd want to finish up your degree. I guess it goes to show that you don't exactly need a college education to be successful.
I would also ask him how his parents felt about his decision to drop out? I know my parents wouldn't be too happy if I was going to Harvard, spending there money, and I decide to drop out. But at the same time, maybe his parents knew that eventually he would be very successful. A lot of times, parents can see that there son has a talent, and maybe Gate's parents weren't too worried about his future.
If I were to ask one of these two capitalists a question, I would direct it to Bill Gates. The question would be, “what technology do you think is ripe for the kind of revolution that personal computers underwent because of Microsoft?” (For example, I would guess genetic engineering, nanotechnology, or commercial space flight.) These are all examples of technologies on the verge of becoming commonplace, much like personal computers during the 70s. I have no way of knowing which, if any of these technologies will be the next to take off, so I would like to ask one of the world’s most successful businessmen about it.
After watching this question and answer session at the Columbia University School of Business, the answer's that the two business giants gave couldn't have been more appreciated. When listening to Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, one cannot help but to think what they personally would ask the two men if they were lucky enough to have the chance. That is why, if I had the opportunity, I would have to direct my question towards Warren Buffet. My question would concern his early years. I would ask "What exactly was it about investing and the financial world, in general, that drew him in at such a young age?" I would ask this question because it is just simply put, unusual for a child that young to be involved in something that complex. After buying his first stock at age 11 and completing his first tax return at age 13, it was clear that that is what Mr. Buffet wanted to do with his life. I would absolutely love to know what drew him to that field of study at such an early age, as that would most definitely be my question to him.
I would ask either of these men what they believe will be the next big company and would invest in whatever they predicted it to be. If a person is lucky enough to buy stock in a company before it takes off and becomes a major corporation, they will make a hefty profit. If even a small amount of money is invested in a new company that is trading at a very low price and that company makes it big, the investor is looking at hundreds of percent increases. For example if I invested in apple the day I was born it would be trading at around $20 a share. Today it trades around 220 a share. After including stock splits, which it has done twice since I was born and may split again, I would be have made a ridiculous amount of profit. There are going to be companies like apple that are about to spring up and if I could just invest a bit of money in one, I could very well be a rich man. Considering their success, either of these men would probably have a decent prediction for the next big company to invest in.
Gary
If I had the opportunity to ask either Mr. Gates or Mr. Buffet any question I could think of I would most likely ask them some thing that has nothing to do with the economy or their stories about achieving such tremendous wealth. I would just ask them questions I was honestly curious about. I would ask about their favorite music and movies and things you ask every day people, because to me that’s all they are. If I had to ask them a question that related to their success I suppose I would ask Mr. Gates “who if any one inspired you the most, and how did you get started with software?”
If I was able to ask one of these men a question, I would ask Mr. Gates if he ever thought when he was younger that he would be one of the most richest men in the world, and if he ever regreted anything while going through the process of becoming rich..Such as dropping out of Harvard; was he ever afraid to take that chance? Was he happy with the choice he made of dropping out of school? Did his friends or parents ever think he would become this successful in life?
If I could ask Bill Gates a question, I would ask him did his friends that he asked to come work for him have as much confidence in him as Bill had in himself? When Bill was asked what was the quality that set him apart from others who aspire to be like him, Bill said self confidence. His friends who left harvard to work for Bill were taking a huge risk cause there was no way they could foresee what would result from working for Mr. Gates. Mr. Gates was also taking a chance by pursuing what he enjoyed and dropping out of one of the best schools in the country. This is why I would want to know if his friends had as much confidence in Mr. Gates as Mr. Gates had in himself.
If I could ask Mr. Buffett or Bill Gates a question I would ask them how they plan to manage their companies after they pass and if they were to downfall what would they do? I would ask them these questions for a couple reasons. I've always wondered what happens when the people who founded these huge multi-billion dollar companies plan to leave the corporation to. Will they leave it to family or people they've hired? How would men who have so much money leave it strangers possibly and strangers who could also make or break the company. What if their companies were to downfall too, what would they do? Do these men have a back up plan or would they just call it quits and finally retire?
