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- Jeff Bezos embraced one of Warren Buffett’s signature phrases in his letter to employees.
- “I still tap dance into the office,” said the Amazon CEO, who plans to transition to executive chairman.
- Bezos has called Buffett one of his heroes, and says he’s read all of the investor’s books.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Jeff Bezos announced his plans to step down as Amazon’s CEO and become its executive chairman in a letter to employees on Tuesday. He gave a nod to Warren Buffett while emphasizing how much he loves his current job.
“As much as I still tap dance into the office, I’m excited about this transition,” Bezos said.
Buffett coined that phrase more than 20 years ago and has used it repeatedly, spurring Fortune writer Carol Loomis to title her book about him: “Tap Dancing to Work: Warren Buffett on Practically Everything.”
“No CEO has it better; I truly do feel like tap dancing to work every day,” Buffett wrote in his 2012 letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders.
It's no surprise that Bezos borrowed the description, as he's looked up to the Berkshire CEO and chairman for years. In 2017, after learning that Buffett had praised him as "the most remarkable business person of our age," Bezos underscored his admiration for the investor.
"Warren's remarks are very meaningful to me, because he's a hero to me," he said. "I read all his books."
Bezos has also quoted the Berkshire boss in the past.
"Warren Buffett says you get the investors you deserve," he told CNBC in 2005. He was defending Amazon's long-term investments in free shipping and lower prices at the time.