The Terroir Whisperers
Unraveling the Secret Behind Remarkable Lives
“If you can’t think clearly in Omaha, you won’t anywhere.”
— Warren Buffett
When the 7th richest person on the planet invites you to hear his secret to success, you don’t jump for joy, you get on a plane. Warren Buffett asking us to come to Omaha to interview him was like being led to a prized fishing hole by the world’s most accomplished angler. And that’s what happened, as we sat down to chat, and Buffett patiently explained to us how to fish for success.
It began not with a plan but a place. Just like Ed Lorenz’s butterfly, Omaha was a little blip on the radar, according to biographers. But we saw it differently. We heard the fluttering loud and clear. The most ordinary of ordinaries, a mid sized midwestern city, set off a domino effect. One day there were firecrackers, the next was a big bang. One day a caterpillar, the next was a Monarch butterfly.
But the twist was that no one put their finger on how the transformation took place, the one that made him the most admired CEO in history, and one of the wealthiest people in the world. Most took it for granted that it just happened. We knew there was more to the story, and that led us to our thesis. It wasn’t how it happened that was the magic, but where.
After all, a significant portion of the man’s fame and admiration, not just his wealth, can be traced to that humble doorstep. We even had a strong hunch that had Buffett been raised on New York’s prestigious Park Avenue instead of 2501 North 53rd Street in Omaha, he would never become the world’s most admired billionaire who charts his wealth by a metric Gordon Gekko never mentioned: “I measure my success by how many people love me.” We wondered, what makes him think so differently?
On more than a few occasions, Buffett revealed one of the reasons was clarity, the kind that helps him make brilliant contrarian investment decisions, the kind others laugh at — like the time he bought a near-bankrupt textile mill called Berkshire Hathaway — the kind of clarity the barons of Wall Street lack. The kind that Omaha gives him. It is why he's the "Oracle of Omaha," not the Wolf of Wall Street, and if you believe the rhetoric, the city has made Buffett not only a better investor but a better person.
If you believe the rhetoric.
Our video crew had their cameras packed when we realized the same man who prefers an Egg McMuffin to a gourmet meal is also known for humming a modest tune that downplays his accomplishments. Over the years of our study, we found that greatness is in reverse proportion to bragging, and Buffett proved the case. It is why we were eager to delve more deeply into this enigma. Did the place make the man, or did the man make it up?
As gag writers say, 'not so fast.'
“It’s so busy, no one goes there anymore.”
Let’s assume for a minute that Omaha's nurturing environment held the keys to his immense wealth. If that’s the case, the city should incubate a proportional number of billionaires compared to New York City's' Manhattan, with a population of 1.6 million. On a good day, the tony borough boasts extravagant $50 million townhouses that might fetch a mere half million bucks 100 miles away in upstate New York. That kind of leverage spells success, right?
But how can an enterprising investor be expected to think clearly when they are likely to be run over by one or more of the 86 obnoxious billionaires in black SUV’s caroming around Manhattan’s streets? As Yogi Berra said, "It's so busy, no one goes there anymore." Perhaps Buffett was right. Omaha breeds clarity. Clarity breeds success. Ergo, that is why Buffett is rich. Bingo.
Then, we did the math.
With nearly one-third of Manhattan's population, Omaha’s 500,000 should incubate 20–30 fat cats. Yet, the city yielded only three billionaires. That list includes Buffett, Daniel Hirschfeld of Buckle, and Henry Davis of Omaha Meat Packers. The city is not necessarily a hotbed of wealth creation. So, what is it that makes Omaha so appealing to Buffett?
“I gained 62 years of terrific memories in it with more to come.”
The house at 3555 Farnam Street was the Buffett’s third best investment, which sounds suspiciously like a play on Shakespeare’s leaving his wife “his second best bed.” The irony starts to build when you find that he bought it in 1958 for a mere $31,500, and it was in this home office that he made all the early investments that launched his success.
Despite the promise of financial gains or the lure of a mega mansion, he never dreamed of selling the property. Buffett says the reason is that he would have missed the joys of life. “I gained 62 years of terrific memories in it with more to come.” The modest house continues tonhold a distinct place in Buffett’s heart, “I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
The question was moot. The pull of Omaha was undeniable. But a nice place to live and raise the kids isn’t a sure path to stardom. If Buffett wanted a change of scene, a sign he was moving up in the world, he had ample opportunities to switch gears. But he made a steady choice to live where he grew up even after going to Wharton, and again after his two year into his stint at Columbia Business School and a career on Wall Street. Sticking around the Big Apple wasn’t a temptation.
