Buffett’s hustle game was strong as a youth. While he was a high-school student he and a friend operated a lucrative pinball business. He also took on odd jobs like delivering newspapers and washing cars.
When Buffett was in high school he pitched the following business scheme to his friend Don Danley after he purchased a $25 used pinball machine:
“I bought this old pinball machine for 25 bucks, and we can have a partnership. Your part of the deal is to fix it up. And lookit, we’ll tell Frank Erico, the barber, ‘We represent Wilson’s Coin-Operated Machine Company, and we have a proposition from Mr. Wilson. It’s at no risk to you. Let’s put this nickel machine in the back, Mr. Erico, and your customers can play while they wait. And we’ll split the money.”
The duo struck a deal with Erico and the machine was an immediate hit, raking in $4 bucks on the first night.
Rather than spending their earnings, the young partners reinvested it in more machines.
In a couple of months, Buffett was a pinball kingpin with several machines operating at barbershops across his town. Buffett sold the business for over $1,000 after a year.
In addition to the pinball business, Buffett undertook a number of odd business ventures during his childhood such as delivering newspapers, selling gum and soda, and washing cars.
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