TIP717: Berkshire Hathaway 2025 w/ Chris Bloomstran
Stig has invited legend investor Chris Bloomstran from Semper Augustus to teach us how to value Berkshire Hathaway on today's show. Semper Augustus has an outstanding track record with a compounded annual growth rate of 11.4% on equities since its fund's inception on 2/28/1999, compared to 8.2% for the S&P 500.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
00:00 - Intro
01:45 - The importance of being trusted for Warren Buffett and Chris Bloomstran
18:20 - Why you may want to own a 10-year treasury over the S&P 500 over the next decade
20:28 - How to estimate whether you’re in a secular peak
27:43 - How active Berkshire should be on the boards of portfolio companies
36:03 - How to take a deep dive into Berkshire Hathaway’s culture and business model
43:53 - What the intrinsic value of Berkshire Hathaway is, and what type of return you can get moving forward
Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences.
BOOKS AND RESOURCES
Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here.
Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members.
Stig’s 2024 interview with Chris Bloomstran about Berkshire Hathaway.
Stig’s 2023 interview with Chris Bloomstran about Berkshire Hathaway.
Stig’s 2022 masterclass with Chris Bloomstran on valuing Berkshire Hathaway.
Chris Bloomstran’s website.
Read Chris Bloomstran’s annual letters.
Buffett resource on CNBC.
Alex Morris’ book, Buffett and Munger Unscripted – read reviews of the book.
Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here.
Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed.
NEW TO THE SHOW?
Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter.
Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs.
Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok.
Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here.
Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool.
Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services.
Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts.
SPONSORS
Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors:
SimpleMining
Hardblock
Found
AnchorWatch
Fundrise
DeleteMe
CFI Education
The Bitcoin Way
Vanta
Shopify
Indeed
Onramp
HELP US OUT!
Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
--------
1:28:46
TIP716: The Power of Customer Obsession: Amazon’s Secret Weapon w/ Kyle Grieve
On today’s episode, Kyle Grieve explores the DNA of Amazon by tracing Jeff Bezos’s early influences, strategic decisions, and relentless focus on customer experience, revealing how a bold vision and founder-led culture built one of the most dominant businesses in history.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
00:00 - Intro
02:12 - How Bezos’s childhood brilliance helped forged Amazon’s DNA.
03:22 - Why self-reliance helped Bezos repeatedly invent out of failure.
06:02 - How DE Shaw inspired Amazon’s hiring bar and secretive innovations.
14:18 - Why founder-led companies tripled returns vs peers from 1990–2014.
17:07 - How Amazon used user reviews to build trust and boost Amazon’s moat.
24:20 - How one-click ordering deepened customer loyalty and competitive defensibility.
41:05 - The importance of Amazon Prime and how it affected customer churn and loyalty.
51:51 - How AWS was born.
54:27 - How Amazon has used its scale and competitive positioning to acquire competitors.
And so much more!
Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences.
BOOKS AND RESOURCES
Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here.
Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members.
Read The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon here.
Read Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos here.
Read Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose here.
Follow Kyle on X and LinkedIn.
Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here.
Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed.
NEW TO THE SHOW?
Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter.
Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs.
Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok.
Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here.
Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool.
Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services.
Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts.
SPONSORS
Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors:
SimpleMining
Hardblock
Found
AnchorWatch
Fundrise
DeleteMe
CFI Education
The Bitcoin Way
Vanta
Shopify
Indeed
Onramp
HELP US OUT!
Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it!
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
--------
1:12:11
BTC231: Bitcoin Nation State Adoption Paradox - A Trojan Horse w/ Alex Gladstein (Bitcoin Podcast)
Alex Gladstein unpacks the hidden power dynamics of financial privilege, the shifting terrain of surveillance, and why Bitcoin might be the most unexpected tool in the fight for human rights
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
00:00 - Intro
08:23 - Why self-custody is essential to the philosophical core of financial freedom
13:12 - How grassroots Bitcoin movements are reshaping power dynamics
14:02 - The complex role of social media in Bitcoin advocacy
14:27 - What recent developments are challenging or reinforcing core beliefs
16:07 - How Bitcoin acts as a stealth disruptor of corrupt systems
17:29 - Real-world humanitarian uses of Bitcoin, including crisis response
18:49 - The implications of rising financial surveillance—even in democracies
19:43 - Why financial privilege blinds many in the West to global monetary injustice
21:07 - Where the next frontier of Bitcoin and human rights may emerge
49:03 - How writing a full-length book reframed the guest’s understanding of scale and resistance
Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences.
BOOKS AND RESOURCES
Alex’s X Account.
Human Rights Foundation.
Related Video: Princess of the Yen.
Bitcoin Is A Trojan Horse For Freedom by Alex Gladstein.
Alex’s books: Check Your Financial Privilege and Hidden Repression: How the IMF and World Bank Sell Exploitation as Development.
Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here.
Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed.
NEW TO THE SHOW?
Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members.
Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok.
Check out our Bitcoin Fundamentals Starter Packs.
Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here.
Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool.
Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services.
Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter.
Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts.