His story led to a curious hypothesis.
Alpha and Omega
Trying to get into the unconscious mind of Warren Buffett was as likely as solving world hunger with herbal tea. Like Lorenz, what we needed now was a jolt of something stronger to snap us out of our woozy haze.
What seemed indisputable was that Omaha represented a most fortuitous habitat. Though it may not have been clear when he first came on the scene, it later became apparent that Buffett’s celebrity identity had mysteriously aligned with Omaha, perhaps the least celebrated city in America. We needed to dig deeper to find out why this pairing took place. The verb was a clue.
We had to learn more about the soil and the soul of the place.
In Wall Street terms, which Buffett understands better than most, we posed the question whether Omaha was his ‘alpha,’ or the performance of an investment relative to a benchmark. That is, what he might have accomplished had he not lived in Omaha.
Omaha was a perch of rationality from which Buffett could view the world during its legendary profitable moments of insanity missed by the smart boys on Wall Street. It was a start of an idea that became the cornerstone of his wealth building strategy, and guided us to the thesis of Once Upon a Terroir.
It sounded like ordinary grapes in a particular vineyard that turn into Grand Crus. Its impact went beyond Midwestern virtues such as practicality, ethical rigor, and reluctant to take risks. At 93 years old, his current age as we pen this, Warren Buffett’s remarkable vitality can be attributed to the way his hometown harmonized astute thinking with mystical inspiration. That still seemed a bit too flowery and Zen like for our tastes. So we dug deeper (sorry about all the vineyard puns).
If you want to improve your chances, start where in a place where the odds are better.
They tilted at windmills, and astonishingly, their lives turned skywards.
Once Upon a Terroir recounts the journeys of ordinary individuals who were never meant to ascend to extraordinary heights. Their lives were marked by adversity. Facing childhoods of divorce, abandonment, and humble beginnings in gritty housing projects, they were quite used to being knocked about and never imagined how different the future might be until something happened.
This differs from the usual fare of glitzy tales centered around the rich and famous. Our subjects’ stories are anchored in resilience, courage, and triumph against the odds. They lacked privilege, connections, but armed only with determination and desire, they tilted at windmills, and astonishingly, their lives turned skywards. This marked the beginning of our trek— delving into the phenomena of triumphant lives by reliving and analyzing their backstories, much like Warren Buffett's homespun Omaha fable.
The second part of the story, the much better-known narrative, were the outcomes: Nobel Prize laureates, Four Star Generals, Presidents, Billionaire entrepreneurs, and Fortune 50 CEOs. Our task became an all-consuming quest to unravel the intricacies of how, when, and where these turning points occurred.
As we traversed the timelines, we uncovered a moment of transformation that was particularly evident not only with Buffett but all our subjects. It was an EKG of success. His life chart separated into two distinct halves: the first was a time of untapped potential captured by Winston Churchill in a charming phrase, “A fluid, friendly, but unfocused circle.” That was when a metamorphosis propelled him to global prominence.
Recognizing that brilliant destinies are a thing of art, we discovered they are woven from loosely interconnected threads that inexplicably find the right moment in a particular time and a special place. When that occurs, like Lorenz's butterfly, we are liberated to be all we can be, and greatness takes flight.
Our mission was twofold: to seamlessly weave these two parts into a comprehensive whole.
Then, like Lorenz, go fetch a mug of java.
It is why grapes in one vineyard produce wine of remarkable quality compared to the same grapes planted a football field away.
Our investigation revealed a cherished French concept that you may already be familiar with: Terroir. It is defined as a vineyard that takes ordinary grapes and elevates them to exceptional vintages by the magic of soil and soul. To many, "terroir" evokes images of aristocratic chateaux, but in truth, it is a dirty business.
The word originates from the Latin "terra," simply meaning "dirt," and it refers to the phenomenon whereby grapes in one vineyard produce wine of remarkable quality compared to the same grapes planted a football field away. Yet, as the Cambridge English Dictionary illuminates, the concept inspires far more than wine.
