Reviews
This book illustrates so many of Zappos' core values: it's open and honest, passionate and humble, fun and a little weird. Even if you don't care about business, technology, or shoes, you'll be drawn in by this American tale of how hard work, laziness, talent and failure blend together to create an extraordinary life., This book is awesome. How Tony and Zappos grew to $1 billion in gross revenue in 10 years is just the beginning. From fundraising to finding happiness, from actual e-mails to checklists, it covers it all. Intensely personal and intensely practical., Tony Hsieh is the shining star of a new way of working. DELIVERING HAPPINESS is a book that tells an extraordinary business story -- building a $1 billion online business selling shoes in less than a decade -- but also an extraordinary human story. Tony is one of those entrepreneurs who is both fearless and endlessly imaginative about pursuing his dreams., DELIVERING HAPPINESS is a glimpse into the mind of one of the most remarkable business leaders of our time. Like its author, the book is authentic, oddly original, doesn't take itself too seriously--yet delivers a potent message. This book needs to be read by anyone who takes the happiness of other people seriously. , Tony Hsieh is a wise guy. Sincerely. He's one of the wisest and most thoughtful business leaders of the modern age. This insightful book isn't just an enjoyable read. It's a wonderful instruction manual for how 21st century companies create value and happiness at the same time., In DELIVERING HAPPINESS, Tony reveals the secret to his success at such a young age: leadership in culture and happiness., The only book I've read that makes stunningly clear why companies succeed and sustain or fade. Tony Hsieh's profoundly simple answer: create a compelling set of core values and beliefs which every member of the work force understands and embodies, a culture that they are willing to live and die for and which makes Zappos the supreme example of how culture can work it's miracles., In this fascinating (and often hilarious) account, Tony explains how he turns his beliefs into actions that really do deliver happiness.
Synopsis
Successfully grow your business and improve customer and employee happiness with this New York Times bestseller book written by the CEO of Zappos. As the CEO of one of Fortune Magazine 's "Best Companies to Work For," Tony Hsieh knows that keeping people happy is the key to professional growth and harmony. It might sound crazy, but Hsieh believes that we can prioritize company culture, make money, and change the world. In Delivering Happiness , he shares the tools of the trade he's learned in business and life, from starting a worm farm to running a pizza business, to working at Zappos-a company so impressive that Amazon acquired it for over $1.2 billion. Fast-paced and down-to-earth, Delivering Happiness shows how a different kind of corporate culture is a powerful model for achieving success, and concentrating on the happiness of those around you can dramatically increase your own., In his first book, Tony Hsieh - the widely-admired CEO of on-line shoe retailer, Zappos, explains how he created a unique culture and commitment to service that aims to improve the lives of its employees, customers, vendors and backers. Using anecdotes and stories from his own experiences and from other companies, Hsieh provides concrete ways that companies can achieve unprecedented success. Even better, he shows how creating happiness and record results go hand-in-hand. He starts with the 'Why' in a section where he narrates his quest to understand the science of happiness. Then he runs through the ten Zappos 'Core Values' such as 'Deliver WOW through Service,' 'Create Fun and A Little Weirdness' and 'Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit' and explains how you and your colleagues should come up with your own. Hsieh then details many of the unique practices at Zappos that have made it the success it is today, such as the philosphy of allocating marketing money into the customer experience, thereby allowing repeat customers and word-of-mouth be their true form of marketing. He also explains why Zappos's main priority is company culture and his belief that once you get the culture right, everything else - great customer service, long-term branding - will happen on its own. Finally, Hsieh explains how Zappos employees actually apply the Core Values to improving their lives outside of work - and to making a difference in their communities and the world, The hip, iconoclastic CEO of Zappos shows how a different kind of corporate culture can make a huge difference in achieving remarkable results - by actually creating a company culture that values happiness - and then delivers on it., #1 NEW YORK TIMES AND WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER Pay brand-new employees $2,000 to quit Make customer service the responsibility of the entire company-not just a department Focus on company culture as the #1 priority Apply research from the science of happiness to running a business Help employees grow-both personally and professionally Seek to change the world Oh, and make money too . . . Sound crazy? It's all standard operating procedure at Zappos, the online retailer that's doing over $1 billion in gross merchandise sales annually. After debuting as the highest-ranking newcomer in Fortune magazine's annual "Best Companies to Work For" list in 2009, Zappos was acquired by Amazon in a deal valued at over $1.2 billion on the day of closing. In DELIVERING HAPPINESS, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh shares the different lessons he has learned in business and life, from starting a worm farm to running a pizza business, through LinkExchange, Zappos, and more. Fast-paced and down-to-earth, DELIVERING HAPPINESS shows how a very different kind of corporate culture is a powerful model for achieving success-and how by concentrating on the happiness of those around you, you can dramatically increase your own. To learn more about the book, go to www.deliveringhappinessbook.com.