Meeting Warren Buffett: How It Inspired the Birth of Musaffa

Written by Dilshod Jumaniyazov, CFA
Co-Founder & CEO at Musaffa.

A Lifelong Passion for Finance

Finance has been my passion for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I deeply admired Warren Buffett for his disciplined approach to investing and his long-term mindset, which I viewed as the gold standard for success in the financial world. In my late teens, I would stay up late reading books about Buffett’s investing philosophy, soaking in his timeless wisdom. I even went so far as to burn some of those books into CDs so I could listen to them during the day. Whether reading at night or listening on the go, I was constantly absorbing Buffett’s insights, dreaming that one day I might follow in the footsteps of the “Oracle of Omaha.” Little did I know just how pivotal his influence would become in my own life journey.

From Pizza Delivery to Top Finance Student

One evening, as I was listening to those Buffett recordings, I learned that he occasionally invited outstanding college students to meet him at his office in Omaha. In fact, a group of top finance students from the University of Tennessee had once received that opportunity. In that moment, a spark was lit inside me – I made it my mission to become one of those lucky students.

Determined to turn that dream into reality, I applied and was accepted to the University of Tennessee on a scholarship. I threw myself into my studies and quickly rose to become the top finance student in my class.

But learning didn’t stop when classes ended. Even though my tuition was covered, I still needed to pay for rent and daily expenses, so I took a job delivering pizzas at night. Yet even those hours became part of my education. Before every shift, I’d slip a Buffett CD into my car stereo—recordings I had burned from his books and audiobooks. With each delivery, I wasn’t just navigating streets—I was absorbing timeless lessons on value, patience, and long-term thinking. Buffett’s voice became my nightly companion, and I was determined not to waste a single moment.

Still, academics and audio lessons weren’t enough. I noticed the university didn’t have an investment club, so I took the initiative to start one. In the fall of 2010, I co-founded the University of Tennessee Investment Group (UTIG).

UTIG, which began as a small circle of enthusiastic students, has now grown into a thriving organization of over 300 members and is officially registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to further its educational mission. That’s a legacy I am very proud of.

My college years were packed with learning and leadership, all fueled by the goal I never lost sight of: meeting Warren Buffett.

By my senior year, I was president of UTIG – and that leadership role put me first in line when the opportunity arose for a student to meet Buffett in Omaha. In 2011, I finally got the news I had been working toward: I was selected to join a small group of students traveling to meet Warren Buffett. I felt on top of the world; years of hard work were about to pay off in the most surreal way possible.

Walking into Buffett’s office in Omaha was like stepping into a dream. I was about to come face-to-face with my hero, the man whose voice had kept me company on all those pizza delivery nights. Buffett greeted our group of students with a warm smile and a down-to-earth demeanor that instantly put us at ease. Despite his status as one of the world’s richest individuals, he was humble, jovial, and intensely curious about us.

We spent three incredible hours discussing everything from investment strategy to life philosophy. Buffett answered our questions with patience and humor, peppering his advice with folksy wisdom and personal anecdotes. At one point, he shared a bit of unexpected life advice – “The most important decision in your life is to choose the right spouse,” he noted with a grin, illustrating that success isn’t just about money or career, but also personal relationships. That remark earned some laughter, but it truly stuck with me as a reminder to value what really matters in life beyond the balance sheet.

Amid the banter and business talk, I was struck by Buffett’s genuine kindness and generosity. Here was a man at the pinnacle of success, yet he was more interested in inspiring us – the next generation – than talking about himself. I hung onto his every word, absorbing lessons not just about investing, but about life, integrity, and purpose.

Wealth, Society, and a New Perspective

The most profound moment during that meeting came when Warren Buffett discussed what he planned to do with his fortune. He candidly shared with us that he intended to give virtually all of his money to charity – more than 99% of his wealth – rather than keep it for himself or his family. He had no interest in using his billions to erect monuments to his own name or to build pyramids in his honor. In fact, he was adamant about not funding any self-glorifying monuments or vanity projects. Society, he stressed, should benefit from his wealth, not any monument or memorial to him. “Society has a use for my money; I don’t,” Buffett told us plainly, driving home the point that excess wealth finds its highest purpose in helping others.