In human terms, terroir is the secret sauce that makes us different. It can be a village, as in the case of Warren Buffett’s Omaha. But it also encompasses a way of life, a culture passed down through generations found in the plots we call families. Think of Hanukkah candles, Christmas trees, Easter egg hunts, Indian burial grounds, Hindu chants, and Muslim prayers. One of the main requirements of a terroir is to have rituals.
Even the power of love can act as a terroir, supporting us, liberating us, transforming our future.
A neighborhood tavern’s warm and familiar atmosphere, the bonds forged through a women’s book club, or the shared experiences of winning or losing little league teams (terroirs, as Buffett demonstrates, measure success by their own metrics) can all become a terroir of sorts. It is ordinarily a geographic area, but it can also be of the mind. Even the power of love can act as a terroir, supporting us, liberating us, transforming our future. In all cases, the human terroir embraces an ordinary individual and transforms them on a grand scale.
An impact of such magnitude made us curious. Maintaining a terroir of both the grape and people variety is hard work. They are magnets for invasive species. They fall into decline quite quickly without proper and continuous cultivation. What sustains them over long periods of time?
Historical Perspective
We found the secret sauce. Terroirs are anchored by five pillars: mentors lay down guideposts, mates perpetuate the endeavor, mantras illuminate the founding principles, methods establish optimal approaches and metrics monitor advancement.
You’ll hear more about the “Five Ms” of terroirs a bit further on. These five elements lay the foundation of a vineyard that inspires the finest qualities of taste and character in wine.
If only humans could be more like grapes you ask?
Their less fortunate brethren spend a shorter existence beneath a layer of sticky peanut butter.
In a mind-boggling twist of the corkscrew, scientific research conducted by French experts, published in the esteemed journal Nature, supported our theory. They discovered that grapes share 25% of their DNA with the species who drink them in one satisfying gulp. It is why two people of similar talent and identities at birth are likely to be worlds apart based on when they grow up, how they spend their youth, or even the places they live during impressionable periods of their lives.
Grapes are like many people we know that come in a variety of sweet and sour flavors and complex textures, and when finished, expect us to pick up the check. For example, some grapes enjoy exciting lives in a treasured Domaine de la Romanee-Conti 2019 bottle in your wine merchant’s special section. Surrounded by 1,204 of their most esteemed cousins, they experience the pinnacle of a grape’s existence.
When their time comes, and it is usually decades after they are ‘born,’ and there is much fanfare beforehand, they are quaffed in one sublime gulp. In contrast, less fortunate brethren spend a shorter existence beneath a layer of sticky peanut butter, not quite reaching the same heights.
The revelation sent waves of excitement down to our very roots. We had stumbled upon a profound connection, a hidden bond that implied we might be onto something big, or at least the chance to sample the goods. As Falstaff said, “A man cannot make him laugh that drinks no wine.” We set out with unnatural enthusiasm to prove if the concept of terroir extended into the human realm. But first we had to discover the history of terroir, a journey that took us into the realm of a great 19th century wine and the way one many changed it for the world.
The Five Ms and Baron Le Roy’s Rules
“I will do this, but a condition is that you all give the example of honesty and discipline.”
At the core of terroir stands the legacy of a remarkable French lawyer and vingeron, Baron Pierre Le Roy Boiseaumarié. His influence on the concept of terroir extends far beyond its initial inception.
1907 the Languedoc region witnessed a momentous protest against deceitful winemakers known as the 1907 Revolt. This uprising united peasant farmers in their battle against government indifference to wine tampering. In a pivotal moment, a courageous young French lawyer, Baron Pierre Le Roy Boiseaumarié, set fire to the doors of the Montpelier Courthouse, where government troops hid, ready to shoot the protesters.
The revolt transformed Baron Le Roy. He became the first localist to value the roots of one’s heritage, and in doing so, he gave the world the concept of terroir.
Realizing that both the name and quality needed to be protected, the farmers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape recognized the temptation for their competitors to elevate an inferior product by sticking on a label of quality. They also understood that consumers were unaware that cheap wines would turn rancid within a week or two — because they were in the habit of drinking right away. Higher-quality wine had the potential for aging and enjoyment, but consumers knew nothing about storage.
It was a hard sell. With this in mind, the farmers sought Baron Le Roy’s help.
He agreed with one inviolate principle, “I will do this, but a condition is that you all give the example of honesty and discipline.” This paved the way for Baron Le Roy to become the future leader of the Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) movement, the foundation of French wine laws and the concept of terroir.
