Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, With an Introduction by Walter Isaacson
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Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, With an Introduction by Walter Isaacson
Jeff was a voracious reader with an adventurous mind. His grandfather would take him to the library, which had a huge collection of science fiction books. Over the summers Jeff worked his way through the shelves, reading hundreds of them. Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein became his favorites, and later in life he would not only quote them but also
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The process is not the thing. It’s always worth asking, do we own the process or does the process own us? In a Day 2 company, you might find it’s the second.
Jeff Bezos • Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, With an Introduction by Walter Isaacson
Start with customers and work backward. Listen to customers, but don’t just listen to customers—also invent on their behalf.
Jeff Bezos • Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, With an Introduction by Walter Isaacson
From very early on in Amazon’s life, we knew we wanted to create a culture of builders—people who are curious, explorers. They like to invent. Even when they’re experts, they are “fresh” with a beginner’s mind.
Jeff Bezos • Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, With an Introduction by Walter Isaacson
“Working backward” from customer needs can be contrasted
Jeff Bezos • Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, With an Introduction by Walter Isaacson
people are a dime a dozen and often don’t amount to much. What counts is being creative and imaginative. That’s what makes someone a true innovator. And that’s why my answer to the question is Jeff Bezos.
Jeff Bezos • Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, With an Introduction by Walter Isaacson
Customers love it, it can grow to very large size, it has strong returns on capital, and it’s durable in time—with the potential to endure for decades. When you find one of these, don’t just swipe right, get married.
Jeff Bezos • Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, With an Introduction by Walter Isaacson
A review of our current goals reveals some interesting statistics: 360 of the 452 goals will have a direct impact on customer experience. The word revenue is used eight times and free cash flow is used only four times.
Jeff Bezos • Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, With an Introduction by Walter Isaacson
I’m not against beta testing or surveys. But you, the product or service owner, must understand the customer, have a vision, and love the offering. Then, beta testing and research can help you find your blind spots. A remarkable customer experience starts with heart, intuition, curiosity, play, guts, taste. You won’t find any of it in a survey.