Book review: "The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon" by Brad Stone

If you could get an idea of limitless possibilities, what would you have done differently?

You see, Amazon wasn't always this good. It took amazon weeks to deliver most items to its customers and for scarcer title it could take months. With all this going on, Amazon's profits were thin.

When Bezos started the company, he chose Seattle because of the city's reputation as a technology hub. Also, it was very close to its two major book distributors.

Kaphans, who is sometimes considered a co-founder of Amazon, tapped a fortune–cookie message to the pc monitor on his desk that reads, "let no man alter your code".              

Considering certain situations in life or in any business where your resolve is been tested,  your code can be altered, especially when you are on the weak side of the spectrum.

 One thing I have come to appreciate is not only the contribution of  Shel kaphan (even though Bezos assured him that he could have the job as he long as he wants it, it's sad he had to leave, seeing the position Jeff put him, ) but that of other executives–especially, Joy Covey who is considered "an intellectual foil to Bezos and a key architect of Amazon's early expansion". 

Amazon warehouse

 Jeff/Amazon's story does not only talk about the technicality of the people we associate  with, but in nuance, it talked about how practical it is to anyone's success.

At some point, while reading this book, I got reminded of this book by Austin Kleon, Steal Like An Artist. Infact, you'd realized that Bezos was not the one who thought of that idea first. DESCO owned by D. E. Shaw, where he worked has been working on that idea before anyone in wall street. Bezos who had climbed the executive ladder at the organization happened to be on board with them, hence, giving him time to study the tide that was about to change the world. 

At some point, while trying to make deal with Sinegal–the founder of Costco–who admittedly reeducated Jeff on what retailing business looks like for him. He had always had the opinion of shamelessly stealing good ideas–an idea that governed Sam Walton's business, Made in America.

"...shamelessly stealing good ideas..."

 Amazon's founder, though, preached low prices. But in some cases whereby they need to meet their set projections, they increased their price compared to that of their competitor. But after that meeting, Amazon cut their books, music and videos by 20 to 30%–which is a good thing for customers.

Reading through this book, I couldn't believe Amazon, on the brink to deliver as fast as possible was run like that. On one hand, I am surprisingly amazed at how much wealth they've been able to amass, despite the failure and the criticism flying around the founder. The part where they find it hard to penetrate the toy business got me though. On the other hand, the culture in which the company thrives on is INSANE and I don't think anyone should go through that. The one that I still find funny was his FRUGALITY.  I consider it too extreme. Why should employees be paying for parking? That's Absurd. Clearly, he wasn't thinking about the employees. And this is not to say he hated his employees. No! That's not what I'm saying. I am cool with the relentless culture, but I think Bezos took it to the extreme. 

"On the other hand, the culture in which the company thrives on is INSANE and I don't think anyone should go through that."

Amazon logo

I also consider this a big turnaround in "the everything store" story–when Jeff who's is always thinking about growing fast for the fear that a bigger brand would take on a small brand. While that is true, things, however, began to fall out of place that  Bezos had to change trajectory from expansion (get big fast) to stability (get your house in order).

Judging from one of his "jeffism" sayings about Amazon being a long-term company reminds me of these two attributes: Being a Missionary Vs. Begin a Mercenary. It's a business philosophy and Bezos claimed to be a Missionary. And from the book, I can see Bezos trying hard to pitch a tent in between them.

For clarity's sake, missionaries are those who have righteous goals and are trying to make the world a better place. While the mercenaries are out for money and power and will run everything their way.

"...Bezos had to change trajectory from expansion (get big fast) to stability (get your house in order)." 

In Jeff Bezos Amazon's journey of changing how retailing business works, I have come to learn several things and I must confess, building a billion-dollar business in less than two decades, considering the culture of the company is the most maniac thing I have ever seen. The lunacy of it just blows my mind. It might be profound considering how much they are now worth, but it isn't when we look at how the workers had to keep up. It is insane!

All the same, I'm glad I read the book.