Baron Le Roy cryptically expressed that the mystique of terroir is a relatively simple truth. Terroir wine is different because it embodies the expertise of vignerons and the labor of generations of grape pickers. It was more like great cuisine than a beverage, and they would eventually form a partnership.
In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the winemakers could now grasp the essence of their ancient terroir, cultivated since the Roman Empire. They recognized the need to weave tales of tradition and craftsmanship.
Throughout history, some truly amazing places have helped regular folks become superstars. Some really rancid spots as well — think of North Korean prisoner camps and federal penitentiaries. Definitely not the places to be, but sometimes, where you end up is where you begin to change your path. So, we decided to look at what the people who ended up there did to turn themselves into legends.
We call this “the terroir effect,” the influence of an environment on a person that inspires them to become extraordinary, inspired by a scientific idea called chaos theory. A powerful terroir is not just about regular success; it’s about transforming your life from ordinary to extraordinary.
And we have Baron Pierre Le Roy Boiseaumarié to thank.
Applying Baron Le Roy’s Rules
Before Baron Le Roy, the exquisite world of wine remained a privilege for a few, the result of the labor of many, and shrouded in mystery for most. He changed the zeitgeist by delving into this intriguing chapter of French history, renowned for its endless and impassioned debates, which led him to the “Five Competencies.” They are the logistics side of great terroirs.
Le Roy’s ingenious approach was orchestrated through the harmonious interplay of tradition and innovation. He took small scale farmers and transformed them into an ecosystem of sophisticated vignerons. In meeting the challenges posed by counterfeit wine, he had to develop a plan to educate consumers, refine the customers’ palates, and build in a collaborative approach to making wine, that is, making money, perhaps the hardest change of all.
Now, let’s break down Le Roy’s Rules:
1. Mentors and The Grandeur of Tradition: Imagine wine bottles with the Pope’s keys on them, symbolizing a deep connection to history and timeless principles. It highlights the importance of mentors, those wise folks who teach you the ropes.
2. Mates and The Collaboration of Colleagues: In 1911, Châteauneuf-du-Pape appointed 34 wine growers to protect their wine traditions. They even had three experts who spent four years figuring out what makes their wine unique. These experts are like the best buddies who help you through thick and thin.
3. Mantras and The Wisdom of Rules: Baron Le Roy told the winemakers, “I’ll help, but you’ve got to be honest and disciplined.” These are like the guiding principles, the things that remind you where you come from and what’s important.
4. Methods and The Pragmatism of Best Practices: Le Roy made winemakers carefully plan where they grow grapes and limited them to only thirteen types. They had strict rules about how much wine they could make, how strong it should be, and how to grow grapes. These are like your best ways of doing things, the stuff you figure out through trial and error.
5. Metrics and The Sanctity of Measurements: To keep the quality top-notch, winemakers had to throw away 5% of their grapes every year to make sure there wasn’t too much wine. The wine also had to be at least 12.5% alcohol. There were rules about how much wine you could make and how to grow grapes to keep the quality high. These are like the goals you set to make sure you’re always improving.
These five rules don’t just apply to wine. They can help you achieve greatness in anything you want to do in life. Think of them like your secret recipe for success.
The terroir effect isn’t just about French wine; it’s about living your best life. Just like grapes turn into extraordinary wine through tradition, collaboration, guidelines, best practices, and measurements, you can become extraordinary too. But instead of just teaching you, immerse yourself in a place that helps you become the best version of you. It’s like being in a zone of success, where everyone helps each other shine.
These places aren’t just spots on a map; they’re like magic catalysts, turning regular folks into champions. We call it the “terroir effect” because it’s like a special kind of magic that turns ordinary talents into super abilities. So, if you want to be super successful, remember, it’s not about tennis lessons or drama camps; it’s about finding your own terroir, your secret source of inspiration.
As we explore the fundamental principles of terroir, we find that Baron Le Roy Boiseaumarié’s five essential ‘competencies’ extend far beyond the realm of wine. Le Roy’s Rules hold the key to perpetual excellence in all human endeavor. Terroir, when applied to human experiences, becomes a defining and shaping force for an exceptional life.
Similar to the harmonious resonance of Tibetan chimes, the five competencies must work in perfect synchrony for terroir to manifest. They form the syntax of an exceptional human experience, where subjects align with predicates and verb tenses. Discarding the teachings of mentors leads to delusion, while lacking mentors results in chaos. Mantras without methods lead to slavery, and methods without metrics lead to insanity. Therefore, the five ‘comps’ must harmoniously coexist, adapting to market conditions and changing perspectives as we advance.
