This one is special because just a week ago Henry Kravis was given a conversation on why he would never start a PE fund today…for the reason that there are simply too many of them.
And here I am, having a conversation with a true operator, started, bought, built and sold multiple companies; then a VC fund, then a PE fund and is now buying and building a portfolio of cash generating businesses which he plans never to sell…
“We got the end of the fund and we had to sell some really great companies. And being an operator, if you have a great company which is growing, and generating cash - you don’t want to sell such companies.”
Below is my conversation with Chris Rolls, founder of PieLAB. 13 acquisitions. 9 platform companies. I hope you enjoy and learn a lot.
All great investing is value investing. Buying something for less than it’s worth is value investing. Whether it’s a great company is a separate discussion. You’ve done a great job of pointing out quality companies. The harder part is having the patience to buy great businesses when they’re on sale, and then having the temperament to hold them long enough for compounding to do its work.
@sidecarcap It’s so rare. But when you see it, you realize it’s something truly special. There’s no free lunch, though, you have to earn it. At least, that’s been my experience.
Who are some of the people you really look up to who have achieved success not just financially, but physically and personally? People who genuinely seem to enjoy life, not just build businesses (because we all love business here on Fintwit). People who have created a great life overall, including strong relationships with their loved ones and communities.
My dear friend @GSpier did an almost hour-long interview with CNBC's @BeckyQuick.
It's an interview I wish had never happened, or, if it did, under different circumstances. Guy has been diagnosed with glioblastoma (GBM), one of the most aggressive brain cancers.
Guy singlehandedly changed the trajectory of my life. Seeing Guy interact with the world around him showed me what true generosity looks like and made me want to be more like him.
He is a giver, not a taker.
I kept thinking that he lives on borrowed time, and then it hit me: we all live on borrowed time. We are all living our eventual obituaries.
What makes Guy special is his kindness. His ultimate impact is not the compounding of his clients' assets but the compounding of kindness.
I wrote about Guy below. My essay also contains links to his letter to investors and the interview with Becky.