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# Lessons from Henry Kravitz from KKR
- URL: https://www.antoinebuteau.com/lessons-from-henry-kravitz-from-kkr/
- Published: 2025-08-24T12:40:09.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-18T22:21:29.000Z
- Description: Henry Kravis, co-founder of KKR & Co., is a defining private equity figure whose career spans investment strategy, leadership, and philanthropy. His emphasis on integrity and character frames finance as a test of conduct as well as judgment.
- Author: Antoine Buteau
- Tags: Profile, Investing, Venture Capital Profiles

Henry Kravis, a towering figure in the world of finance and co-founder of the global investment firm KKR & Co. Inc., has left an indelible mark on the landscape of private equity. His career, spanning over five decades, is a masterclass in investment strategy, corporate leadership, and philanthropic endeavor. Through his numerous interviews, speeches, and public appearances, Kravis has shared a wealth of knowledge that offers valuable lessons for investors, entrepreneurs, and leaders alike.

![Infographic for "Lessons from Henry Kravitz from KKR".](https://www.antoinebuteau.com/content/images/2026/07/lessons-from-henry-kravitz-from-kkr-optimized.webp)

### On Integrity and Character

1. **"If you don't have integrity, you have nothing. You can't buy it. You can have all the money in the world, but if you are not a moral and ethical person, you really have nothing."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[2\]](https://analyzingalpha.com/henry-kravis?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **"You only have one thing to sell in life, and that's yourself."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[2\]](https://analyzingalpha.com/henry-kravis?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **"If you build that foundation, both the moral and the ethical foundation, as well as the business foundation, and the experience foundation, then the building won't crumble."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[3\]](https://voicesofoklahoma.com/interviews/kravis-henry-r/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **"Your word is your bond. If you say something, to someone you're speaking on behalf of KKR, whether you've been here 6 weeks or you've been here 30 years. It's your obligation to stand behind what you say."** [\[4\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axuqumu54Dg&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. **"I'm looking for people that are bright, have the highest ethical standards, will not compromise one iota for that."** [\[5\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8xJQoJhvmE&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD&ref=antoinebuteau.com)

### On Investment Philosophy and Strategy

1. **"Don't congratulate us when we buy a company. Congratulate us when we sell it and when we've done something with it and created real value."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[3\]](https://voicesofoklahoma.com/interviews/kravis-henry-r/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **"Any fool can overpay and buy a company, as long as money will last to buy it."** [\[5\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8xJQoJhvmE&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD&ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[6\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtKizreanP0&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **"If you have something at risk, you think differently."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[3\]](https://voicesofoklahoma.com/interviews/kravis-henry-r/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **"Our job really begins the day we buy the company, and we start working with the management, we start working about where this company is headed."** [\[5\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8xJQoJhvmE&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD&ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[7\]](https://achievement.org/achiever/henry-r-kravis/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. **"We thrive at KKR on uncertainty. We like the time when markets are out of kilter."** [\[8\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZM7xU76cYM&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
6. **"I always like to refer to many managers in corporate America as the renters of the corporate assets, not the owners."** [\[5\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8xJQoJhvmE&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
7. **"To make an LBO work you can't have a trace of sentimentality. You have to be able to slash and burn."** [\[6\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtKizreanP0&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
8. **"We're always trying new things and that is really important. Our scientific approach to investing is throw enough stuff up, something will stick."** [\[9\]](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ieykz98oFgs?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
9. **"Kravis' success can be attributed to his unique investment strategies, which involve buying undervalued companies, improving their operations, and selling them at a profit."** [\[2\]](https://analyzingalpha.com/henry-kravis?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
10. **"The trouble, in my opinion, with corporate America today, is that everything is thought of in quarters."** [\[10\]](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xfbyE3pcKS0?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
11. **"Going public is not a business plan."** [\[3\]](https://voicesofoklahoma.com/interviews/kravis-henry-r/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
12. **"It's one of the most important things at the end of the day, being able to say no to an investment."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[3\]](https://voicesofoklahoma.com/interviews/kravis-henry-r/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
13. **"We can invest anywhere in the capital structure, whether it be through the debt stack from bank loans all the way through special situations."** [\[11\]](https://www.moonfare.com/blog/henry-kravis-kkr-profile?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
14. **"When those managing the capital have their own money on the line, investors win."** [\[12\]](https://www.tiktok.com/@lpshares/video/7531053463619390775?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
15. **"You buy a company the same way you buy stocks, if you don't like it you just sell it."** [\[5\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8xJQoJhvmE&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD&ref=antoinebuteau.com)