Amanda Thomas
If i had the opportunity to ask either of these men a question, i would ask them for advice on how to be financially successful. I would ask them this because i would like to know how to maximize the return on my advesments. Both of these men have been extremely successful, even though Gates dropped out of Harvard and Buffett wasn't accepted. I would also want them to tell me how to be more self-confident. By dropping out of Harvard Gates must of had a lot of trust and confidence in himself to know that he would be successful.
Matt Bailey
If i could ask one of those men a question, then i would ask Mr. Gates what he actually thought was going to happen when he dropped out of one of the most prestigous universities in the world. I would ask this because it was one of the major turning points in his life. It also probably ended up being the most important decision of his life because it sent him down the road of wealth. I think this is also a question that many people are wondering because that decision could have also made his life go in the totally wrong direction. So, thats why i would like to know his answer to that question.
If i was to ask one of these men a question it would be to Mr. gates about dropping out of college. Everyone knows Harvard is a top ivy school, so i am wondering what made him drop out? Did he just feel he was going to be a billionaire some day? Was it just luck that got him there after dropping out? What would of happened if he had failed?
If I could ask Warren Buffett and Bill Gates a question, I would probably ask them what they think is the most important skill or personality trait for a successful businessperson to have. I know they touched upon this in the interview they had at Columbia, but they didn’t really talk about which personality traits make one person stand out from another in the business world. I would like to hear what they have to say, because they are obviously very knowledgeable and have insightful advice.
I might also want to ask them a more fun question, like what the most daring thing they’ve done in their lives is, or what they always wanted to be when they grew up.
If I had the opportunity to ask Mr. Buffet or Mr. Gates a question I would ask, have there been any business moves in your career that you consider a mistake or regret? I would ask this question because I think it would be interesting to see if Mr. Gates addresses the accusations that he stole the idea of the operating system from Steve Jobs and Apple and the movie made about it. Also to see if there were any business investments or ideas that he thought would succeed but didn’t. I would want Mr. Buffet to answer this question as well because I would like to know if there were any major stocks he bought and predicted incorrectly about. Maybe there were some misjudgments he made about stock in the beginning of his career. I think both of their answers would be beneficial to anyone entering the competitive field of business and to learn from their mistakes would be valuable.
If i could ask either of them a question i would ask them what do they see as some good stocks for our generation to invest in. i think it would be interesting to see where they think successful corporations are going. they seem very optimistic about our future economy and it would be good to know where to invest.
jochai mor
if i were to ask one or these men a question i would ask Mr. Gates what he thinks about his decision about not finishing college. i mean it worked out for him very well but the thing is lots of people look up to him and make there decisions based on successful men like him. does he think that it was a smart thing to just quit college and not get a degree or should u finish what u started and then prosed to what your plans are. i would ask him this question because like i said before people look up to him for is success but i dont think that every one will be as lucky as this man was. i feel that it is really important no matter what your plans are that u get a college degree so that just incase u always have some thing to back you up.
I thought the most interesting comments the two speakers made were how they said they strictly werent doing any of it for the money. They both got involved in there jobs at a very young age and they both loved what they were doing. If i rememeber right it said something like Mr Buffet bought his first stock when he was 11 years old. He has had the interest of investing since that young of a agae. And it also said that Mr Gates started programming at the age of 13 or something like that. They were very strict in saying that you should find a career that you want to do. When that girl asked the question asking what career is going to have the biggest salary. They both answered the question but right after said not to do the job for the money do it for the passion. Not only are these two men insanely rich they both have a career that they love doing.
I would ask Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet if they could meet anyone in the world, dead or alive, and have lunch with them who would it be and why. I think it'd be interesting to see their response because Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet are two people others would love to meet and have a conversation with. Im sure they have the ability to meet so many amazing people but i think their responses would say a lot about them. After being so successful, I'd like to see who holds their interest at this point in their lives.
If I was given the privilege to ask Mr. Buffet and Mr. Gates a question it would have to be something along the lines of how they are able to determine a breakthrough to a new and inspiring idea when they see it; knowing it will be successful in the future. I would imagine this to be a difficult task for any person, but these remarkable business men obviously have an extreme amount of experience and ingenuity under their belts that have lead them to great successes. It would be an incredible opportunity to receive any type of economic or innovative advice from these two men, who have made an incredible name for themselves due to the precise, influential decisions they have made in the business world. It would be intriguing to say the least if I were to get a glimpse into how their minds work methodically, determining one good investment to the next, separating them out from the ones with less promise. Seeing if both Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet have the same thought process when distinguishing auspicious ideas from all the others; would also be very interesting to find out.
