"Intensity is the price of excellence." — Warren Buffet
Quote
This quote is from the book Snowball, where Warren Buffett explains his reasons for acquiring Ben Rosner's company.
During a luxury dinner party, Rosner's business rival mentioned the costs associated with his toilet paper. Although Rosner had purchased his toilet paper inventory at a much lower price, the price gap raised his suspicions.
Instead of enjoying the festivities, Rosner excused himself, drove to his warehouse, and started counting toilet paper sheets. His instincts were correct: vendors had claimed there were 500 sheets per roll, but they were shortchanging him.
Warren Buffett found this story fascinating. Why would anyone abandon a ballroom to count toilet paper?
Buffett bought Rosner's business for $6 million, believing that such intensity was non-negotiable for excellence. As he put it: "Intensity is the price of excellence."