The Last Amazon Shareholder From Bezos - A Bit Day 2ish

eCommerce
Written By Rick Watson

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ran what amounted to a victory lap yesterday in his final letter to shareholders. I'm interested in the "between the lines stuff" as you can tell.

Sadly, this is the most Day 2 sounding shareholder note I've ever read.

  • Added a new goal to Amazon's mission - best place to work? I think this is a very anti-Amazon idea. If anything it's very clear at Amazon who is #1. The customer. Employees and executives make calculations every day based on this clear mission. Muddying that clear mission is a clear way to confuse executives up and down the line. Jeff disagrees with me. It's fair!

Messaging is difficult however and these goals don't always "reinforce" each other. Particularly in areas like hiring, where the rubber meets the road in culture. Relentless improvement is not the same as safe and happy.

  • Apparently, all the people complaining about Amazon's infamous gruelling culture (obv. depending on your manager/team) just need a little more "coaching"? (snark on)

  • There is quite a long discussion about how much value has been created, and how those proceeds have been distributed.

  • A long, odd digression on the second law of thermodynamics.

  • Quite an odd writing device where Jeff refers to himself as "your Chair." Isn't it?

Rick Watson

Rick Watson founded RMW Commerce Consulting after spending 20+ years as a technology entrepreneur and operator exclusively in the eCommerce industry with companies like ChannelAdvisor, BarnesandNoble.com, Merchantry, and Pitney Bowes.

Watson’s work today is centered on supporting investors and management teams incubating and growing direct-to-consumer businesses. Most recently, in partnership with WHP Global, Rick was a critical resource in architecting the WHP+ platform, a new turnkey direct to consumer digital e-commerce platform that powers AnneKlein.com and JosephAbboud.com.

Watson also hosts a weekly podcast, Watson Weekly, where he shares an unbiased, unfiltered expert take on the retail sector’s biggest players.

In the past year alone, Rick has spoken at many in-person and virtual events as well as podcasts on topics ranging from retail/ecom to supply chain/logistics and even digital grocery including CommerceNext IRL, ASCM Connect, and Retail Innovation Conference.

https://www.rmwcommerce.com/
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