Tony Hsieh's new $350 million startup • Hacker News Board

Re: Tony Hsieh's new $350 million startup

#11

Post by iamdann » Tue, Jan 24, 2012, 9:40 PM UTC

How far is too far for building a culture of "fun with a little bit of weirdness?"

I find Zappos dedication to fun weirdness to be a little much to begin with. But now buying land surrounding your call-center with plans to build an entire city for employees to live/work/play in? And "dorms" to live in? That's a lot.

I'm all for free jet flights (http://www.launch.is/blog/leak-zappos-ceo-gives-employees-fr...) but this is a bit much for me. Guess that's why I don't work there.

Re: Tony Hsieh's new $350 million startup

#12

Post by leak » Tue, Jan 24, 2012, 9:43 PM UTC

arkitaip wrote: post #7

And here's why I think Tony Hsieh is the next, better Steve Jobs that understands business, people and community like no other leader today. Why better? Because the man radiates a genuine compassion towards others that Jobs never had. If any other business leader had announced such a visionary idea I would have been incredibly skeptical, but I have total confidence in Hsieh and find his vision inspiring and quite con…

I want to be a person like Tony Hsieh. I'm not even talking about business, I'm just saying an all around human being like him. Everything I read, watch, or use related to him makes me feel like there is hope for this world. Yes, he's a business man and this may all be part of the image but I don't think so. If you've read his book, you know he's genuinely a great person who really wants to make a difference. Success usually follows such people.

Re: Tony Hsieh's new $350 million startup

#13

Post by charlesju » Tue, Jan 24, 2012, 9:50 PM UTC

I love this idea, but I couldn't help but think of Foxconn City and that one Simpsons episode where Homer moves into a great new job with a supporting city run by an evil genius.

http://www.wired.com/rawfile/2010/11/thomas-lee-foxconn/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Only_Move_Twice

Re: Tony Hsieh's new $350 million startup

#14

Post by AtTheLast » Tue, Jan 24, 2012, 9:52 PM UTC

It will be exciting to see how this works out. Hsieh seems to really understand people and their motivations. He's the perfect person to try an pull something like this off.

Re: Tony Hsieh's new $350 million startup

#15

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jan 24, 2012, 9:54 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Tony Hsieh's new $350 million startup

#16

Post by vaksel » Tue, Jan 24, 2012, 10:02 PM UTC

seems like 350 million is a drop in the bucket for something like that

Re: Tony Hsieh's new $350 million startup

#17

Post by vaksel » Tue, Jan 24, 2012, 10:03 PM UTC

[deleted] wrote: post #15

[deleted]

maybe in NYC, but Las Vegas? probably not.

Re: Tony Hsieh's new $350 million startup

#18

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jan 24, 2012, 10:06 PM UTC

vaksel wrote: post #17

[deleted] wrote: post #15

[deleted]

maybe in NYC, but Las Vegas? probably not.

[deleted]

Re: Tony Hsieh's new $350 million startup

#19

Post by MattGrommes » Tue, Jan 24, 2012, 10:10 PM UTC

I wonder how many startups will actually get work done that close to the Strip? Seems like a major source of distractions.

Re: Tony Hsieh's new $350 million startup

#20

Post by cwe » Tue, Jan 24, 2012, 10:15 PM UTC

charlesju wrote: post #13

I love this idea, but I couldn't help but think of Foxconn City and that one Simpsons episode where Homer moves into a great new job with a supporting city run by an evil genius. http://www.wired.com/rawfile/2010/11/thomas-lee-foxconn/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Only_Move_Twice

If he turns into Hank Scorpio, sign me up! In all seriousness, though, I think this could turn out like the SLU neighborhood here in Seattle. Paul Allen bought all the land and turned it into a major biotech hub, and now Amazon, tech stars, and others are taking it over.