The competencies embody both harmony and hierarchy. Any disaster, whether in a vineyard or the broader world, including businesses, politics, and personal relationships, can be attributed to an unresolved argument or the overpowering of one competency over the others. Striking a balance among the competencies is essential for sustained success and prosperity. In the context of human experiences, terroir represents the cultivation of noble character and the development of best habits.
The collective efforts of Baron le Roy led to a paradigm shift within the entire wine culture. It held for the first time that great wine wasn’t to quench thirst but a symbol of rich heritage, careful cultivation, and proper aging. Viticulture was not farming, it was art.
Baron Le Roy understood that a program of education for the consumer that emphasized ancient heritage, showcasing the significance of the villages and families that had labored for generations was required. This was an early experiment in localism, highlighting the impact of what we do with our hands in our nearby fields matters to all.
Embracing a disciplined approach to winemaking, consumers would be willing to pay for the cultivation of exceptional wine, and by understanding that such wines could vary day to day and year to year, they became seen as living entities constantly evolving. This allowed for experimentation and a virtuous circle of testing and improvement, resulting in the tradition of Grand Crus, which enriched the inheritance of all French wines and all wines around the world.
The ‘terroir effect’ not only embraced Frenchness but also solidified the concept of artfully imagined, wisely cultivated, and pricelessly aged wine. In this way it could be said that just as the French taught us how to drink something extraordinary wine, in fact, they also taught us how to live extraordinarily.
And so, as a mystical alchemy of heritage and novelty transformed grape ordinaire into astonishing Grand Crus, we stumbled upon a little known coincidence. What the creators of terroir did for great wine, the setting of rules, demanding discipline, and inspiring vision, can have a similar effect on the human experience.
In the realm of human experiences, such places also catalyze the fusion of potential and ambition, transforming ordinary talents into extraordinary abilities. We termed this phenomenon the “terroir effect,” a term borrowed from Ed Lorenz’s chaos theory. It refers to the profound impact of specific environments on individual success.
To cultivate such unwavering determination, one requires the bedrock of a terroir that constantly inspires us to strive ahead. If you aspire to succeed or wish the same for your children in their chosen paths, it’s not the tennis lessons or summer drama camps that matter.
Mentors are First Thinkers: founders, builders, storytellers, teachers, coaches and parents.
2. In 1911, the town appointed 34 wine growers to adhere to the sacred traditions of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines. The court appointed three experts who dedicated four years to establish the conditions of territorial origin and local practices.
Mates are the Steadfast Allies through trials, detours, and triumphs. .
3. Baron Le Roy gave the winemakers their guiding principle when he told them, “I will do this, but a condition is that you all give the example of honesty and discipline.”
Mantras are the Guiding Principles, our institutional memory that safeguards our heritage and history.
4. Le Roy’s meticulous work required winemakers to define the appellation’s boundaries and limit the harvest to only thirteen carefully chosen grape varieties, subject to strict regulations governing harvest yield, alcohol content, output, cutting, and plantation, ensuring the quality and craftsmanship.
Methods are Best Practices of diligent trial and error.
5. To maintain standards, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape winemakers had to make the difficult decision to destroy 5% of the yield every year to maintain scarcity. The wine’s alcohol content had to meet a minimum of 12.5%. Additionally, regulations regarding maximum output and guidelines for cutting and plantation were implemented to maintain quality standards.
Metrics are the milestones of progress, the KPIs of terroirship.
As we explore the fundamental principles of terroir, we find that Baron Le Roy Boiseaumarié’s five essential ‘competencies’ extend far beyond the realm of wine. Le Roy’s Rules hold the key to perpetual excellence in all human endeavor. Terroir, when applied to human experiences, becomes a defining and shaping force for an exceptional life.
Similar to the harmonious resonance of Tibetan chimes, the five competencies must work in perfect synchrony for terroir to manifest. They form the syntax of an exceptional human experience, where subjects align with predicates and verb tenses. Discarding the teachings of mentors leads to delusion, while lacking mentors results in chaos. Mantras without methods lead to slavery, and methods without metrics lead to insanity. Therefore, the five ‘comps’ must harmoniously coexist, adapting to market conditions and changing perspectives as we advance.
