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AcquiredJanuary 23, 2018

Season 2, Episode 1: Zappos (with Alfred Lin)

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Former Zappos Chairman & COO (and current Partner at Sequoia Capital) Alfred Lin joins our heroes to kick off Season 2 with a classic: Amazon’s 2009 acquisition of the internet’s quirkiest online retailer for $1.2B in stock. How did three Harvard undergrads go from delivering pizza to their dorm to delivering happiness to the world — and become in the process one of the few companies ever to compete successfully head-to-head against Amazon in commerce? Tune in to find out! Note: Unfortunately the quality of David and Alfred’s audio tracks in this episode were significantly impacted by a processor issue on David’s computer, which we didn’t discover until after recording. We’ve worked hard to fix in post-production, but it’s still far from perfect. Still, the content from Alfred is so good, we felt we had to put this episode out there even though the audio quality isn’t up to par. We hope you’ll give it a listen regardless, and we’re working on getting a transcript made ASAP as well. -Ben & David
4 book mentions in this episode.
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Books Mentioned

Tony's book cover

There's a lot of cool stuff in Tony's book, but there are two things that I think I attribute to, um, that is not told about very much in, in the founder lore because it's not a happy story.

Sentiment: Deep Dive
Trigger: Zappos business model
For: Entrepreneurs and business founders
Key quote: I think there's a lot of cool stuff in Tony's book, but there are two things that I think I attribute to, um, that is not told about very much in, in the founder lore because it's not a happy story.
The host discusses the challenges Zappos faced in securing funding despite having a solid business model. They reference 'Tony's book' to highlight the innovative strategies that contributed to Zappos' success in a difficult financial environment.
ASIN: 1626723087
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Tony's books cover

All of those things that are written in Tony's books, those were all true, but primary capital was about $10 million.

Sentiment: Deep Dive
Trigger: Zappos funding challenges
For: Entrepreneurs and business strategists
Key quote: I think there's a lot of cool stuff in Tony's book, but there are two things that I think I attribute to, um, that is not told about very much in, in the founder lore because it's not a happy story.
The host discusses how Zappos' early struggles with funding shaped its business strategy and customer acquisition methods. They reference insights from Tony's books to highlight the innovative approaches Zappos took to succeed despite financial limitations.
ASIN: B08FCZ9ZY4
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Ben Franklin cover
Ben Franklin
Walter Isaacson

I'm reading through two books by Walter Isaacson. One is about Ben Franklin, the other about Albert Einstein.

Sentiment: Passing Reference
Trigger: reading thick books
For: Readers interested in historical figures and personal development.
Key quote: I just think both of those men were fascinating people and have contributed lots to our society.
The host mentioned 'Ben Franklin' while discussing the importance of reading thick books and the fascinating lives of historical figures. They highlighted Franklin's diverse interests and contributions to society as a reflection of having a curious mind.
ASIN: B004VLETYM
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Albert Einstein cover
Albert Einstein
Walter Isaacson

I'm reading through two books by Walter Isaacson. One is about Ben Franklin, the other about Albert Einstein.

Sentiment: Highly Recommended
Trigger: reading thick books
For: Readers interested in history and influential figures
Key quote: I just think both of those men were fascinating people and have contributed lots to our society.
The host mentioned 'Albert Einstein' by Walter Isaacson while discussing the importance of curiosity and the diverse interests of influential figures. They believe that understanding such prolific individuals can inspire readers to enhance their own capabilities in their respective fields.
ASIN: B000PAU1UO
Buy on Amazon
Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.