I was astonished. Hearing the world’s most famous investor declare that the true value of wealth is in giving back to society completely reframed my view of success. Buffett went on to explain that all of his Berkshire Hathaway stock – essentially his entire stake in the company – was being left untouched and set aside for the public good, earmarked for philanthropic causes after his death. In other words, every Berkshire share he owned would eventually be turned into hospitals, schools, charitable foundations, and opportunities for people in need, rather than into personal luxuries.

Sitting there in Buffett’s office, I felt a wave of inspiration and humility wash over me. I realized that afternoon that success isn’t defined by how much wealth you accumulate for yourself, but by what you do with that wealth to improve the world. Buffett’s words gave me an epiphany: finance is not just a vehicle for personal gain; it can be a powerful tool for good. I remember thinking about my own goals in a new light. Up to that point, I was focused on building a stellar career in finance – but now I felt a deeper calling to ensure that my work benefits others, not just me. If Warren Buffett, with all his fame and fortune, was dedicating his wealth to society, then I, too, could find a meaningful way to give back with whatever success I achieve.

After the meeting, he invited us to have lunch at a local restaurant in Omaha. The most humbling part? He drove himself there—in his used car—with no driver, no entourage. Here was one of the richest people in the world, worth $50 billion at the time, and yet so profoundly humble.

That realization didn’t just shift my mindset—it reshaped my entire path forward.

The Birth of Musaffa – Investing with Purpose

On the flight back from Omaha, my mind was racing with ideas and a renewed sense of purpose. I kept replaying Buffett’s message about giving back in my head. Even if a person becomes incredibly wealthy, they won’t find true satisfaction unless they use that wealth to benefit others. That, I realized, is where real fulfillment lies. It was a revelation that truly hit me. It became clear to me that I needed to align my career with my values and find a way to contribute to my community.

That’s when the idea of Musaffa truly began to take shape. I had long dreamed of building a platform to help people invest in a way that aligned with their values—especially for those, like me, who wanted to grow their wealth without compromising their faith. I envisioned a place where ethical, Shariah-compliant investing would be accessible, transparent, and empowering. After meeting Buffett, that dream became a mission. I was no longer just thinking about a product—I was committed to building something that could uplift others and give back to society, just as Buffett had inspired me to do.

A few years later, I said Bismillah and launched Musaffa—a financial technology company focused on halal and ethical investing. Musaffa was born out of the desire to help others invest without compromising their values – an effort to give back to my community through finance. My vision was to build an all-in-one investment platform where Muslims (and anyone interested in ethical investing) could learn about Islamic finance, easily find halal investment opportunities, and grow their wealth in a Shariah-compliant way. In essence, I wanted to make it simple for people to invest in line with their ethics and beliefs, while still achieving their financial goals.

Buffett’s influence was a driving force in this venture. That influence didn’t end with inspiration—it shaped the very DNA of what came next. In fact, I often recount to my team and investors how Buffett’s insights in that Omaha meeting spurred me to pursue this vision of a global halal investment platform. Musaffa’s mission is deeply intertwined with the lesson I learned from him: that wealth has a higher purpose.

We’ve made sure from day one that Musaffa isn’t just about profits—it’s about purpose. For example, we provide extensive educational resources on halal investing, because we believe knowledge is a gift that keeps on giving.

We built stock screening tools that filter out unethical investments so that people can invest in companies that make a positive impact. Every feature of the platform is designed with the community’s values in mind.

In this way, Musaffa enables investors to grow their wealth while also staying true to principles of fairness, social responsibility, and faith. It’s our way of helping others invest cleanly and conscientiously, so that wealth can benefit society at large.

When I see Musaffa’s users learning about halal investing, or when I hear stories of someone funding their child’s education or a new business venture through halal investments, I feel a sense of fulfillment that no personal paycheck could ever match. Musaffa was created to give back to the community, and each success story is, to me, a small contribution toward the greater good that Buffett talked about. In a way, I consider Musaffa part of the legacy of that afternoon I spent with Warren Buffett – a legacy of using financial knowledge to uplift others.

Purpose, Values, and Making a Difference

Looking back on my journey—from listening to Buffett’s philosophies in my car while delivering pizzas, to shaking his hand in Omaha, to eventually founding Musaffa—I am filled with gratitude and hope. Warren Buffett taught me many things about investing and life, but the lesson that echoes loudest is this: success means nothing if you can’t give back. He showed me that no amount of money is more valuable than living by your principles and improving the lives of those around you.

