Zappo’s Weirdness Culture

I friend of mine recently said, "If you're going to talk about culture, then you have to talk about Zappos." Since I agree with him, thought I'd check that assignment off my list!

Zappos started in 1999 as an online shoe retailer, and much like Amazon got their start with books, they've expanded into other retailing categories. From the consumer's perspective, they're passionate about service and believe that sets the stage for their business model and growth potential. But viewed from inside the company, they achieve this vision through one primary means: by creating a fantastic culture. In fact, the CEO, Tony Hsieh, describes culture as his number one priority.

What is Zappos like? They work from a set of ten core values. Some of these values are common among other businesses ("Deliver WOW Through Service," "Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit"). The one though, that I think speaks to the heart of who they are is "Create Fun and a Little Weirdness." "Weird" is their way of saying they value the individual…that everyone has something unique to offer, and it's those special talents that will make the difference in Zappos' success. So they're all about finding ways for each person to make a contribution and stand out from the crowd.

It was also weirdness that drove the creation of the values, as well as the ongoing evolution of the culture. When they were first starting out, Tony asked the organization to identify the values that would be most important, and they spent a year working through the discussion. So in the process, they imagined the company they most desired, and collectively gave it some shape and form. With that as a foundation, they now expect everyone to continually bring their culture to life, in whatever they choose. (By the way, that means their culture is constantly evolving to meet the needs of its employees, so a company who tries to "copy" it is going to be chasing a moving target!)

And by the way, Amazon bought Zappos last summer for close to $900 million, so a focus on building a fantastic culture clearly leads to the kind of business success investors are looking for.
Jennifer
P.S.  If you do want to learn the secrets of Zappo's culture, then buy their book about it.  It's written by the employees every year!
http://www.zappos.com/zapposcom-gear-zappos-culture-book-2009-edition-n-a