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Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

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Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#61

Post by rconti »

realbarack wrote: post #31
ryandrake wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's too bad, because I really wish Vegas could somehow magically turn into a tech jobs hub. It's got a lot going for it: No state income tax. Cheap housing. Minimal regulation. Cheap, relatively private LLCs. World class restaurants. World class entertainment/shows (even if touristy). Casinos, if you're into it. If NorCal is a heaven for people who like outdoor activities, then Vegas is the heaven for people who lik…

Vegas is not bad for outdoor activities either. World-class rock climbing, good hiking and mountain biking, 2 hours to the Grand Canyon, 2.5 to Zion National Park, 5 to Mammoth (not close but no worse than Los Angeles). Alex Honnold owns a house there. If I ever achieve my dream of being a seasonal nomad, Vegas just might make the cut.

Outdoor activities are available, and the seasonality is probably no worse than other parts of the country with inclement weather, but it's pretty shocking to see hiking trails closed from May 15-Sept 30, for example. Not a mundane detail.

https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/summer-hiking.htm

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#62

Post by Nas808 »

smabie wrote: post #58
modeless wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I probably wouldn't mind Vegas except for one extremely important thing. The whole place reeks of cigarettes and I can't stand it. I don't ever want to live in a place where indoor smoking is legal.

Oh man that sounds great, I've always been disappointed that I missed out on the era when smoking in the office was okay.

I had 2 years of smoking in the building before it was banned and I don't miss my clothes constantly smelling like tobacco smoke.

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#63

Post by bluedino »

modeless wrote: post #29
ryandrake wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's too bad, because I really wish Vegas could somehow magically turn into a tech jobs hub. It's got a lot going for it: No state income tax. Cheap housing. Minimal regulation. Cheap, relatively private LLCs. World class restaurants. World class entertainment/shows (even if touristy). Casinos, if you're into it. If NorCal is a heaven for people who like outdoor activities, then Vegas is the heaven for people who lik…

I probably wouldn't mind Vegas except for one extremely important thing. The whole place reeks of cigarettes and I can't stand it. I don't ever want to live in a place where indoor smoking is legal.

Have you been in the last two years?

Weed is now legal there, so it smells like that outside everywhere.

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#65

Post by backtoyoujim »

betocmn wrote: post #44

I grew up in Brazil, where customer service was bad-to-terrible in 90% of the companies I had to deal with. When I moved to Australia, I thought it would be a lot better. It wasn't much different. When I joined a wine 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…

Compensation goes a long way to making customer service agents care. So does equity.

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#66

Post by 1024core »

marcinzm wrote: post #46
ryandrake wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's too bad, because I really wish Vegas could somehow magically turn into a tech jobs hub. It's got a lot going for it: No state income tax. Cheap housing. Minimal regulation. Cheap, relatively private LLCs. World class restaurants. World class entertainment/shows (even if touristy). Casinos, if you're into it. If NorCal is a heaven for people who like outdoor activities, then Vegas is the heaven for people who lik…

Nevada lacks the three laws/regulations which make California, imho, popular for entrepreneurs: * Limited non-competes * Limited IP assignment clauses * Limited anti-moonlighting clauses It's hard to start a business when your current employer can block you from doing so.

For a long time, it's been quite obvious that these 3 laws are a cornerstone of why California had the tech boom. And yet almost no other state has managed to put these on the books! I'd be willing to bet that if Nevada implements these (properly), they'll attract a lot more tech startups.

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#67

Post by mjayhn »

backtoyoujim wrote: post #65
betocmn wrote: post #44

I grew up in Brazil, where customer service was bad-to-terrible in 90% of the companies I had to deal with. When I moved to Australia, I thought it would be a lot better. It wasn't much different. When I joined a wine 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…

Compensation goes a long way to making customer service agents care. So does equity.

Yeah my one call center experience involved cameras over everyones desk and the cruelest management team I've ever experienced that watched you like a hawk.

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#68

Post by arkitaip »

icelancer wrote: post #24
willio58 wrote: post #2

I've always heard mixed feelings about Tony. I wonder if there are any HNers who have a perspective they'd like to share.

I know him a little. He's as-expected based on all the writings on him, as most people will tell you. He's weird. Works his ass off. "Good" to his employees if you're into the cult-ish like environment he's about. Completely tanked DT Las Vegas project, but that was easy to call. Way out of his skillset. A pretty good guy I think. Always followed through with promises to the best of his abilities, never did me wrong.…

What's weird about being kind and considerate?

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#69

Post by specialist »

nradov wrote: post #57
jerlam wrote: post #21

A few years back, I went to their office tour in Vegas, and I've read Hsieh's book, which doesn't cover much of the post-Amazon years. It seemed pretty clear to me that Zappos was in decline as an independent entity. Fulfillment was already gone. They were in the middle of removing their product photography team. A section of their office was being used as a community co-working space. There were fun quirky office ar…

Some people can pretend to believe anything for a paycheck.

Others need some kind of beliefs to rationalize the modest paychecks.

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#70

Post by chiefalchemist »

jerlam wrote: post #21

A few years back, I went to their office tour in Vegas, and I've read Hsieh's book, which doesn't cover much of the post-Amazon years. It seemed pretty clear to me that Zappos was in decline as an independent entity. Fulfillment was already gone. They were in the middle of removing their product photography team. A section of their office was being used as a community co-working space. There were fun quirky office ar…

> It wasn't clear if Zappos did anything beyond customer service.

But ultimately, isn't that what Zappos is? Their bread & butter? Footware is a commodity. Ecomm stores more or less a commodity. Fulfillment? The same.

The key point to being unique? Service. A lesson more ebusinesses wpuld be wise to learn.

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