The competencies embody both harmony and hierarchy. Any disaster, whether in a vineyard or the broader world, including businesses, politics, and personal relationships, can be attributed to an unresolved argument or the overpowering of one competency over the others. Striking a balance among the competencies is essential for sustained success and prosperity. In the context of human experiences, terroir represents the cultivation of noble character and the development of best habits.
The collective efforts of Messieurs Pasteur, Planchon, and Le Roy led to a paradigm shift within the entire wine culture. It held for the first time that great wine wasn’t to quench thirst but a symbol of rich heritage, careful cultivation, and proper aging. Viticulture was not farming, it was art.
Baron Le Roy understood that a program of education for the consumer that emphasized ancient heritage, showcasing the significance of the villages and families that had labored for generations was required. This was an early experiment in localism, highlighting the impact of what we do with our hands in our nearby fields matters to all.
Embracing a disciplined approach to winemaking, consumers would be willing to pay for the cultivation of exceptional wine, and by understanding that such wines could vary day to day and year to year, they became seen as living entities constantly evolving. This allowed for experimentation and a virtuous circle of testing and improvement, resulting in the tradition of Grand Crus, which enriched the inheritance of all French wines and all wines around the world.
The ‘terroir effect’ not only embraced Frenchness but also solidified the concept of artfully imagined, wisely cultivated, and pricelessly aged wine. In this way it could be said that just as the French taught us how to drink something extraordinary wine, in fact, they also taught us how to live extraordinarily.
And so, as a mystical alchemy of heritage and novelty transformed grape ordinaire into astonishing Grand Crus, we stumbled upon a little known coincidence. What the creators of terroir did for great wine, the setting of rules, demanding discipline, and inspiring vision, can have a similar effect on the human experience.
Instead, immerse them in an environment where they can flourish within a “success moat,” as Buffett calls it, that embraces their uniqueness and fosters a culture where everyone strives to operate at the highest possible level. If that sounds like the a Renaissance play, you’re closer than you might believe.
Consider the case of a magnificent diva operatic voice before the 1600s. Her odds of recognition were slim, given that the first opera wasn’t composed until later in Florence, where a collective of artists, politicians, writers, and musicians known as the Florentine Camerata endeavored to resurrect Greek drama through music. Before her time, there was no ‘diva terroir.’
During the late 1500s, Jacopo Peri wrote “Dafne” (1597), often hailed as the first opera. Yet, the Baroque era would take another century to unfurl its spectacle, characterized by elaborate arias and extravagant stage design. This era also saw the rise of the castrati, male singers who underwent childhood castration to preserve their soprano range. It created a ‘no diva’ need apply employment policy.
Then, like the unfurling of a butterfly’s wings, Anna Renzi, a prodigious soprano, debuted in 1640 at the esteemed Palazzo Pallavicini-Rospigliosi. She was cast as Lucinda in Il favorito del Principe, a composition by Ottaviano Castelli and the burgeoning composer Filiberto Laurenzi. The event was graced by Cardinal Richelieu and the French ambassador.
With nature and nurture lingering in the waiting room, a minor ripple created a substantial wave. Florence of the 1700s was the perfect convergence of the right place that embraced Anna Renzi’s talents — it was an operatic terroir — it is why Renzi is considered the first opera diva in history. We add with a degree of confidence that the butterfly effect was also eagerly awaited by 12-year-old boys with high pitched voices.
Our exploration into the lives of exceptional individuals yielded a comparable discovery. It turned out that a sudden shift inspired outcomes that turned ordinary people seemingly overnight into geniuses. Only when we looked back and performed a diagram of the timeline did it become clear that the butterfly effect was at work once again.
What we found when we examined remarkable lives up close is that butterflies generally land in a terroir.
We encountered moments of intrigue, such as our rendezvous with Putin’s rival in a covert brick walled hideaway accessible solely through a concealed back elevator.
Our exploration began appropriately enough in Omaha. It extended as far as Malta and South Africa, encompassing conversations from Davos to Harvard Business School, the Sun Valley media event, Trump Tower’s golden escalators, the tranquil greens of Augusta National (albeit impossible to access), elegant Governor’s mansions, news anchors’ Emmy-adorned offices, and the modest environs of Berkshire Hathaway headquarters. We even captured the prominent financier at Michael Milken’s Santa Monica abode, where philanthropy sets sail on a venture capital fleet.
