How Tony Hsieh Transformed My Business Culture

True Story.

It was December 29, 2013 and I just finished reading the book “Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose” for the second time. I need to emphasize the word, “second time” because there are very few business books that I have read twice. I can barely make it through most business books once.

But, I heard the author, Tony Hsieh, speak at a conference earlier that year and I was inspired! Tony was the founder and ceo of Zappos.com and his book discussed his office culture, their belief system, and an alternative approach that small business owners like myself could follow. It was a simple concept — make the people around you happy, and by doing so, you will increase your own happiness.

That December evening, I decided that Howerton+Wooten Events‘ core values would be a major part of the company’s brand. So, I created a list of ten (10) things that the Howerton+Wooten Events team would believe in, then I posted that list on my web site. And, like Zappos, I required people interested in applying for a job at Howerton+Wooten Events to read those ten (10) beliefs first.

Here’s where my mind got blown.  On January 2, I received two of the best job applications ever! It felt like I put the Howerton+Wooten Events core values into the universe and the right people applied. And, since that night, I have worked with my team to tweak our value, and they remain on the Howerton+Wooten Events web site.  And, I have been consistently blessed with the BEST events team ever since. We work very well together. We are client-focused. And, here’s the best part, we are a happy, unified productive team.  Thank you Tony Hsieh. Your book was a game changer for me and I will always be grateful.

May your soul rest in peace.

Love and Soul Always, Kawania

Photo: Shutterstock

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hey there trailblazer!

I’m Kawania (kuh won nee ah) and I own and lead two successful businesses in the creative industry.

When I started Howerton+Wooten Events in 2007, I found myself “googling” a bunch of business questions that aren’t always discussed in business books. You know what I’m talking about, right?!? Those “start up” challenges that keep you up until the wee hours in the morning.

Believe me, I’ve been there — That’s why I launched this blog. To provide you with a resource you can reference with those “middle of the night” questions as you launch, run and scale your own successful (and sustainable) business. There’s lots of information in this blog, so bookmark it and hit me up if you have any questions. We all need a little guidance every now and then, right? Take care friend. Keep shining!

Love and Soul Always, Kawania

Popular Business Post

5 Rules for Keeping Your Business Cash Flowing. The Enlightened Creative.

5 Rules for Keeping Your Business Cash Flowing

Popular Personal Post

Kawania Wooten and Chris Wooten. The Enlightened Creative.

Three Things My Husband Taught Me About His Life As An Entrepreneur’s Spouse

Brainery-Header

Become a “Brainery” Insider

Enter your name and email below to be the first to know about flash sales, new courses, product launches, and new blog posts.