46 Tony Hsieh Quotes (DELIVERING HAPPINESS)

Top 15 Most Famous Tony Hsieh Quotes (BEST)

There’s a big difference between motivation and inspiration: Inspire through values and motivation takes care of itself.

I had decided to stop chasing the money, and start chasing the passion. — I had decided to stop chasing the **money**, and start chasing the **passion**.

Things are never as bad or as good as they seem.

Without conscious and deliberate effort, inertia always wins.

Envision, create, and believe in your own universe, and the universe will form around you.

There’s a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.

The best leaders are servant leaders – they serve those they lead. — The best **leaders** are servant leaders – they serve those they lead.

No matter what your past has been, you have a spotless future. — No matter what your past has been, you have a spotless **future**.

We must never lose our sense of urgency in making improvements. We must never settle for “good enough,” because good is the enemy of great.

Act weak when strong, act strong when weak. Know when to bluff.

Don’t play the games that you don’t understand, even if you see lots of other people making money from them. — Don’t play the games that you don’t understand, even if you see lots of other people making **money** from them.

It’s important to constantly challenge and stretch yourself, and not be stuck in a job where you don’t feel like you are growing or learning. — It’s important to constantly challenge and stretch yourself, and not be stuck in a job where you don’t feel like you are **growing** or **learning**.

Money alone isn't enough to bring happiness... happiness [is] when you're actually truly ok with losing everything you have. — **Money** alone isn’t enough to bring **happiness**… happiness [is] when you’re actually truly ok with losing everything you have.

I made a list of the happiest periods in my life, and I realized that none of them involved money. — I made a list of the happiest periods in my life, and I realized that none of them involved **money**.

Have fun. The game is a lot more enjoyable when you’re trying to do more than just make money. — Have fun. The game is a lot more enjoyable when you’re trying to do more than just make **money**.

31 Inspirational Tony Hsieh Quotes on Business, Culture and Customer Service (ENTREPRENEUR)

“At Zappos, we really view culture as our No. 1 priority. We decided that if we get the culture right, most of the stuff, like building a brand around delivering the very best customer service, will just take care of itself.”
Tony Hsieh

Your personal core values define who you are, and a company’s core values ultimately define the company’s character and brand.

For individuals, character is destiny. For organizations, culture is destiny. — For individuals, **character** is destiny. For organizations, **culture** is destiny.

What’s the best way to build a brand for the long term? In a word: culture.

Customer service shouldn’t be a department, it should be the entire company.

Zappos is a customer service company that just happens to sell shoes.

Our philosophy is about delivering happiness to our customers and employees. — Our **philosophy** is about delivering **happiness** to our customers and employees.

“The problem when someone feels burned out, bored, unchallenged, or stifled by their work is not the job itself but rather the environment and playground rules given to them to do the job at hand.”
Tony Hsieh

The companies that get into trouble are historically the ones that aren’t able to adapt to change and respond quickly enough. — The companies that get into trouble are historically the ones that aren’t able to adapt to **change** and respond quickly enough.

People may not remember exactly what you did or what you said but they always remember how you made them feel, that’s what matters the most.

We must all learn not only to not fear change, but to embrace it enthusiastically and, perhaps even more important, encourage and drive it. — We must all **learn** not only to not **fear** **change**, but to embrace it enthusiastically and, perhaps even more important, **encourage** and drive it.

Learn by surrounding yourself with talented players. Just because you win a hand doesn’t mean you’re good and you don’t have more learning to do. — Learn by surrounding yourself with **talented** players. Just because you win a hand doesn’t mean you’re good and you don’t have more learning to do.

Our business is based on repeat customers and word of mouth. There’s a lot of value in building up our brand name and what it stands for.

We view the money that we spend on customer service as marketing money that improves our brand.

Read books and learn from others who have done it before. Learn by doing. Theory is nice, but nothing replaces actual experience. — **Read books** and learn from others who have done it before. **Learn** by doing. Theory is nice, but nothing replaces actual experience.

“Open, honest communication is the best foundation for any relationship, but remember that at the end of the day it’s not what you say or what you do, but how you make people feel that matters the most.”
Tony Hsieh

The best businesses are really ones that can combine passion, profits, and purpose. — The best businesses are really ones that can combine **passion**, profits, and **purpose**.

We're willing to give up short-term profits or revenue growth to make sure we have the best culture. — We’re willing to give up short-term profits or revenue growth to make sure we have the best **culture**.

Every employee can affect your company’s brand, not just the front-line employees.

Good service comes naturally from satisfied employees who embraced the company culture. — Good service comes naturally from satisfied employees who embraced the company **culture**.

“I’ve found that it’s more interesting to build relationships with people that are “not” in the business world because they always can offer unique perspectives and insights, and also because those relationship tend to be more genuine.”
Tony Hsieh

I believe that there’s something interesting about anyone and everyone – you just have to figure out what that something is.

I think the most important thing is you hire people whose personal values match the corporate core values – and not just the stated ones.

In business you must do something that’s above and beyond what’s expected.

For me, the most fun is change or growth. There are definitely elements of both that I like. Launching a business is kind of like a motorboat: You can go very quickly and turn fast. — For me, the most fun is **change** or **growth**. There are definitely elements of both that I like. Launching a business is kind of like a motorboat: You can go very quickly and turn fast.

When you walk with purpose, you collide with destiny. — When you walk with **purpose**, you collide with destiny.

Don’t be cocky. Don’t be flashy. There’s always someone better than you.

In the end we, as Zappos, can’t grow unless we, as individuals, grow too.

The ultimate definition of success is: You could lose everything that you have and truly be okay with it. Your happiness isn’t based on external factors. — The ultimate definition of **success** is: You could lose everything that you have and truly be okay with it. Your happiness isn’t based on external factors.

“Personally I cringe at the word ‘leader.’ It’s more about getting people do what they’re passionate about and putting them in the right context or setting. They’re the ones doing the hard work.”
Tony Hsieh

Tony Hsieh Short Biography

Born on 12 December 1973 in Illinois, United States, Tony Hsieh is an Internet businessman and the previous CEO of Zappos.

Hsieh graduated from Harvard University with a degree in computer science in 1995. He started working for Oracle Corporation shortly after graduating but left the company after a few months.

In March 1996, Hsieh co-founded LinkExchange an internet advertising cooperation. LinkExchange experienced growth over 90 days. Two years later LinkExchange was sold to Microsoft for $265 million.

In 1999, Hsieh received an email from Nick Swinmurn introducing the concept of selling shoes online. Hsieh was skeptical at first but was later on convinced and decided to invest. Hsieh then became CEO of Zappos. Amazon.com acquired Zappos on July 22, 2009.

Hsieh published his book entitled Delivering Happiness in June 2010. Hsieh wrote about his entrepreneurial endeavors, and the book debuted at #1 on the New York Times Best Sellers List and stayed at the top for 27 consecutive weeks.

In August 2020, Hsieh retired as the CEO of Zappos after 21 years.

Further Reading:

Here are 5 Leadership Lessons from Retiring Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh – Forbes
Tony Hsieh Is Leaving Zappos After 20 Years, but He’ll Still Deliver Happiness – Inc.
What Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh Does All Day – WeWork
15 Questions with Tony Hsieh – CNN Tech

Here are the best Tony Hsieh quotes so you can be motivated to cultivate your leadership skills to drive engagement and wow your customers.

(MUST READ)

**Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose**

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Top 15 Most Famous Tony Hsieh Quotes (BEST)

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Tony Hsieh Short Biography

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