That meeting with Buffett became a turning point in my life. It reminded me that finance is not just about spreadsheets and stock portfolios; it’s about people and what we choose to do for each other. I carry that realization with me every day as I lead Musaffa. Our company’s name, our mission, and our actions are guided by the idea that wealth should serve a purpose beyond oneself. We strive to uphold values of ethical behavior, education, and community-building in everything we do. In short, we aim to make a difference through finance, proving that investing can be not only profitable but also socially responsible and compassionate.

I share my story in hopes of inspiring others to pursue their dreams and remain true to their values along the way. If a young student who once juggled college and a pizza delivery job can go on to meet his hero and found a company to serve his community, then anything is truly possible. Each of us has the capacity to seek out purpose in our careers and lives. We can all find ways to ensure that our success, however big or small, creates a ripple effect of positivity.

I often think of Buffett’s refrain that wealth should benefit society, not sit idle or shine as a vanity project. In the end, the greatest monuments we can build are not skyscrapers or statues, but the positive impacts we leave on people’s lives. My journey with Musaffa is just beginning, but every step of it is fueled by the inspiration I felt in that meeting with Warren Buffett. I am committed to paying forward the wisdom and kindness he showed us.

From Inspiration to Conviction

That meeting didn’t just inspire me — it altered the trajectory of my life.

I walked out of Warren Buffett’s office not just with a photo or a story to tell — I walked out with a sense of clarity and purpose I had never felt before. I had seen, up close, what it looked like to live a life guided not just by profit, but by principle. And I knew, deep down, that I wanted to dedicate my life to building something that could carry forward that same spirit of value, integrity, and impact.

But inspiration alone doesn’t build anything.

It takes knowledge — the kind that comes from relentless study and hard-earned understanding.

It takes experience — the kind you gain by doing the work, solving real problems, and learning from failure.

And it takes sacrifice — the kind that tests how deeply you believe in your mission when comfort and certainty are gone.

So I got to work.

I pursued an MBA at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign — a globally recognized leader in both business and technology education — where I specialized in finance and data science to develop a rigorous, interdisciplinary understanding of global markets and the transformative power of technology in ethical investing.

I earned my Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation — one of the most respected credentials in the investment profession — to deepen my expertise in portfolio management, financial analysis, and ethical decision-making. It was a demanding journey that reinforced my belief that true financial leadership requires both technical mastery and moral clarity.

I joined Wells Fargo Securities, one of the largest investment banks in the U.S., where I spent over seven years helping build institutional trading systems. It was there that I learned how the world of finance truly operates — and just as importantly, where it falls short. I saw firsthand how the tools meant to grow wealth were often overly complex, ethically compromising, or simply out of reach for everyday people — especially those seeking halal and values-based investing. That realization stayed with me and eventually helped shape the foundation of Musaffa.

Eventually, I reached a point where I could no longer just build for others. It was time to build what I had long envisioned — a platform rooted in service, driven by faith, and guided by the values I’d carried with me since that meeting in Omaha.

There were no venture capitalists waiting in the wings.
No team of early angel investors ready to back the dream.
All I had was a vision — and my own willingness to bet everything on it.

I invested $250,000 of my personal savings — every last dollar I had. I cashed out my 401(k), sold my apartment, and let go of my second car. Not out of desperation — but out of deep, unwavering belief. I wanted to prove — first to myself, then to the world — that this mission was worth sacrificing for.

Musaffa wasn’t born from comfort.
It was born from conviction.

Conviction that the Ummah deserves access to world-class financial tools without compromising their values.
Conviction that halal investing should be clear, empowering, and truly ethical.
Conviction that faith and finance can co-exist — and when they do, they can create a more just and dignified financial future for millions.

That’s what I set out to build.
And that’s what continues to drive me — and the entire team at Musaffa — every single day.

My hope is that Musaffa’s story – my story – encourages you to measure success not just by the numbers in your bank account, but by the lives you touch and the good you do. Find your purpose, hold onto your principles, and use your success to uplift others. That is the path of true wealth that I learned from Warren Buffett, and it’s a journey I’m grateful to walk every day.