An octogenarian billionaire known for his folksy aphorisms and an obsession with bargains would not appear to share the world view of a growth-minded technology entrepreneur who seemingly doesn't care about profit. But Warren Buffett and Jeff Bezos, two of the world's finest business minds, have more in common than you might think.

Amazon, Bezos' e-commerce colossus, surpassed Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett's investment conglomerate, in terms of market value, overnight. It's one of those moments that while technically meaningless feels strangely significant.