We've had three big ideas at Amazon that we've stuck with for 18 years, and they're the reason we're successful: Put the customer first. Invent. And be patient. Jeff Bezos More Quotes by Jeff Bezos More Quotes From Jeff Bezos The common question that gets asked in business is, why? That’s a good question, but an equally valid question is, why not? Jeff Bezos entrepreneurbusinesssuccess Life's too short to hang out with people who aren't resourceful. Jeff Bezos motivationinspirationalpeople If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful. Jeff Bezos inspiringmotivationalinspirational Your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room Jeff Bezos marketingbusinesspeople One of the huge mistakes people make is that they try to force an interest on themselves. You don't choose your passions; your passions choose you. Jeff Bezos young-entrepreneurspassionmistake If you are going to do large-scale invention, you have to be willing to do three things: You must be willing to fail; you have to be willing to think long term; and you have to be willing to be misunderstood for long periods of time. Jeff Bezos perseverancelongthinking Things never go smoothly. Jeff Bezos Everything you are comes from your choices. Jeff Bezos choiceslife We can't be in survival mode. We have to be in growth mode. Jeff Bezos businesssuccessinspirational We innovate by starting with the customer and working backwards. That becomes the touchstone for how we invent. Jeff Bezos touchstonesbackwardsstarting Invention is by its very nature disruptive. If you want to be understood at all times, then don't do anything new. Jeff Bezos all-timeinventionwant If your customer base is aging with you, then eventually you are going to become obsolete or irrelevant. You need to be constantly figuring out who are your new customers and what are you doing to stay forever young. Jeff Bezos agingforeverneeds The best customer service is if the customer doesn't need to call you, doesn't need to talk to you. It just works. Jeff Bezos persistenceeducationalneeds In the end, we are our choices. Jeff Bezos our-choiceschoicesends Cleverness is a gift, kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy-they're given after all. Choices can be hard. Jeff Bezos choiceseasykindness I’d rather interview 50 people and not hire anyone than hire the wrong person. Jeff Bezos wrong-personinterviewspeople The smartest people are constantly revising their understanding, reconsidering a problem they thought they’d already solved. They’re open to new points of view, new information, new ideas, contradictions, and challenges to their own way of thinking. Jeff Bezos viewsideasthinking People who are right most of the time are people who change their minds often Jeff Bezos mindinspirationalpeople Obsess about customers, not competitors. Jeff Bezos competitorscustomers Failure comes part and parcel with invention. It’s not optional. Jeff Bezos parceloptionalinvention
