There are many good reasons to remember Tony Hsih, but I continue to think about one in particular: an unusual employment policy in Zappos, where Sisih was CEO for two decades.
At the very-very-young age of 46, he’s even faster after he died on Friday.
Zappos twice grounded companies and got big exits: Zappos bought Amazon for 1. 1.2 billion, and before that, LuxExchange, which Microsoft bought for 26 265 million before Hussey turned 25.
He was also a booster in the city of Las Vegas, where Zappos is headquartered, and a thoughtful leader in entrepreneurship and business, beginning with the publication of his book, To deliver Happiness..
But, I want to remember them for something else.
It was not just the curiosity for which he was known – a nearby billionaire, who lived in an Airstream trailer because, once explained, he valued experiences on things – but instead, Zappos for a 2-word policy for new employees.
I am talking about the “er fur” policy which is a big reminder that life is short now, and we have many opportunities to find our true call gender.
The program worked like this: a week or so after the job, some new Zappos employees will be told they have a choice.
They can continue the journey they started – or else, they can leave. If they choose to “leave”, the company will pay them to go.
“Why?” Asked Bill Taylor inside Harvard Business Review In 2008, when the maximum “offer fur” was $ 1000. “Because if you’re willing to take the company off the fur, obviously what they’re looking for isn’t in the spirit of commitment.”
It was not philanthropy; Zappos was better without employees who didn’t want to go there. But, I can’t help but think that it was a real favor for those who have taken a job at Zappos, to understand that it is not right.
After Amazon acquired Zappos – and allowed it to remain as a freestanding division, led by CS – “Big Amazon” also embraced a version of the idea.
This Amazon Recruitment Center employees are offered $ 1000 per year at Amazon Revision that they have left work on Amazon, up to Amazon 5,000.
Hsieh sold the Zappos to Amazon in 2009, and I believe “The Offer” resonated with me so quickly when I first heard about it because of what I was doing at the time.
Short version: I started a new six-figure job as a lawyer, only the first day I realized I had made a big mistake in taking it. I left immediately – there was no $ 1000 or $ 5,000 offer – and the situation set me on fire to start a business that could support the family.
Shortly after, when I wrote about it, I got my full 15 minutes of fame. But the real benefit was confirming that spending more than a day in life was so fleeting that what I knew would not be for me.
Reports say Hussein was injured in a house fire in New London, Connecticut, on November 18 before committing suicide on Friday. The story of what happened is still evolving; Local news reports say fire officials called it an “active investigation.”
So, Tony in peace Hsieh. I hope and pray that his family finds comfort. Others will share their tributes: Jeff Bezos, Chris Coins, And Tony Hawk, for example.
But I will also remember them for the lesson of “er fur”.
Life is too short to follow the wrong path. And today is always a great day to start finding the right one.
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