Warren Buffett Told 11-Year-Old She Could Get Ahead In Life By Marrying His Grandson — Then Dropped Some Real Get-Rich Advice

Most 11-year-olds are worried about math homework. Mallory Marshall was asking Warren Buffett how to build wealth. And Buffett—never one to miss an opportunity for both wisdom and a one-liner—delivered.

At the 2001 Berkshire Hathaway meeting, Mallory stepped up to the mic and opened with a crowd-pleaser:

"First, my dad would like to know if you have any grandsons my age."

Buffett didn't hesitate:

"How many shares of stock do you have? And I'll tell you."

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He added, "I've got a grandson fairly close to your age and he probably would go for a younger woman anyway… I will mention you to him."

But once the laughter faded, Mallory hit him with the real question:

"What investment advice do you have for young people of my generation?"

Buffett's answer wasn't about stock picks or complex finance. It was about having a head start—and knowing what to do with it.

"I was fortunate in that respect because my dad paid for my education. If he hadn't, I probably wouldn't have become educated if I had to pay for it myself… So I was able to save $10,000 by the time I was 21. And, you know, that was a huge, huge head start."

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"It's much easier to save in those teenage years if you're lucky enough to be in a family where… your parents are taking care of your financial obligations. Every dollar then is, you know, worth making $10 or $20 later on."

"You have to have a little money to work with," he said. But what you do with it—that's the kicker.

His blueprint was simple:

"Read financial publications. I'd be curious about how the businesses around the town of Kearney operated. Learn about who's got good businesses… and the businesses that went out of business and why."

"Everything is cumulative," Buffett added. "The stuff I learned when I was 20 is useful today… You're building a database in your mind that is going to pay off over time."

He even squeezed in a bit of practical advice for anyone with a wallet:

"There's nothing like getting a few dollars ahead. Stay away from credit cards."

Charlie Munger, ever the realist, chimed in with:

"Well, I'm glad to see somebody that has, so early, shown an interest in getting ahead. There's nothing wrong with getting ahead."

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Then the two couldn't help circling back to the matchmaking suggestion.

"Actually, she may have the best idea about getting ahead by learning the name of my grandson," Buffett joked.

Munger added, "Before your feelings totally take over, you should look carefully at both parents and all four grandparents."

And Buffett signed off with, "Write Charlie and let us know how it works out."

Now, of course, you can't control who your grandparents are. Buffett himself has famously called this the "ovarian lottery"—the idea that so much of your life's outcome is determined by the luck of birth. And he's not wrong. You don't get to pick your starting line.

But you do get to pick how you run the race. You can build that mental database. You can read, ask questions, stash cash, and skip the credit cards.

And maybe — just maybe — ask about the grandkids.

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