We encountered moments of intrigue, such as our rendezvous with Putin’s rival, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, in a covert brick walled hideaway accessible solely through a concealed back elevator — a successful evasion of potential Russian threats.
The co-authors, with dual backgrounds as publisher of Forbes Magazine, venture capital investor running Elon Musk’s first company, and executive leadership at companies such as Ritz Carlton and Disney, embarked on a five-year exploration to delve into the lives of over fifty exceptional individuals.
We found the secret sauce. They are anchored by five pillars: mentors lay down guideposts, mates perpetuate the endeavor, mantras illuminate the founding principles, methods establish optimal approaches and metrics monitor advancement. You’ll hear more about the “Five Ms” of terroirs a bit further on. These five elements lay the foundation of a vineyard that inspires the finest qualities of taste and character in wine.
If only humans could be more like grapes you ask?
Their less fortunate brethren spend a shorter existence beneath a layer of sticky peanut butter.
In a mind-boggling twist of the corkscrew, scientific research conducted by French experts, published in the esteemed journal Nature, supported our theory. They discovered that grapes share 25% of their DNA with the species who drink them in one satisfying gulp. It is why two people of similar talent and identities at birth are likely to be worlds apart based on when they grow up, how they spend their youth, or even the places they live during impressionable periods of their lives.
Grapes are like many people we know that come in a variety of sweet and sour flavors and complex textures, and when finished, expect us to pick up the check. For example, some grapes enjoy exciting lives in a treasured Domaine de la Romanee-Conti 2019 bottle in your wine merchant's special section. Surrounded by 1,204 of their most esteemed cousins, they experience the pinnacle of a grape's existence.
When their time comes, and it is usually decades after they are 'born,' and there is much fanfare beforehand, they are quaffed in one sublime gulp. In contrast, less fortunate brethren spend a shorter existence beneath a layer of sticky peanut butter, not quite reaching the same heights.
The revelation sent waves of excitement down to our very roots. We had stumbled upon a profound connection, a hidden bond that implied we might be onto something big, or at least the chance to sample the goods. As Falstaff said, "A man cannot make him laugh that drinks no wine." We set out with unnatural enthusiasm to prove if the concept of terroir extended into the human realm.
In the realm of human experiences, such places also catalyze the fusion of potential and ambition, transforming ordinary talents into extraordinary abilities. We termed this phenomenon the "terroir effect," a term borrowed from Ed Lorenz's chaos theory. It refers to the profound impact of specific environments on individual success.
To cultivate such unwavering determination, one requires the bedrock of a terroir that constantly inspires us to strive ahead. If you aspire to succeed or wish the same for your children in their chosen paths, it's not the tennis lessons or summer drama camps that matter.
Instead, immerse them in an environment where they can flourish within a "success moat," as Buffett calls it, that embraces their uniqueness and fosters a culture where everyone strives to operate at the highest possible level. If that sounds like the a Renaissance play, you’re closer than you might believe.
Just as terroir shapes the characteristics of grapes and, consequently, the quality and flavor of wines, it also shapes individuals. We delve into the lives of an artist, Grandma Moses, and a famous billionaire investor, Warren Buffett to show how their ‘birth’ terroirs had a profound impact on their character and potential.
We encountered moments of intrigue, such as our rendezvous with Putin’s rival in a covert brick walled hideaway accessible solely through a concealed back elevator.
Our exploration began appropriately enough in Omaha. It extended as far as Malta and South Africa, encompassing conversations from Davos to Harvard Business School, the Sun Valley media event, Trump Tower's golden escalators, the tranquil greens of Augusta National (albeit impossible to access), elegant Governor's mansions, news anchors' Emmy-adorned offices, and the modest environs of Berkshire Hathaway headquarters. We even captured the prominent financier at Michael Milken's Santa Monica abode, where philanthropy sets sail on a venture capital fleet.
We encountered moments of intrigue, such as our rendezvous with Putin's rival, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, in a covert brick walled hideaway accessible solely through a concealed back elevator — a successful evasion of potential Russian threats.
The co-authors, with dual backgrounds as publisher of Forbes Magazine, venture capital investor running Elon Musk's first company, and executive leadership at companies such as Ritz Carlton and Disney, embarked on a five-year exploration to delve into the lives of over fifty exceptional individuals.
