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Meet Zappos Insights

Zappos Insights is a team within Zappos.com who loves teaching other companies about how to improve their culture, attract and keep great people, deliver exceptional customer service and grow their business. Culture is totally our jam here at Zappos and Zappos Insights.

You might know a bit about Tony's story, that he started his first company in college and ultimately wound up selling it. But what a lot of people don’t know, is that he sold it because he wasn’t happy going to work there anymore, because it didn’t align with his values, and it wasn’t fun anymore for him. In short, a set of core values by which his company operated had not been identified and therefore, the culture of the organization shifted to something he didn't like.

At Zappos, we've been talking about the importance of company culture since 2004. Tony wrote about it in his book “Delivering Happiness.” And through our history, what we've learned is that company culture IS what makes the difference between success and failure. It's what helped us grow our business, our profit, deliver exceptional customer service, retain our talent, and have fun along the way.

We know that if you identify your company’s core values, hire by them, onboard team members by them, and truly live them, then you can get out of the way, and your team will do the best job for you and your customers.

People frequently ask us what the ROI of culture is. We think Tony has the best reply to this: “Just because you can’t measure the ROI of something doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. What’s the ROI on hugging your mom?”

We salute you for caring about your company's culture, your people, and your customers. And we invite you to explore the ways Zappos Insights can help you in your journey to being the best company you can be.

-The Zappos Insights Team

Christa

Est. 2004

Senior Director of Brand Vision & Culture, Head of Talent Acquisition

I wrangle the rest of the crazy kids on this page to help drive our purpose of inspiring organizations to make work better and more fulfilling! And by “wrangle”, I mean collaborating with the best rock stars at Zappos. If I am doing my job well, the team is supported, roadblocks are removed and Zappos Insights continues to share the positive impact of a strong company culture with companies across the lands. Other stuff I do at Zappos.com is championing our culture, our brand vision, and (most importantly) our people. I'm just a small town girl (from Vermont) living in a lonely (amazing) world. Oh and #vermontmaplesyruprocks #realmaplesyrupornothing

Marissa

Est. 2009

Senior Business Analyst

I wrangle Christa, ha! But really, my job is to help drive the Zappos Insights purpose using data. Spreadsheets are my jam. I help track and report on business performance and act as a gauge for possible ways to continually improve our product offerings. I also have the privilege of being a part of new Zappos operational initiatives to not only help evolve how we work, but also to be on the forefront of how what we are doing can help other businesses. Fun fact: I am the Zappos Insights old timer, joining the crew in 2010. #gododgers #goknightsgo

Emaile

Est. 2006

Events Samurai AKA Team Mom

Well of course, I win for the best title of all time. It's also a great business card conversation starter. But really, I do all the things around training events here. From sales to coordinating, to ensuring your WOW experience while you are with us! My passions include making sure you eat. Often. A lot. #foodpusher.

Erica

Est. 2007

Speaker of the House

I've been told I like to talk... a lot. Lucky for me (and maybe you) there's a job for that! My main gig at Zappos Insights is to travel the world presenting to anyone and everyone who wants to learn about company culture - and why it's the #1 secret ingredient sauce to a successful company. Let's see what else... Oh! I'm kinda hood, kinda classy. And just like guacamole, I'm always extra.

Kristen

Est. 2010

Speaking Coordinator

My job is to keep the ducks in a row - and by “ducks”, I mean Erica. #quackquack Basically, I field the speaking requests that come our way and help along in the process of booking our awesome Zappos speakers.

Amy

Est. 2010

Tour & Q&A Scheduler

I spend my day booking all the tours for Zappos. We have a pretty cool place in Downtown Las Vegas, you should come check it out! I also help out with our onsite events, which I love! In addition, I help find the best Zapponian possible for media requests, student questions and authors to speak with if they'd like to. I love a big bold glass of cab, hockey, my kids, and Chomper, my English Bulldog...in no particular order. :)

Culture is

Happiness

Great culture leads to employee happiness. The same way a toxic culture leads to unhappiness. Happy employees means higher engagement, profitability, and low turnover.

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Culture is

People

Our culture would not be what is it today without the people, past and present. We are all protectors and cultivators of the Zappos Culture; it's what makes it unique and something that changes every day.

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Culture is

Being Yourself

I love that I get to be me all day. The culture encourages you to be the same person you are at work as you are at home. I don't have to pretend to be something I'm not, which makes Zappos a comfortable place to be.

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Culture is

Unique

Every company has a unique culture that's all their own. Just like every person has their own personality, every company has their own culture. Building a culture is a special process that can't be taken lightly. It's the responsibility of every employee to represent and foster culture.

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Culture is

Fun

Work can be fun! We have 2 annual parties at Zappos. Our Vendor Party where we invite all of our brands to thank them and celebrate our partnership. And, our employee holiday party. Past epic party themes have ranged from Mardi Gras and old-school hip-hop to a Hawaiian luau at a waterpark. Each has had its own twists and tricks to surprise and delight partygoers. This year, we invited our vendors to run away with us to the “Untamed Circus."

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Culture is

Perpetual

Your culture doesn't stay the same, it will continue to evolve. Having a defined set of values will serve as your guide to continue your culture's growth and evolution in a positive direction.

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Culture is

Not Always Measured

A strong culture means lower employee burnout and therefore, lower turnover. It leads to higher employee engagement and higher profitability. But really, companies should focus on their culture because it matters. Because it's just the right thing to do. To quote Tony Hsieh, "Just because you can’t measure the ROI of something doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. What’s the ROI on hugging your mom?"

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Culture is

Work-Life Integration

Companies and employees worry about work-life separation or work-life balance. But why? Wouldn't you rather be a company where your employees easily combine their full self into everything they do? Wouldn't you rather work for a company whose focus on culture allows your job to integrate with your life? It shouldn't be a struggle to find a balance between life and work where you are truly fulfilled and happy.

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Culture is

Partnerships

Your vendors have the same objective as you: to sell their product, be successful in their work, and maybe have some fun while doing it. Something unique that Zappos does is allow brand representatives access to all the same sales and inventory information on their products that Zappos has. By working as a team, by partnering, you are setting the stage for success!

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Culture is

Real

Your company has a culture. You may not have "planned" it. You may not like it. Or maybe you love it. But it's there. It is real. You can choose to be thoughtful about your company culture. You can set values and identify the behaviors that you want to be the core of your culture. That part is fairly easy. The hard part, is committing to the values once they are set. Living them.

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Culture is

Core Values

Values are more than just words, they're a way of life. They are the foundation of your company culture. We know that companies with a strong culture and a higher purpose perform better in the long run. As we continue to grow, we strive to ensure that our culture remains alive and well.

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Culture is

Your Brand

A company’s culture and a company’s brand are really just two sides of the same coin. The brand is just a lagging indicator of the culture.

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