### On Leadership and Building a Business

1. **"I want people who will stand up to me. People who are not afraid to say exactly what's on their minds, even though that's probably not what I want to hear. That's what I want."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[10\]](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xfbyE3pcKS0?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **"A real entrepreneur is somebody who has no safety net underneath them."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[2\]](https://analyzingalpha.com/henry-kravis?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **"When you're an entrepreneur you have to decide you're going to either get through the wall, or over the wall, but there'll always be a wall there, and you've got to be prepared to accept rejection."** [\[3\]](https://voicesofoklahoma.com/interviews/kravis-henry-r/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **"Culture is the most important thing in any organization."** [\[13\]](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9HFBMgQjBM&pp=ygUHI2Fra3Jhbg%3D%3D&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. **"We wanted a culture where everybody participated in everything you did...we'll get much more out of everybody."** [\[8\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZM7xU76cYM&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
6. **"You rarely hear anybody at KKR use the words 'me' or 'I'. Nobody is raising their hands to say, 'That is my idea. That is my deal.' It is a team effort."** [\[11\]](https://www.moonfare.com/blog/henry-kravis-kkr-profile?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
7. **"If you don't worry about who gets credit for something, it's amazing what you can accomplish."** [\[13\]](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9HFBMgQjBM&pp=ygUHI2Fra3Jhbg%3D%3D&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
8. **"Arrogance Kills."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com) (A frame with these words sits on his desk)
9. **"People do business with people they like and trust."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
10. **"We pay everyone off the balance sheet. You're not paid in your silo, you're paid off the balance sheet."** [\[9\]](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ieykz98oFgs?ref=antoinebuteau.com)

### On Learning and Curiosity

1. **"No one in my mind can be a great investor unless you're curious, and that means thinking about how to connect the dots."** [\[14\]](https://www.goldmansachs.com/pdfs/insights/podcasts/episodes/kkr-henry-kravis-on-private-equity-culture-and-global-markets-f/transcript.pdf?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **"Without curiosity, 'you're basically doing something that's already been done by someone else'."** [\[11\]](https://www.moonfare.com/blog/henry-kravis-kkr-profile?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[14\]](https://www.goldmansachs.com/pdfs/insights/podcasts/episodes/kkr-henry-kravis-on-private-equity-culture-and-global-markets-f/transcript.pdf?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **"If there's anything that I want to know more about, I have the opportunity. It's right in our portfolio. I can spend time at the factory or with the management and learn as much as I want. You can't get bored doing that."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[6\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtKizreanP0&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **"Continuous learning is key. He advises young professionals to stay curious and adapt to changing circumstances."** [\[5\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8xJQoJhvmE&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. **"I've been in a hurry all my life. I've been in a hurry to succeed, and in a hurry to prove myself."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[10\]](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xfbyE3pcKS0?ref=antoinebuteau.com)

### On Failure and Resilience

1. **"As I said there is nothing wrong with failing. Pick yourself up and try it again."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[2\]](https://analyzingalpha.com/henry-kravis?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **"You never are going to know how good you really are until you go out and face failure."** [\[2\]](https://analyzingalpha.com/henry-kravis?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[10\]](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xfbyE3pcKS0?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **"I think a woman should be wooed and chased, but maybe I'm old fashioned for thinking that."** [\[15\]](https://facesofphilanthropy.com/henry-kravis/?ref=antoinebuteau.com) (This quote, from a GQ interview, sparked some controversy).