If I were to ask one of these me a question I would ask them how they discern where the next field of innovation will occur. It would seem that no one could get to the place they are in without an enormous amount of foresight and skill. I would ask how men with such substantial money-wielding power can tell how the free market will shift in the near future.
I would also ask how the two men can possess such a large sum of money without having their every financial move cause ripples effecting the entire economic pond. If i were in an investing position and i saw someone shifting that much financial power around it would surely make me consider my own shares.
No matter what these are obviously great world powers just by themselves and any entrepreneur could learn from their teachings.
I would ask these men about something I have thought about significantly: paying for college. This is in that, Bill Gates, a college dropout, and Warren Buffet, a self made investor were able to become exceptionally rich without the usage of much of the education they have had in the collegiate system. Most of their wealth was created by hard work, intuition, and gaining competitive advantage over competitors. Now with the cost of college skyrocketing because of government subsidization and increased demand for competitiveness in the global market, I would love to know whether they thought it was actually worth it to pay 50,000 dollars for college per year and how they feel about public institutions for a much cheaper price. I would love to know what they feel the true monetary value of college is and if there is a formula to figure out how much one should be paying for a specific institution and which would be a good “buy”. I know their answer will be personal because it depends on each person but it is something that I question a lot obviously because it is extremely tough to determine the answer to this and will undoubtedly affect me in the long run. Likewise, I would ask them as a tax payer today and future tax payer if they could help increase efficiency and competitiveness of government agencies if the government could provide them with return on compensation. It would be awesome to have these two guys who understand true market value and thriving successes in operations to manage some government services and perhaps even advise on policy.
Ashwin Singhaviranon
Period 7 Civics
If I would have to ask a question of Mr. Gates or Mr. Buffet I would ask them both about their opinion on the healthcare debate. I would want to ask them how they would approach the financial issue with this debate. I would ask this question because healthcare is one of the most important issues out there right now, and it would be a good idea of asking two of the smartest men in the world about what they think, and how they might solve this.
Had I been given the opportunity, I would have asked both Bill Gates and Warren Buffett about their experiences raising their children. Did their individual wealth and prestige complicate the already difficult job of raising a child? Did their extremely successful careers take time out of their parenting?
How did they discipline their children? What were their children's allowances? Did they have allowances? What did a typical Christmas present consist of? How did they keep their children grounded, when they grew up knowing very well that their fathers were among the most powerful men in the U.S. What are their hopes for their children? Do they want their children to follow in their footsteps?
When looking at both Warren Buffet and Bill Gates I can't help but wonder what type of parents they were. Were their successes in stock buying and software production equal to their successes raising his children? And if not, were their career gains worth their failings at home?
If I was given the chance to ask Mr. Buffet and Mr. Gates a question there is one question I would like to ask them. I would like to ask them was there ever a moment when you thought you were going to fail and not make it and if so what did you do to stay positive and change the outcome? I would like to ask this question because I am sure the road to success was not easy and there were many times that they almost failed. A lot of people have failure in their life and just give up but what did they do that caused them to not give up and continue to pursue their dream? This question would inspire everyone in the crowd because as you graduate college it is the time to try new things and not everything is going to be perfect. Everyone could benefit from their words of advice and I would be interested in hearing a time when they almost failed because it makes them a little more human showing everyone that everyone makes mistakes. If I got the chance this would be the question I would love to ask.
Dom Severino
After watching this video, if I was able to ask a question to either Mr. Gates, or Mr. Buffet, my question would be intended for Mr. Gates. My question would be, how did your parents support your decision of dropping out of Harvard University? I would ask this because I was wondering how his parents would react if they herd that their son who enrolled in one of the best Universities in the country is dropping out. If I was Mr. Gates parents, I don't think that I could support his decision making because I would think that he wouldn’t turn out to be what he could have achieved with a Harvard degree but instead it turned out that he is one of the richest people in the world.
