Tag Archives: zappos

The imitate to benefit syndrome gets you nowhere

Every once in awhile, I get an email that asks me to give out ideas (strategy) that previous clients used to achieve a particular goal. I’ve attached part of an email conversation below. It only explains part of the story, but let’s just say that I’m being asked for a secret recipe that they can plug-and-play and voila!

I can give you this information, but it’s no use to you because if all you want is to try to copy their success, let’s just say you’re going nowhere.

Best practices that worked for someone else don’t necessarily mean they’ll work for you. You shape your business based on your own strategy that works to your unique mix of strengths and weaknesses.

VIDEO: Jeff Bezos on what he’s learned as an entrepreneur

Lady in the Water video

 

Today as part of , Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh

that contained a video of Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos sharing what he’s learned as an entrepreneur.

Lava Storm ipod

Uncle Donald’s Ants video

He confesses that everything he knows is a very short list and so here they are:

  • Obsess over customers. The reason Amazon exists today.
  • Invent. Never accept either or thinking when there’s a problem, figure out a solution that gets both things.
  • Think long term. Dangerous Beauty the movie Any company that want to obsess over customers, any company that wants to invent has to think long term.
  • It’s always day 1.

    buy The Talented Mr. Ripley

    There’s always more invention in the future.

Strip Mind the movie

 

Some great tips from an unconventional entrepreneur.

Miracle rip