Cockroach Theory
The Cockroach Theory, popularized by Warren Buffett, suggests that seeing one cockroach signals a hidden infestation—problems rarely appear alone.
Cockroach Theory is the idea that if you see a single cockroach in a kitchen, it is probably not the only cockroach in the kitchen. Perhaps originally from Warren Buffett:
In a difficult business, no sooner is one problem solved than another surfaces - never is there just one cockroach in the kitchen
— Berkshire Hathaway Chairman's Letter - 1989[1]
He was seemingly quite fond of it:
“What you find is there’s never just one cockroach in the kitchen when you start looking around,” the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway said on “Squawk Alley.”
— CNBC: Warren Buffett on Wells Fargo: ‘There’s never just one cockroach in the kitchen’[2]
Notes
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "Chairman's Letter - 1989". berkshirehathaway.com. Archived from the original on 2026-10-26. Retrieved 2026-10-26.
- ↑ Berkeley Lovelace, Jr (2017-08-30). "Warren Buffett on Wells Fargo: 'There's never just one cockroach in the kitchen'". CNBC (in English). Archived from the original on 2026-10-26. Retrieved 2026-10-26.