Delivering happiness
by Tony Hsieh · first published 2010
66% recommend31% neutral2% critical
Why HN recommends it
Zappos story of building a business around customer service and company culture, including why phone support and fulfillment stayed in-house. Suits founders and managers; the final culture chapters get special praise.
Common criticism: Some find it light on practical tactics and less relevant to most startups
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Tony Hsieh--the widely-admired CEO of on-line shoe retailer, Zappos--explains how he created a unique culture and commitment to service that aims to improve the lives of its employees, customers, vendors and backers. Even better, he shows how creating happiness and record results go hand-in-hand.
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…subscription startup in 2016 as the technical co-founder, I wasn't just building the recommendation engine. I was also helping to pack the boxes at the warehouse. We all got fascinated with Tony's book "Delivering Happiness" [1]. As I packed boxes, I listened to the audiobook several times. Then I read it later on again. I'm still surprised how bad customer service is in most companies. Don't talk to me like a robot. Just…
on “Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years” ↗…Us (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6452796-drive) * Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision and Reality (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7696135-making-ideas-hap...) * Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6828896-delivering-happi...) * Rework (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6732019-rework) These days I get the most value…
on “Ask HN: Dev promoted to more strategic role in startup. What literature?” ↗Have you ever read Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh? Sounds very similar to your story, he automated his work using a script, I think he even stopped going into the office
on “Stop Glorifying Hard Work and Long Hours” ↗…-Getting Real / Rework (37 signals) - Build a lean product -Don't Make Me Think - Usability 101 -Web Analytics 2.0 - Metrics are your best friend -Viral Loop - Great companies and how they did it -Delivering Happiness - Last 50 pages are phenomenal for building your company's "culture"
on “Top Product Management Books?” ↗i found tony hsieh's Delivering Happiness to be a very good read with respect to developing a culture you're proud of.. it's a nice look at what i like to call "tribal ethics." any other recommendations?
on “The Obligatory WePay "Company Culture" Blog Post” ↗This really reminds me of Zappos's Culture and the great stuff that Tony Hsieh and others have been working on for the past years. I strongly recommend Delivering Happiness by Hsieh to anyone who is interested in this type of approach to employee care. Very inspiring stuff. http://www.amazon.com/Delivering-Happiness-Profits-Passion-P...
on “Hiring for Happiness” ↗Delivering Happiness It made me think of what makes me happy and how I can help make the people around me happy, while still being entrepreneurial (which makes me happy).
on “Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why” ↗Here are some of the top of my head, assuming you already read some: - The New Capitalist Manifesto - Umar Haque - Net Smart - Howard Rheingold - Delivering Happiness - Tony Hsieh - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert M. Pirsig
on “What to read?” ↗…are some great books which may help provide you with some structure on how to manage the team: Peopleware: Productive Projects & Teams http://www.amazon.com/Peopleware-Productive-Projects-Teams-S... Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose http://www.amazon.com/Delivering-Happiness-Profits-Passion-P... Rapid Development: Taming Wild Software Schedules http://www.amazon.com/dp/1556159005/?tag=stackoverfl08-20…
on “Ask HN: Best practices when working with teams” ↗…second change was less dramatic in direction, but more dramatic in that the business had much more inertia. That's the point of the post, and it's an impressive achievement. Read Tony Hsieh's (Zappos) "Delivering Happiness" if you want to appreciate how hard it is to build a business on drop-shipping, and how hard it is to move to full inventory. I realize this isn't a battle worth fighting, but everyone needs to stop…
on “Fab's Second Pivot” ↗…pursuit of less - the magic of thinking big - everything is negotiable - making things happen - lean customer development - what customers want - inspired: how to create products customers love - delivering happiness
on “Ask HN: Book Recommendations?” ↗Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh (Zappos CEO)
on “Ask HN: Summer Reading Recommendations?” ↗Creators & Casualties of the Age of the Internet by Kieran Levis - The chapters on Steve Jobs alone will put some fire in your belly. Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh - reading this now...inspirational.
on “Ask HN: The Best Books to Keep the Entrepreneurial Mindset?” ↗DELIVERING Happiness by Tony Hsieh is an incredible book, especially concerning their customer service focus. (If you're especially interested in their culture, they give their culture book away for free at request). Also,…
on “Ask HN: Suggested Reading List” ↗Delivering Happiness By Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com Great book on Tony's journey to building startups and finding what truly makes him happy
on “Ask HN: Inspirational Books” ↗