Henry Kravis says Disney meeting taught him the value of preparation
KKR cofounder Henry Kravis told Columbia students that preparation turned an early meeting with Roy O. Disney into a lasting career lesson.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
3 min read
Henry Kravis told Columbia Business School students that a summer trainee assignment in the 1960s helped shape his approach to business: arrive prepared, ask better questions and keep learning. The KKR cofounder said the lesson came from an early meeting with Roy O. Disney, then chief executive of Walt Disney Co. and the brother of Walt Disney.
Kravis, now 82, described the episode during an appearance at Columbia Business School earlier this month, according to Fortune. Long before he helped build KKR, Kravis was working at the Madison Fund when his boss sent him to meet Disney on his own.
Kravis said he felt intimidated by the assignment and responded by studying as much as he could about the company. He told the students he read annual reports, analyst research, filings and footnotes before the meeting.
The appointment began at 9 a.m., Kravis said. He expected a short encounter, while Disney had set aside an hour. Instead, Kravis said, Disney extended the meeting into a full day that included other meetings and a tour of the studio.
Kravis said Disney did not focus on his title, age or lack of seniority. According to Kravis, Disney cared that he had learned about the company and came ready to ask informed questions.
A lesson aimed at younger workers
Kravis told the Columbia audience that Disney said many visiting analysts had not read the company’s annual report and expected him to provide answers for them, according to Fortune. Kravis said his preparation set a different tone and gave him access he had not expected.
He framed the experience as advice for younger workers, including Gen Z employees starting their careers. Kravis urged students to contact older professionals, ask questions and treat curiosity as a way to learn.
Kravis later cofounded KKR, which Fortune described as one of the world’s largest private equity firms. Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index listed his net worth at $16.5 billion, while Fortune reported that KKR has more than $750 billion in assets under management.
Kravis also told the Columbia audience that arrogance can damage investors and leaders. He said a sign behind his desk at KKR reads, “Arrogance Kills,” and argued that people fail when they decide they already have all the answers.
He said entrepreneurs need to accept risk and the possibility of failure, according to Fortune. Kravis told the students that people who fear mistakes are unlikely to become entrepreneurs, and that failure has to be followed by another attempt.
Other executives have made similar points
Fortune noted that other business leaders have also promoted a learning mindset. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff told LinkedIn in 2020 that leaders should maintain what he called a “beginner’s mind,” a phrase he contrasted with an expert mindset that can limit possibilities.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos made a related point in a 2016 Fortune interview, saying Amazon’s culture depends on employees being willing to learn new skills while keeping a beginner’s mindset. AMD CEO Lisa Su told Stanford Graduate School of Business students last year that curiosity about solving problems is essential, according to Fortune.
Kravis’s message to students centered on a basic habit from the start of his Wall Street career. He said preparation helped him get more from a meeting than his job title alone would have earned.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.