Microsoft’s purchase of Link Exchange meant that Tony wouldn’t ever need to work again in his life, and if he stayed at Microsoft for at least one year following the purchase, he could make even more money. It’s clear that happiness has always been important to Tony. None of those early failures deterred Tony from pursuing more entrepreneurial ventures, culminating in a $265 million sale of his startup Link Exchange, to Microsoft, in 1998. Tony was an entrepreneur from the time he was a child – starting numerous small businesses, including an earthworm farm (failed), mail order magic kit business (failed), and a few other small ventures. The book is part autobiography of Tony Hsieh (covering his childhood, college years, work experience and startups prior to Zappos) and part a story of how Zappos was founded and how it became the success it is today. Most people don’t know that Zappos had a very turbulent history when it was founded, or about the many personal sacrifices that Tony Hsieh (and early Zappos employees made) to help Zappos achieve such extraordinary success and $1 billion dollars in revenues in fewer than 10 years.ĭelivering Happiness, by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, contains many important lessons for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and anyone who wonders whether a company’s culture can be the foundation for commercial success. Over the past year, I’ve been fortunate to talk with Tony Hsieh (Zappos CEO) and Alfred Lin (Zappos COO/CFO), about ways that Zappos grew its culture and its phenomenal customer service.

Zappos happiness book