If I could ask either Warren Buffet or Bill Gates any question possible, I would firstly ask them what the most important decision they ever made was early on in their life. For example, does Mr. Gates believe that dropping out of Harvard was the best thing he could have possibly done at the time? And how he thinks his life now would be different had he remained in college. I wonder what they would suggest the best decisions for our generation would be to make. I would also consider asking about stocks and how they each decide on whether certain companies are worth it or not. I feel as though such questions would help get to the root of their success.
Todd Heritage
If I could ask one question to either one of these men, I would ask Mr. Gates why he took such a risk by dropping out of one of the most prestigious colleges in the world in order to pursue his work? Why risk everything you have going for you, in order to pursue something that you may never succeed in doing?
I would like to ask this question because even though Warren Buffet and Bill Gates always say throughout the interview, “do something and go into something that you have a passion for”… you could be risking your entire career or potential for future jobs. How does he know when to take a risk and when not to in order to succeed? Or is a lot of it just plain luck. By dropping out of college he didn’t graduate and brought many friends along with him in order to start a business that now has nearly100 of the first employees with millions and millions of dollars. Many people try building a company from scratch, but few succeed in the long run. I think it is very interesting Bill Gates and his friends had the confidence to do this, but where did so much confidence and foresight come from, leading to the billions of dollars he now makes?
If i were to ask one of these men a question i would ask Mr. Buffet, when he first invested in the stocks did he think he had a good chance of making profit off of it? I would ask this because im sure he just invested in stocks not knowing what could happen and then soon down the road he is one of the richest men in the world. I don't know very much about stocks or buying and selling them but hye had to have some knowledge about it and what stocks he should invest in. So I am just wondering whether he knew from when he started that there was going to be a good chance that he would make some profit off of these, or if he just went in blind and hoping for money. Overall, i would want to know the answer to this question because it just shows how people with maybe not as much knowledge in the stock market could become a billionaire or if you do have knowledge, how that knowledge pays off in the end.
If I had to ask one of these men a question, I would ask Mr. Gates to establish the basis for a successful business/company. Bill Gates obviously holds important secrets in determining whether or not a company will succeed. I would ask him about different aspects including profit, revenue, and advertisement. I would also ask him what important knowledge he had gained both inside, and outside of school that led to his success.
Nick Sasso
If I were to ask Bill Gates or Warren Buffet a question, I would ask them, what jobs do they think are going to have the biggest growth with in 10-20 years. Alot of people are going to graduate college but there might not be jobs out there with that degree. With a good idea from two very succesful busniess men I believe that they could point young students in the right directon in where to go in life.
If I could ask these two men a single question, it would be "Did you ever think you would get to where you are today, even back when you started your companies?" I would ask this for quite a few reasons. The first would be to see if they have always kept their ideas real and possible, or if they had really been "dreamers" at one time. Another reason would be that if they had thought about that early on, than all one really needs to succeed is confidence in yourself and a vision you want to make a reality. I would be deeply interested in these two men's individual answers to this question.
If I could ask either Warren Buffett or Bill Gates a question, I think I would ask them if paying for college tuition makes going to really good, but really expensive, schools even worth it. For Mr. Gates, he dropped out of Harvard, one of the most prestigious schools in the world, in order to pursue his dream and start his company. At the time, it may have seemed like a crazy thing to do, but now he has benefitted more than he ever would if he had remained in school and continued to pay the costly fees with the hopes that he will find a stable job upon receiving his degree. On the other hand, Mr. Buffet did graduate from Columbia, but he was already a self-made investor. This leads me to wonder if all of the work we put into applying for colleges, choosing the right one, and paying those thousands of dollars just to go there is even worth the trouble. Why put yourself and your family through that financial strain if you can just start your own company or become an investor? Would Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet advise to follow your passion, or stick to school and studies? Which would be more beneficial in the long run? Was their success just from luck, or is it possible for anyone to have that kind of success if they put their heart into it? I would love to hear an answer from either one of these men as to whether I am doing the right thing by spending so much money on a college education, or perhaps to hear reassurance that it will be worth it in the end.
If I could as two questions I believe atleast one of my questions would be a more personal question instead of focusing on business. I would like to know the daily life of Gates and Buffet to see what their normal activities involved. I would also ask them for advice they could give future business workers. Such as obstacles that they had met that could have been avoided. If I was at this meeting I would ask the two wealth men a personal-life question because I'm curious and I'd ask for their advice so young business people can benefit from hearing tips from very successful me.
