2009 Letter - Setting Goals

The 2018 letter to shareowners (released April 2019). Key theme is wandering and curiosity as a counterbalance to efficiency, even if it leads to failure. Probably one of my favorite letters. Jeff's letters is a non-commercial production with Preet Anand as its narrator. I'm doing this to make the content of these incredible letters more accessible. My goal is for Jeff, and other authors of incredible letters, to narrate future letters. As a reminder, Jeff Bezos's Annual Letters to Shareholders are the property of Jeff Bezos and Amazon.com Inc. 

2017 letter to shareowners. Key theme is the importance of high standards and the elements of having them. It's crazy to think Amazon has nearly a million more more employees now than when this was published just 4.5 years ago. As a reminder, Jeff's letters is a non-commercial production with Preet Anand as its narrator. I'm doing this to make the content of these incredible letters more accessible. My goal is for Jeff, and other authors of incredible letters, narrate future letters.  The content of these annual letters is the property of Jeff Bezos and Amazon.com Inc.

2016 Letter to shareowners. Key theme is how to avoid atrophy as a business, such as Amazon, gets bigger.  As a reminder, Jeff's letters is a non-commercial production with Preet Anand as its narrator. I'm doing this to make the content of these incredible letters more accessible. My goal is for Jeff, and other authors of incredible letters, narrate future letters.  The content of these annual letters is the property of Jeff Bezos and Amazon.com Inc.

The 2015 letter to shareowners. Key theme is high velocity decision making. One of my favorites! As a reminder, Jeff's letters is a non-commercial production with Preet Anand as its narrator. I'm doing this to make the content of these incredible letters more accessible. My goal is for Jeff, and other authors of incredible letters, narrate future letters.  The content of these annual letters is the property of Jeff Bezos and Amazon.com Inc.

The 2014 letter to shareowners. Key theme is what great businesses look like. As a reminder, Jeff's letters is a non-commercial production with Preet Anand as its narrator. I'm doing this to make the content of these incredible letters more accessible. \ The content of these annual letters is the property of Jeff Bezos and Amazon.com Inc.

The 2013 letter to shareowners. Key theme is invention at every layer from every employee. Amazon shows the full breadth of the many things it is doing. As a reminder, Jeff's letters is a non-commercial production with Preet Anand as its narrator. I'm doing this to make the content of these incredible letters more accessible. My goal is for Jeff, and other authors of incredible letters, narrate future letters. 

The 2012 Letter. Jeff articulates how being customer centric enables Amazon to be internally driven in its innovations and not chasing after competitors. It's a great letter that pairs very well with Eugene Wei's essay about Invisible Asymptotes. Wei is Amazon alum who uses the example of expensive and slow shipping as an example of how there are unseen forces that prevent the growth of your product. Thanks to all of you Jeff's Letters is now in the top 30% of podcasts worldwide! Please say hello and drop me an email at [email protected]

The 2011 Letter. Jeff shares stories about how Amazon's self service platforms have made a major difference for creators and also the powerful impact of having no gatekeepers.  Jeff shares many stories in the written letter but I omitted some for brevity. If you'd like to see all the stories he shares, please read the letter. It's good! I want to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected] about how you've enjoyed the podcast.

The 2010 letter. This one is a bit of a weird one. Jeff starts and stays at the very nitty gritty level detailing Amazon's incredible technical efforts, why it seeks to do them, and the value they create. 

The 2009 letter. Jeff articulates the incredible outcomes Amazon has had by 2009, but then shifts to why they focus on customer-facing inputs.