Values are too often words on a page. To truly embody a set of values requires consistency with who you are – they must not fight your basic psychology.

We view matters concerning integrity, kindness, and a pursuit of excellence as non-negotiables. We agree with Buffett’s mantra: “Never do anything in life if you would be ashamed of seeing it printed on the front page of your hometown newspaper for your friends and family to see.”

Our three core guiding values are rooted in generational teachings. They are our simple, basic ideas, taken very seriously. That they happen to meld well with the timeless investment principles of the worlds greatest investors is both fortuitous and an opportunity not to be ignored. They form the bedrock for how we think and operate.

A comprehensive list of our guiding values can be found here.

Long Term Orientation

Time is our most valuable asset. We are wired to think with a long term perspective. As business owners, we eschew short term gains in favour of the sustainable compounding of capital – and goodwill – over time.

Alignment of Interests

We believe business owners and managers should ‘eat their own cooking’. Aligning economic interests is critical to achieving organisational goals. We endorse Charlie Munger’s view: “show me the incentive and I’ll show you the outcome.”

Frugality

We are stewards of company capital. A frugal investor is a good investor – thoughtful in decision-making, always considering long-term value creation. Frugality should not be mistaken for miserliness; it is, instead, thoughtful capital allocation and targeted spending designed to maximise impact.