I would also like to say that I found one of Mr. Buffet's answeres important. A student asked if greed was the root of the financial crisis and I believe Buffet brought up a very good point. If greed was the reason for the issues, we would have had this issues a very long time ago and would always have this issue. Since we have not suffered with this crisis earlier, greed is not the prime reason for the issues.
If I were to ask Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet a question I would ask them both if there was one business decision they made that they wish they could take back and do it differently. I think they would both have very interesting answers to this. Seeing how both men are very successful I feel they have made few bad decisions when it comes to their businesses but I would be curious to see if they would like to do something differently. A lot people make mistakes in their lives and many relating to their careers. With all the wealth and knowledge that these two men have gained it’s safe for the average person to assume they haven’t made any major mistakes dealing with their success. But I would like to hear their own opinions on the choices they have made and if they wish they could redo any of those.
If I had a chance to ask these men a question I would ask them if they every had the feeling their luck would run out. I mean Both of them did risky things, Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard to start Microsoft and he was one of the top students! And Warren Buffet buys huge amounts of stocks in a short amount of time. Both of them live thier life taking these risks and they got lucky so many times so I wonder if they ever felt any doubts about what they chose to do since they've been lucky all this time and luck brought them pretty far.
If i had the opportunity to ask these men both a question i would first start with Bill Gates. I would like to know how he knew to drop out of the well president ivy league school Harvard, and to pursue his dreams. Most would find his actions audacious and not the right decision.
My question for Warren Buffet would be why did he keep trying to be successful in the stock market. And if he was and is so consistently successful, why cant most other people follow suit?
As a growing individual, I have come to realize that my personal judgment and decision making will indeed progress throughout the upcoming years. However, given the opportunity to ask one of these accomplished business men how do build these two characteristics at a faster rate would be an amazing learning experience.
Mr. Buffet bought his first share at the age of 11. At 17, I don’t even know how or where to buy a share even if I was interested in doing so. He developed an interest for stocks and shares at a very young and showed a vast amount of maturity. Having someone of this nature guide me in improving skills such as this would most definitely help with my developing future.
In the video both Buffet and Gates said that they learned a lot from their mistakes. So if I had a chance to ask Buffet and Gates a question I would ask them, if you had a chance to go back to when you were still in college what, if anything, would you do differently. I would ask this because I would like to know if their failures helped them acheive all of their goals, and if they value what they learned from their mistakes more then their successful experiences.
If I had to ask Bill Gates or Warren Buffet a question it would be directed to Bill Gates, in regards to him dropping out of Harvard to pursue his software creation, and how his friends and family felt about it. His friends must have had a lot of faith in him to follow his example and drop out with him. I’m sure they are VERY happy they did now, but when it first happened I wonder what was said to Bill in regards to this decision and of him asking his friends to do the same. I also wonder how his family must have felt, to see years of tuition, and their sons chance to be a Harvard graduate, go down the tubes. This decision proved to be the most important in his life, creating the successful man he is now, but it could not have been an easy decision to make.re
What was the most interesting response or comment made by either Mr. Gates or Mr. Buffet? Why?
I think the most interesting response to a question was both Mr. Gates' response and Mr. Buffet's response to one student's question: What industry do you think is going to produce the next Bill Gates, because that's the industry that I want to get a job in?
Mr. Gates' response had to do with industries that were very popular, or were on the up and coming. H mentioned 3 industries: electronic and computer industries that posses the "magic" of the optic fiber and the chip that double in power every year or two, the energy industry that is coming up with new ways to provide the world with cleaner, cheaper energy, and the medical industry, which still needs to come up with cures for many diseases in both civilized and third world countries.
Mr. Buffet's response was more typical, but no less helpful that Mr. Gates' response. He said that coming out of college, he knew exactly what he wanted to do, and he was successful with it. He said to go out into the world and do what you want to do, because you will do great at whatever "turns you on". He also said not to let people tell you what to do, but to do what you love and what is most interesting to you.
I love both of these responses, because they give you the correct ethical way of thinking, at the same time as giving you some pointers in the right direction if you are completely lost.