SPONSORS
Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors:
SimpleMining
Hardblock
Found
AnchorWatch
Fundrise
DeleteMe
CFI Education
The Bitcoin Way
Vanta
Shopify
Indeed
Onramp
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
--------
1:06:25
RWH056: Calm Amid The Storm w/ Christopher Begg
In this episode, William Green chats with Christopher Begg, an exceptional hedge fund manager who is the CEO & CIO of East Coast Asset Management. Chris has also taught for many years at Columbia Business School, where he teaches the prestigious Security Analysis course that Warren Buffett took with Ben Graham in 1951. Here, Chris discusses how to stay calm amid market turmoil; how he identifies great businesses; why Tesla could deliver extraordinary long-term returns; & how he builds a balanced life in 7 key areas.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
00:00 - Intro
03:54 - How Christopher Begg handles extreme market turmoil.
04:07 - Why he loves volatility & how he exploits it.
06:27 - What 3 qualities he seeks when identifying an exceptional business.
18:19 - Why temperament is the key to investment success.
28:06 - How Perimeter Solutions embodies what he looks for in a stock.
31:49 - How value investing has evolved to what he calls “Value 3.0.”
42:15 - Why Tesla could deliver “extraordinary” returns over many years.
42:15 - What he thinks of Elon Musk.
01:11:13 - Why the secret of success is “persistent incremental progress.”
01:13:48 - How a 66-day challenge helped Chris to nurture good habits.
01:26:06 - How Buffett & Munger won the investing game with “class & virtue.”
01:34:18 - How to design a balanced, joyful, & spacious life.
Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences.
BOOKS AND RESOURCES
Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here.
Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members.
Chris Begg’s investment firm, East Coast Asset Management.
Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time.
Tanya Luhrmann's How God Becomes Real.
Maurice Merleau-Ponty's Phenomenology of Perception.
Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull.
James Carse's Finite & Infinite Games.
David Whyte's Consolations & Consolations II.
Madeleine Green's song discussed by William & Chris.
William Green’s book, “Richer, Wiser, Happier” – read the reviews of this book.
Follow William Green on X.
Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here.
Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed.
NEW TO THE SHOW?
Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter.
Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs.
Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok.
Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here.
Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool.
Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services.
Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts.
SPONSORS
Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors:
SimpleMining
Hardblock
Found
AnchorWatch
Fundrise
DeleteMe
CFI Education
The Bitcoin Way
Vanta
Shopify
Indeed
Onramp
HELP US OUT!
Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it!
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
--------
2:08:00
TIP715: Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke
In this episode, Clay explores the book Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke, a guide to making better decisions under uncertainty.
Drawing from her career as a professional poker player, Annie shares how to separate decision quality from outcomes and avoid the trap of “resulting.” Clay also discusses how our brains are wired for certainty, why embracing probabilistic thinking leads to better outcomes, and the value of building a truth-seeking support system. Additionally, he uncovers tools like backcasting, premortems, and kill criteria to improve long-term decision-making as investors.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
00:00 - Intro
01:36 - What it means to “think in bets” and how poker can sharpen decision-making.
05:57 - The concept of “resulting” and how it distorts our ability to evaluate decisions.
08:17 - Why good decisions can still lead to bad outcomes—and vice versa.
09:41 - The role of System 1 vs. System 2 thinking in making better choices.
10:44 - How investing parallels poker with incomplete information and uncertainty.
26:29 - How to build a feedback loop that separates luck from skill.
34:03 - The importance of building a truth-seeking group or “buddy system.”
35:02 - The dangers of confirmation bias and how beliefs are often formed by default.
52:54 - How backcasting and premortems can help map out future decisions.
57:16 - The power of setting kill criteria to avoid emotional decision-making.
And so much more!
Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences.
BOOKS AND RESOURCES
Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here.
Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members.
Annie Duke’s book: Thinking in Bets.
Mentioned book: Big Mistakes.
Related Episode: TIP623: The Art of Decision Making w/ Annie Duke.
Related Episode: RWH015: Betting Better in Markets and Life w/ Annie Duke.
Follow Clay on LinkedIn & X.
Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here.
Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed.
NEW TO THE SHOW?
Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter.
Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs.
Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok.
Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here.
Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool.
Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services.
Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts.
SPONSORS
Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors:
SimpleMining
Hardblock
Found
AnchorWatch
Fundrise
DeleteMe
CFI Education
The Bitcoin Way
Vanta
Shopify
Indeed
Onramp
HELP US OUT!
Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it!
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
About We Study Billionaires - The Investor’s Podcast Network
We interview and study famous financial billionaires, including Warren Buffett, Ray Dalio, and Howard Marks, and teach you what we learn and how you can apply their investment strategies in the stock market.
We Study Billionaires is the largest stock investing podcast show in the world with 180,000,000+ downloads and is hosted by Stig Brodersen, Preston Pysh, William Green, Clay Finck, and Kyle Grieve.
This podcast also includes the Richer Wiser Happier series hosted by best-selling author William Green. William regularly interviews legendary investors such as Mohnish Pabrai and Guy Spier, exploring what they can teach us about how to succeed in markets and life.
And finally, our Bitcoin Fundamentals series is hosted by Preston Pysh, where he interviews prominent figures in the Bitcoin and macroeconomic space. To learn more about TIP, you can visit theinvestorspodcast.com or subscribe to our free daily newsletter here.
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
Listen to We Study Billionaires - The Investor’s Podcast Network, Creating Confidence with Heather Monahan and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app