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From Student to Shoe Salesman: The Early Years of Zappos’ Tony Hsieh

When Tony Hsieh’s parents emigrated from Taiwan, they were in search of a better life, what many call the American Dream. They might not have found it themselves, but their son most definitely did. A millionaire by the time he was 26 years old, Hsieh sold his first company to Microsoft and would go on to build an even greater one in the hugely successful Zappos.com.

Zappos Zooms to the Top: Hsieh Becomes an Industry Leader

“Over time, it became clear that Zappos was the most promising and the most fun,” says Hsieh. “Eventually, I decided to join the company full time, and I became the CEO.”

Lesson #1: “To become really good, you need to live it and sleep it”

Hsieh started LinkExchange with his roommate back in 1996. It grew to upwards of 100 staff before Hsieh decided to sell it to Microsoft just two years later.

Lesson #2: “We interview people for culture fit.”

When a new position opens up at Zappos, Hsieh begins the interview process. But this is no ordinary interview process.

Lesson #3: “Table selection is the most important decision you can make”

Hsieh is not a professional poker player, but he taught himself early on the basic rules and principles. Today, he can play the game with the best of them.

Lesson #4: “Remember that it’s a long-term game”

Hsieh was a millionaire before he even turned 30 years old. But selling his first company, LinkExchange to Microsoft back in 1999 did not signal the end of Hsieh in the business world. Sure, he could have retired with a handsome fortune and lived a comfortable life without ever working a day again in his life. But for Hsieh, business is a long-term game, and he wanted to be around for the long-term.

Lesson #5: “I’d rather spend money on things that improve the customer experience than on marketing”

Browse through some of the customer reviews on the Zappos.com site and you are likely to notice one thing: people might not be happy with the product they bought – the shoes were too tight, the bag was too big – but they were thrilled with the speed and efficiency with which their orders were processed and shipped by Zappos.

Sizing Up Success: How Hsieh Found The Shoe That Fit

The son of Taiwanese immigrants, few people expected Hsieh to become a millionaire, let alone before he even turned 30. But that is exactly what Hsieh did. Today, Zappos has become a global leader in online sales. With its 2009 acquisition by Amazon.com, Hsieh’s reach seems to only be expanding. How did he do it?

Tony Hsieh Quotes

Tony Hsieh Quotes

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