Karen Novak
One of the interesting things that were talked about in this interview was one of the students asking what would make them get a lot of money. Mr. Buffet responded with saying do whatever makes you happy and you will succeed in the long run. For example Bill Gates dropped out of school and followed his dream and created a multimillion dollar business, that he loves. Bill Gates started Microsoft in a recession, that shows a lot of hard work and dedication. Just doing a job that will make you a lot of money isn't everything you have to want it, you have to work for it.
Ryan Hobson
If I could ask either Warren Buffet or Bill Gates a question, I would ask them both, "What was the biggest risk you have taken investment wise?" I think that this would be interesting to know because the whole stock market is based on taking risks and not knowing if it will pay off in the end. Also, they are both successful businessmen so I think my question would apply to their businesses as well. It would also be interesting to know how much money they put on the line in investments, etc.
Emma Velcofsky
If I were to ask both these men a questions i would ask, "how can we compete with China, and what long term impact will they have on our economy?" I would ask this because China seems to be creeping up on us with the sale of products. In the U.S for what it takes one company to produce a product for a certain amount of money, China is able to produce that same product at a lower amount.
If I had the opportunity to ask Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet a question it would be what company they wished they would have invested in twenty years ago. I would have asked this question because I find the way the stock market works quite interesting. Also, because both of these men were quite successful in the companies they either created or invested in it would be interesting to see what they wish they would have done. Their answers would show a company that was able to slip under their radar and become successful.
The most interesting response made by Mr. Buffett was his view on the economy now and whether capitalism itself was to blame for this. Although I did not expect him to be critical of a system that allowed him to reach his fullest potential and become one of the richest people in the world, I was shocked when he said he was not worried about the economy right now. Amidst all of the fear about the state of the economy, his reassuring words were nice to hear, but also shocking, because some of the institutions that failed during the recession were financial institutions, and the fact that he was disheveled by their fall was astonishing. I thought that he got funded by some of these big banks, and that their failure would scare him, but his calmness and attitude that the economy would recover just fine was astonishing.
If I got the chance to ask either Mr. Gates or Mr. Buffet a question, I would ask them what mistakes they learned from in their early years that helped them be as successful as they are today. I would ask them that because everyone learns from their mistakes, and I don't believer that Mr. Gates or Mr. Buffet would be excluded in that, and I would be interested to see what type of lapses in judgment 2 most successful people have had. I would also like to know how those mistakes helped them in the future. I think that their answers would probably inspire people to keep trying even when things don't go as planned the first time. Therefore, I would ask them about their mistakes because I believe that their optimistic answers could help teach people the importance of determination as well as having a passion for what your doing.
If i got the opportunity to ask either of these successful men a question, i would probably ask Mr. Gates about him leaving those schools when he was younger. Did his parents agree with his decision? Did he have any doubts about it? Dropping out of the best schools in the world isn't just something you do for the fun of it, how did he know he would succeed and did he have a back up plan? Im very interested in what his friends or people around him thought about his decision. Im curious to know if they stood by him and told him to go for it or if they told him not too. Clearly looking back on it he made the best decision of his life. Thats another reason why i wanted to know what people thought about him leaving looking back on it now.
If I could ask Bill Gates or Warren Buffet a question, it would probably be regarding Bill Gates’ decision to drop out of Harvard and pursue Microsoft. Such a decision must have taken a lot of thought and consideration – how did he know that he would succeed, or how did he evaluate the risk of dropping out of school to be worth it? Especially now, as I am considering colleges, waiting on decisions, and in the process of making some major life choices with regard to my education and my future, I want to know what, exactly, made Gates think that the road to success lay in dropping out of school, especially one so prestigious. Was there something about the school environment that drove him away, or something in his personality that made him impatient with a formal education? What did his peers, mentors, and parents think about his decision? Did Gates particularly care? I am rather curious about all the components of his life that may have influenced this huge, incredibly risky decision.
My question to either Warren Buffet or Bill Gates would be how did they rebound after a setback in their companies and how did they deal with failure in starting up their businessses? Though both men are highly successful in Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway respectively, I am sure that they encountered problems in creating their businesses. I think that it would be interesting to see how Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet worked through the issues throughout their careers and how they were able to create such profitable companies.