### On Philanthropy and Legacy

1. **"Giving back is something that comes from the heart to me. It's not that I do it because it's the right thing: I do it because I want to do it."** [\[2\]](https://analyzingalpha.com/henry-kravis?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[10\]](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xfbyE3pcKS0?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **"My father...taught me something that's very, very important. And that was give back to society what you've taken out of it."** [\[5\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8xJQoJhvmE&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **"Some of the most important moments in my life and moments that have given me the most pleasure have clearly been the times that I've been able to make a major contribution in money or time and effort to those less fortunate."** [\[5\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8xJQoJhvmE&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **"Henry Kravis established the Henry Kravis Prize for Leadership, which recognizes innovation and leadership in nonprofits."** [\[15\]](https://facesofphilanthropy.com/henry-kravis/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. **"His contributions to the private equity industry and his philanthropic efforts demonstrate a commitment to making a positive impact in the world."** [\[16\]](https://panel.recur.net/project/his-life-and-legacy-in-southampton.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
6. **"He has inspired a new generation of investors and entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of ethical investing and corporate responsibility."** [\[16\]](https://panel.recur.net/project/his-life-and-legacy-in-southampton.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)

### On Life and Perspective

1. **"Whales who come up and spout off get harpooned."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[3\]](https://voicesofoklahoma.com/interviews/kravis-henry-r/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **"I feel today like I'm on the beach. Sunny, nice out, but I've read there's a tsunami coming or some sort of a major storm. I don't see it, but it's coming."** [\[17\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyTMiba61LI&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **"Don't worry about what the other person is doing...If you're worrying about what other people are doing, you're not doing it yourself."** [\[5\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8xJQoJhvmE&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."** [\[11\]](https://www.moonfare.com/blog/henry-kravis-kkr-profile?ref=antoinebuteau.com) (While a Søren Kierkegaard quote, it's one Kravis has referenced).
5. **"I love the creativity. I love the ability to create a capital structure that is appropriate for a company, no matter what field it happens to be in."** [\[10\]](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xfbyE3pcKS0?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
6. **"I love the ability to work with very good managers, and to provide the right incentives for them, and truly become a partner with that management, and make that management take a long view."** [\[1\]](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)[\[10\]](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xfbyE3pcKS0?ref=antoinebuteau.com)

---

Learn more:

1. [The importance of a strong company culture | KKR](https://www.kkr.com/about/history/our-journey/the-importance-of-a-strong-company-culture?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. [Henry Kravis: Unveiling the Investment Strategies of a Private Equity Titan - Analyzing Alpha](https://analyzingalpha.com/henry-kravis?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. [Henry R. Kravis: Investor & Philanthropist - Voices of Oklahoma](https://voicesofoklahoma.com/interviews/kravis-henry-r/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. [Henry Kravis: The KKR Culture - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axuqumu54Dg&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. [Henry Kravis, Academy Class of 1987, Full Interview - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8xJQoJhvmE&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
6. [Henry Kravis: How the Corporate Titan Rocked Wall Street - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtKizreanP0&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
7. [Henry R. Kravis | Academy of Achievement](https://achievement.org/achiever/henry-r-kravis/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
8. [KKR's Henry Kravis on private equity, culture, and global markets - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZM7xU76cYM&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
9. [KKR's Henry Kravis on Risk Taking - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ieykz98oFgs?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
10. [KKR's Henry Kravis at Milken Institute Global Conference 2025 - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xfbyE3pcKS0?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
11. [How Henry Kravis became a synonym for the rise of private equity - Moonfare](https://www.moonfare.com/blog/henry-kravis-kkr-profile?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
12. [Henry Kravis on Ownership and Investor Alignment | TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@lpshares/video/7531053463619390775?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
13. [Henry Kravis – The Importance of Culture - YouTube](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9HFBMgQjBM&pp=ygUHI2Fra3Jhbg%3D%3D&ref=antoinebuteau.com)
14. [Goldman Sachs Exchanges: Great Investors](https://www.goldmansachs.com/pdfs/insights/podcasts/episodes/kkr-henry-kravis-on-private-equity-culture-and-global-markets-f/transcript.pdf?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
15. [Henry Kravis - Faces of Philanthropy](https://facesofphilanthropy.com/henry-kravis/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
16. [His Life And Legacy In Southampton ·](https://panel.recur.net/project/his-life-and-legacy-in-southampton.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
17. [Kravis: We Expect Inflation to Stay Sticky - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyTMiba61LI&ref=antoinebuteau.com)