RE3EL STANCE

A few years ago Jeff Bezos was flying around Texas looking for a big ol’ ranch…not too uncommon for somebody with big bucks and needing something away from all the attention or Wall Street hassle. But, something strange did happen on that trip and it’s a fitting way to introduce Mr. Amazon. His helicopter crashed. Yep, a billionaire owner of one of the web’s most famous companies was brought down to earth…literally. The helicopter hit a wind, lost control and crashed into the side of a cedar tree. The chopper was destroyed and Bezos was hospitalized. So, his life flashed before his eyes, right?! And, he spent the next six months in deep reflection about “what’s the meaning of all of this??”, right?! Well, it turns out that no…in the hospital he simply said, “All I could think about was this is a silly way to die” and got back to work.

Bezos has dealt with many flights and crashes over the years. He was a press darling and instant billionaire when he launched Amazon. He then was a goat of Wall Street when “he couldn’t figure out how to make money”. His company’s stock rose to $100 almost instantly and then crashed to $6 even faster. And, when the bubble burst, the internet and internet business crumbled around him.

Many of the companies around Amazon.com back in 2001 have fallen away. Many hit the panic button and walked away. I even remember the stories of the time of all of the people that had gone on the internet joy ride that were now slinging burgers at the local fast food joint. But, Bezos kept his laser focus and his general sense of complete optimism. And, along the way he has proved his mettle as a chameleon.

But, how did he do it and how can you learn from his ability to be a chameleon?

Keep your head about you: Your business will have good days and bad and up years and down. You’ll be the hero some days and the goat on others. Believe in your direction, yourself and your business and keep level headed.

Be optimistic: Bezos believed in the internet when others headed for the exits. Optimism is critical and one of the easiest business tools to come by.

Laugh: Bezos is famous for his laugh. He laughs in tough meetings and easy ones. He laughs in the halls of the office and in interviews. It certainly isn’t the only reason that he was able to stay on track with the two points above, but is one of the most important ones.

Listen to the market: Amazon has changed a lot over the years based on what the market needed and wanted. The company was able to do so because Bezos stayed close to the action and the people the company served.

Don’t listen to the market too much: Sometimes adjusting your business too much to what the customers ask for can be dangerous. So, be picky and keep your head about you.

Use the latest technologies: Amazon is famous for leveraging the latest technologies to improve its services and efficiencies. With limited resources, leveraging technologies should be seen as an investment rather than a cost.

Create the newest technologies: Don’t just sit back and wait for new technologies to be created. Creating technologies these days can be cheap and can lead you to entirely new markets. Amazon is no longer just a book store, but also is a fulfillment company, a logistics provider and a data center for businesses big and small.

Grow: Learn about yourself, your team and your business every day….it’s the only way you’ll know when to change and when to stay the course.

And, finally, don’t forget that in business your business must adapt or die…there is just no way around it.