I may also ask a question such as how each man spends their day to day life at work? What components make up the work schedual of a billionaire and what does their day entail? I would enjoy getting an insight into their work day and how they spend their time.
If I could ask these two men anything, I would ask them what they think the role of the Federal Government is. This would encompass taxation, how they believe the government should get money to run programs, as well as what programs to run. It would be interesting to see what two men who are so successful in business think about the role that government has to play in making the world a better place. I would want to see if they support initiatives like Health Care, and if they support government funding for science and research on issues like energy. I wonder whether they believe the government should be involved in development or should leave it to private companies.
If I had the chance to ask either Gates or Buffet a question, I would ask Gates about his decision to drop out of Harvard. I am intrigued by this decision because he must have had a lot of confidence in his future plans in order to take such a risk. I would like to know when he came up with the idea for Microsoft. It could have been an idea that came to him when he first started at Harvard or during the final year or few months of his time there. If it had been a thought for a long time, I'd like to know the process that he began in order to gain confidence in his idea. If it was a last minute decision, it proves that somewhat insane risks are worth taking. Gates is without a doubt one of the greatest businessmen of our time, and I think learning about his process of beginning the company would be extremely beneficial to students to aspire to begin their own company.
It was ironic how we were learning about Bill Gates in class because just recently I had to use his name in a very important conversation. The other day, my grandmother and I were talking about one of my friends, whom she has not met yet, and I had to prove her wrong on a situation. She had judged my friend right off the bat because she found out that he wasn't a college graduate. It made me so angry for her to put down someone like that. I immediately struck back with the first example that came to my head. Bill Gates. HE DIDN'T GRADUATE FROM HARVARD...and look where it's got him! I explained that not all people who don't graduate from college are morons. It takes an extremely hard worker and driven person to succeed, not where he or she has graduated from a university. My friend is an incredibly hard working business man. I believe Bill Gates is a perfect example of accomplishing goals and achievement. I would want to ask him how he lead his family members or friends to believe in him? Or if they didn't believe in him, and had to prove them wrong, like I did with my Grandmother.
Chris Donnelly
If i had the option i would ask Bill Gates a question as to what inspired him to create the first computer system? Did he actually think it would be as revolutionary as it was or was he nervously guessing? I would also probably ask both men if they are naturally risk-takers that are confident in what they do or if they calculate every single move ?
Although, judging by their actions (buying mass amounts of stock/ dropping out of college) i would say that they risk-takers, Both of those moves could have changed their whole lives. If Bill gates stayed in Harvard we could have never heard of him, and if Mr. Buffet hadn't invested in the ways he did, he too would be unknown.
I would ask Mr. Gates if he ever expected any of this when he started up. Did he go in with the hopes of becoming a multi-billionaire or was he just going in to sell his idea? I'd want to know if he always planned to start a software company. By asking him we could learn about the younger Bill Gates and what he originally wanted to grow up to be and how he could come to expect such great wealth.
If I were to ask either of them a question I would ask Mr. Gates if he ever regretted leaving college so soon. I know he ended up becoming the richest person in the world and what not but I would be interested to see his responses considering he dropped out of one of the most prestigious universities in the nation. I would definitely ask Warren Buffet for a job so i could get some inside tips about investing in the stock market.
If I were to ask either of them a question I would ask Mr. Gates if he ever regretted leaving college so soon. I know he ended up becoming the richest person in the world and what not but I would be interested to see his responses considering he dropped out of one of the most prestigious universities in the nation. I would definitely ask Warren Buffet for a job so i could get some inside tips about investing in the stock market.
Both Warren Buffett and Bill Gates had some very good responses throughout the program. However, one in particular response from Mr. Buffett stood out in my mind. The question to them was what made you standout among all others during their time when they were breaking through into wealth and higher power. His response had little to do with money at all. He explained to the fine young man or woman that he thinks that he became so rich and successful not because he specifically wanted to, but because he had a passion for what he did. I find this interesting because many people today are just going after wealth just because they want to be rich. What he is saying, is to find something that you love, do it passionately and hopefully you’ll make some good money along the way.
if i had to ask one of these men a question, i would ask why the education isn't improving from grades k-12? What factors contributed to his decision, did he look at the location of the school, how much special education is at the school?.
All electronic responses should be in!!!
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