# Zappos: Tony Hsieh (2017)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2019-05-20
- Length: 32m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-05-20-zappos-tony-hsieh-2017

## Summary

Tony Hsieh, founder of Zappos, explains how he built the company from a dot-com era side project into a billion-dollar customer service brand, detailing his decision to sell Link Exchange to Microsoft and his personal funding of Zappos during the 2000 crash. He discusses the strategic pivot to prioritizing customer experience over product expertise, leading to the famous 'service company that happens to sell shoes' mantra and the eventual acquisition by Amazon. The episode also features a postscript on Mike Bolos and Jason Grohowski, who created Deskview, a portable window desk, navigating prototype failures and manufacturing in Singapore.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-05-20-zappos-tony-hsieh-2017#t=0) Introduction: Tony Hsieh and Zappos
- [7:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-05-20-zappos-tony-hsieh-2017#t=468) Link Exchange and Microsoft Acquisition
- [12:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-05-20-zappos-tony-hsieh-2017#t=775) Venture Frogs and Finding Zappos
- [16:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-05-20-zappos-tony-hsieh-2017#t=965) Bootstrapping Zappos Through the Dot-Com Crash
- [21:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-05-20-zappos-tony-hsieh-2017#t=1267) Pivoting to Customer Service as the Core Brand
- [23:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-05-20-zappos-tony-hsieh-2017#t=1397) Amazon Acquisition and Preserving Culture
- [28:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-05-20-zappos-tony-hsieh-2017#t=1700) Postscript: Mike Bolos and Deskview

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up, early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Zappos (company)
- Link Exchange (company)
- Microsoft (company)
- Amazon (company)
- Deskview (product)
- Endless (product)
- Nordstrom (company)
- Pets.com (company)
- Oracle (company)
- Shark Tank (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [The Reluctant Entrepreneur: Mike Konrad's Journey Through Entrepreneurship, Networking and SMTA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-03-14-the-reluctant-entrepreneur-mike-konrads-journey-through-entrepreneurship-network) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 1 - Rich Brilliant Willing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-08-19-afterschool-podcast-episode-1-rich-brilliant-willing) (Core77 Podcast)
- [220: How Storytelling Drives Consumer Product Sales](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2024-04-05-220-how-storytelling-drives-consumer-product-sales) (Product Startup)
- [Jeri Ellsworth and the demise of CastAR](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-29-jeri-ellsworth-and-the-demise-of-castar) (The Amp Hour)
- [199: Selling a New Product Successfully on Amazon](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-10-28-199-selling-a-new-product-successfully-on-amazon) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-05-20-zappos-tony-hsieh-2017. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.