After reading Delivering Happiness, by Tony Hsieh, I only have one word to say. WOW! Mostly, I read fiction. One of the things I enjoy the most is living in the world the author has created for a while. Usually, the more unrealistic the world, the harder time I have 'reintegrating' back into the real one. Well, the world of Zappos, the online shoe empire, is a real one. And after I finished reading this account of the life of Tony Hsieh and the creation and rise of Zappos, I want to live in his world!
Tony Hsieh and I are exactly the same age. We went to college at the same time, in the same state even, but my experiences were very different from his. His desire to recreate a tribe of people who support each other is an admirable one, and one I remember having myself after college was over. I would never have believed it possible to sustain this sort of experience, but he has done exactly that. He has created the ideal business world in Zappos, one in which the individual is valued and seen as a valuable commodity to be invested in, rather than squeezed for every last drop of life before the person quits from burnout.
The descriptions of Tony's early childhood experiences as an entrepreneur are very vivid, and for a (I hesitate to use the word, since it doesn't quite feel accurate) contemporary, I can picture his labors over worm farms, lemonade stands and the like while picturing my own childhood endeavors (a jewelry business with my sister, and once even a junk store on vacation in Canada!).
Tony claims to be a terrible writer, but contrary to that claim, he tells his story with both flair and vivid detail, engaging the reader right away. The story begins with his personal life and how it evolved into his early business, LinkExchange. It then begins to detail the early years of Zappos and how it came to be, utilizing interesting bon mots from employees as well as the other honchos of the business.
Toward the end, the book felt less like a story, and more like a manual of how to make your business one like Zappos, which is a fine thing to strive for, in my opinion. I don't personally work in corporate America; I have heard the stories from others of situations and work environments that sound mind numbing and horrible. It is one of the reasons why I did not lean in that direction for a career. However, while reading about the "culture" of Zappos, one of the things that the company prides itself on very strongly, I found myself wondering if I'd fit in, if the people there would see me as a good fit. I think that is a huge accomplishment for someone who is not interested in working in a corporate environment to wonder if it wouldn't be a fine idea to work for this corporation. It shows that they must be on to something very special.
The title, Delivering Happiness, has a dual meaning. As a steady patron of Zappos myself, I was unaware of their "culture" as a company. I love shoes, and they definitely delivered that happiness to me on multiple occasions. The description of this culture in the book reminds me of the old saying that it takes a village to raise a child. Tony Hsieh delivers happiness to his customers while simultaneously encouraging his employees to find it within their work. The emphasis is on customer service, but it is clear that he is also very interested in his employees finding happiness of their own, not just delivering it to others.
This book is inspiring; I found myself thinking of ways I could incorporate Zappos 10 Core Values into my workplace, although in education, many of these are integral to what we do already. My favorite core value is definitely "Create Fun and A Little Weirdness". That sounds a lot like what I strive for on a daily basis, and it's nice to know others do, too.
I was sent two advance copies of this book by the Delivering Happiness team after hearing of the promotion from another blogger. I admit, I thought it was a bit too pushy, but after reading this book, I am wholeheartedly advising others to visit Tony Hsieh's world as well. I recommend this book to shoe lovers, corporate workers, and pretty much everyone else. You won't be sorry after visiting the world of Zappos. I promise.
See below for a link to the book at Amazon.com
or visit:
http://www.deliveringhappinessbook.com
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