Jeff Bezos' annual shareholders letter was sent today
Here are 12 of the most notable quotes from the Executive Chair himself
Here are 12 of the most notable quotes from the Executive Chair himself
1. On how to be successful
"If you want to be successful in business (in life, actually), you have to create more than you consume."
"If you want to be successful in business (in life, actually), you have to create more than you consume."
2. On how much Amazon pays employees
"In 2020, employees earned $80 billion, plus another $11 billion to include benefits and various payroll taxes, for a total of $91 billion."
"In 2020, employees earned $80 billion, plus another $11 billion to include benefits and various payroll taxes, for a total of $91 billion."
3. The economics behind third-party sellers
"In 2020, third-party seller profits from selling on Amazon were between $25 billion and $39 billion, and to be conservative here I’ll go with $25 billion."
"In 2020, third-party seller profits from selling on Amazon were between $25 billion and $39 billion, and to be conservative here I’ll go with $25 billion."
4. On the time Amazon saves people
"Customers complete 28% of purchases on Amazon in three minutes or less, and half of all purchases are finished in less than 15 minutes."
"Customers complete 28% of purchases on Amazon in three minutes or less, and half of all purchases are finished in less than 15 minutes."
5. On the recent union vote
"Does your Chair take comfort in the outcome of the recent union vote in Bessemer? No, he doesn’t. I think we need to do a better job for our employees. "
"Does your Chair take comfort in the outcome of the recent union vote in Bessemer? No, he doesn’t. I think we need to do a better job for our employees. "
6. On how Amazon treats employees
"In those reports, our employees are sometimes accused of being desperate souls and treated as robots. That’s not accurate. They’re sophisticated and thoughtful people who have options for where to work."
"In those reports, our employees are sometimes accused of being desperate souls and treated as robots. That’s not accurate. They’re sophisticated and thoughtful people who have options for where to work."
7. On employee performance
"We don’t set unreasonable performance goals. We set achievable performance goals that take into account tenure and actual employee performance data."
"We don’t set unreasonable performance goals. We set achievable performance goals that take into account tenure and actual employee performance data."
8. On focus
"On the details, we at Amazon are always flexible, but on matters of vision we are stubborn and relentless."
"On the details, we at Amazon are always flexible, but on matters of vision we are stubborn and relentless."
9. On climate change
"You don’t have to say that photosynthesis is real, or make the case that gravity is real, or that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level. These things are simply true, as is the reality of climate change."
"You don’t have to say that photosynthesis is real, or make the case that gravity is real, or that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level. These things are simply true, as is the reality of climate change."
10. On renewable energy
"Amazon is the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in the world. We have 62 utility-scale wind and solar projects and 125 solar rooftops on fulfillment and sort centers around the globe."
"Amazon is the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in the world. We have 62 utility-scale wind and solar projects and 125 solar rooftops on fulfillment and sort centers around the globe."
11. On electric vehicles
"Transportation is...the toughest part of our plan to meet net-zero carbon by 2040. To help rapidly accelerate the market for electric vehicle technology... we invested more than $1 billion in Rivian—and ordered 100,000 electric delivery vans."
"Transportation is...the toughest part of our plan to meet net-zero carbon by 2040. To help rapidly accelerate the market for electric vehicle technology... we invested more than $1 billion in Rivian—and ordered 100,000 electric delivery vans."
12. On being original
"The world wants you to be typical—in a thousand ways, it pulls at you. Don’t let it happen."
"The world wants you to be typical—in a thousand ways, it pulls at you. Don’t let it happen."
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