"He says, 'Hold on for a second. You mean to tell me you're leaving this company for some tiny, little internet bookstore that nobody's ever heard of ... that has got to be the stupidest decision I've ever heard anyone made,' Risher recalled."
"What ultimately convinced Risher to take the leap was Bezos's intense focus on the customer. 'He was very customer-obsessed,' Risher said, noting Bezos's logic that on the internet, 'everyone is one click away from somebody else, so you have to create a great customer experience.' (In fact, Bezos's management style stressed to Amazonians that they should approach every day from a ' day one ' mindset.)"
"While Risher admitted the move wasn't 'entirely rational,' he said he was drawn to the opportunity."
David Risher left Microsoft in 1996 to join a fledgling Amazon despite strong skepticism from Bill Gates. Bill Gates called the decision "the stupidest decision I've ever heard anyone made." Risher had connected with Jeff Bezos earlier during a reference check and found Bezos intensely focused on the customer. Bezos argued that on the internet everyone is one click away from somebody else, requiring a superior customer experience and a "day one" mindset. Risher acknowledged the move was not entirely rational but was compelled by the customer-obsessed vision and opportunity.
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