Bezos

"“When a company comes up with an idea, it’s a messy process,” Bezos said. “There’s no aha moment.”"

"What does Bezos believe? •  High standards can be taught. If you start with a highstandards team, newcomers will quickly adapt. •  High standards are domain-specific. ‘When I started Amazon,’ Bezos says, ‘I had high standards on inventing, customer care, and hiring. But I didn’t have high standards on operational process … I had to learn and develop high standards on all that (my colleagues were my tutors).’ •  High standards result in better products and services for customers. But less obviously, ‘people are drawn to high standards – they help with recruiting and retention’. •  ‘And finally, high standards are fun! Once you’ve tasted high standards, there’s no going back.’"

"One of these ideas – that pursuing sales and market share is hugely more important than seeking profits in anything but the very long term – is why Bezos is the spiritual heir to Henderson."

"Bezos’ other great principle – Olympian standards."

"Bezos belongs in both camps. He is a price-simplifier and a proposition-simplifier. He wants customers to get a price never seen before, even if it means that break-even is deferred, and he also wants rapid expansion, to lower costs and prices, which might put the company in peril. At the same time he wants consumers to experience the joy of excellent products and service, at whatever cost to the company. Few businesspeople really believe in the creed of either the price-simplifier or the proposition-simplifier; yet Bezos believes in both."

"Consider, for example, the following types of potentially transforming experiences: •  Educational – go to the best college(s) for what you want to learn and do. •  Self-defined unique expertise – become the expert in a narrow subject which you define. •  Live in a different country and culture. •  Work as an apprentice for an expert in your target field. •  Finagle a job in an exceptional, innovative company, which: ■  knows something unique – such as BCG for Bill Bain, BCG and Bain & Company for me, or DESCO for Bezos ■  operates in a different market from any other firm, defined by customers, products, price, or technology (or permutations of these differences) ■  is growing very fast – 30 per cent at least, ideally doubling or better each year ■  comprises ‘A’ people – curious, demanding, and innovating. •  Start a company, club or network like this."

"when you talk to him and find yourself discussing the prospects of Italian capitalism, the entrenched positions in the world of finance, the cross vetoes, the inability to look beyond one's own bell tower, Del Vecchio cites the new masters of Silicon Valley to highlight the difference in speed compared to some of our local managers. Del Vecchio speaks with Zuckerberg, follows Elon Musk, studies Bezos. He feels like one of them, a disruptor, not a fading industrialist."