Book Review: Delivering Happiness By Tony Hsieh

I believe there is an entrepreneur gene in all of us.  Tony Hsieh‘s book, “Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose,” is about that gene. Yes, he is the CEO of Zappos, and the book talks a lot about the culture they have created at Zappos. The value of the book for me was a personal look into Tony’s thought process and his recipe for happiness.  The 240 pages are filled with stories and lessons he learned from doing things right and making mistakes. One of the coolest parts of “Delivering Happiness” is the contributions made by  friends and Zappos’ employees. It is interesting seeing the continuity of service, passion, and adventure as told by the individuals that make up the company’s culture.

The book is divided into three sections:

Profits – Tony’s history as an entrepreneur. Early ventures and the journey to Zappos. Everyone loves a great success story, and this part of the book lays the foundation and introduces key characters.

Profits and Passion – Growing pains and defining a culture. Section two of the book dives into the tactics and philosophies of building their brand.

Profits, Passion, and Purpose – Successful businesses and leaders empower and impart vision. The final act of the story shares with us where Zappos is going.

Tony is also asking us to come with him to share happiness with the world in a real and personal way. Zappos’ success, his success, is a byproduct of the atmosphere they created. If you’ve had that feeling inside, urging you to do something great, to create something bigger than yourself, and change the atmosphere where you work and live then you will get the most out of Delivering Happiness.