MEDINA, WA—The man with an estimated net worth of $108.2 billion sat down with The Colon in his home to share insights into what it takes to succeed in a business world that has come to rely so heavily on the Internet, and soon automation.
Bezos's unprecedented rags-to-riches story is fascinating as he built Amazon.com into a thriving enterprise that has become synonymous with online shopping. We were especially curious to learn what it is that separates Bezos from other entrepreneurs who have failed in their efforts to enter the online retail market. What is it that helped Bezos to dominate the market?
"Of course you know that wildly successful people often are a little on the perfectionist side," shared Bezos over a mug of coffee. "We get obsessive, and pay close attention to details. I think that's really what's done it for me, too."
When pressed for these details, Bezos explained that one habit that has really led to his success, in his mind, is the fact that he gets out of bed each morning.
"Even as a little child, it was very important to me to actually physically wake up and get out of bed when the sun was up. Sometimes even before, and sometimes a while after, but every day I would get up out of bed," he related.
It was this simple step, according to Bezos, that allowed him to succeed in creating the top online retail site in the world, employing over half a million people, and forming a new avenue for other companies to sell their products.
"It's not as complicated as people think," continued Bezos. "They often think that I carefully studied the markets and public behaviors, and that I had some deep, godlike understanding of free market principles. It's not like that at all."
He went on to say, "It's easy to overlook this, but think about it. By waking up, that allows me to start doing things that would build my business. You might think that you can design your web site in your sleep, or that you can be reaching out to potential investors through the astral plane or something as you are unconscious under your covers. Those things don't really usually work unless you are alert and salient, oriented to time and place."
Bezos is now 55 years old, and says that he has been waking up and then getting out of bed each day for as long as he can remember. "It's really key to do both of those things, too," he added. "Some mornings you might think waking up is enough, but if you don't get out of bed also, then you're really not going to be as productive as you'd hoped."
In the fast-paced world of technology and social media, Bezos says that a true go-getter needs to be conscious before they can be conscientious. "I meet so many young people with these ideas for how to start a company or create an app that might be revolutionary. I can't tell you how many times I just knew that thing wasn't going to get off the ground because those same people told me about their ideas while still under the covers, in between yawns as they mumbled their sleepy thoughts."
As far as advice, Bezos says that one thing he recommends is using a device called an "alarm clock," many varieties of which are available on his web site, Amazon.com. These devices cause a noise at a time which has been predetermined by the device's owner, thus assisting the person to wake from their slumber.
Bezos also explains that some people may find it necessary to use substances to reach full alertness, but assures us that they are completely legal and harmless, so long as used as directed. For example, he said that he has experimented with caffeine before and found the results promising for reaching and maintaining alertness. However, he recommends that people interested in trying the substance first consult with a physician.
As of press time, Bezos mentioned that he would be entering a state of unconsciousness for several hours in preparation for the coming day, another piece of advice he said has served him well.
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