What brings happiness?

What brings happiness?

In a previous post, I defended the idea that, When properly applied, money can bring happiness.

Returning to the theme of happiness, motivated by what Tony Hsieh (Chief Executive Officer of Zappos) wrote the book “Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose“, when he says something like this:

I made a list of times when I was happiest in my life and, I noticed that none of them involved money…happiness is closely linked to enjoy life…I felt good at creating, build and do things that they felt passion.

In addition to this confession by someone like Tony who sold 2 companies for large sums of money *, other event leads me to assume that achieving happiness is not closely linked to how much money we are able to amass, but to what we can do with it, is commitment Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Michael Bloomberg and more about 40 American billionaire, signed.

Him, undertake to donate more than half their fortunes for the implementation of charitable projects, to help create a better world.

If so, to help solve the major problems of humanity brings happiness, why wait as long as some of the signatories hoped to go in search of happiness?

* In 1998 LinkExchange to Microsoft for 265 million dollars and, in 2009 Zappos to Amazon by 1,2 billion dollars.

My Amaz(on)ing shop

I'm not sure if you noticed, but in my new blog page My Recomendations, I now have my store. Despite being based on Amazon's servers, truly feel it as my. This is a good start to constructive capitalism. Launching the strategy, adequate public-century 21, Amazon has identified a great business opportunity and I will explain why:

1- We all like to share with others what we are doing, what we are reading or what gifts they would like to receive;

2- When we want to make a purchase, or make a decision, rely more on advice made by people like us, that's the information that a company in attempts to pass (in the form of advertising);

3 – Providing us a platform (creation of our store) user friendly allows it to be very easy to share what we like (something which in my case was already wanting to do for some time);

4- When people rely on the opinion of those who have to shop, allows to easily purchase the desired product and, who shared, that can receive some (though a small percentage) money, in other words, compensates the spirit of sharing.

As “Our shops” possuem these excellent features, but in my view can be improved in two respects:

1- Providing more complete information when we click on an item;

2- Provide a service similar to the TOMS Shoes (offer for each book purchased another for entities like Room to Read) enabling “store owners” make a donation directly. Then yes, capitalism would be constructive in its maximum expression.

Zappos customer service or as a culture

In a post, I have argued that recent, these days, the best way to ensure our success is customer focarmo us. This is precisely the secret of success of Zappos (recently acquired by Amazon).

Since I learned of Zappos I have spoken much of it as an example to be followed, to be a completely different organization, because all its actions and decisions focusing on customers. And is not that this business model is giving excellent results!

Here is the article do Rohit Bhargava (book author Personality Not Included: Why Companies Lose Their Authenticity And How Great Brands Get it Back, Foreword by Guy Kawasaki) which gives us the 10 principles that guide all employees of Zappos.

For those who prefer here is a video (truly inspiring) where several employees have the values ​​of Zappos first person.