How Leaders Lead with David Novak · 2025-05-15 · 52 min · 10,270 words

#239: Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon – Start with the customer and work backward

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There is this very strong force inside the company that we're here to make customers' lives easier and better every day. And and a lot of companies talk about it, not that many really live it. And Amazon is a company that really lives it every day. You know, a lot of leaders say they put customers first, but today you're going to see what it really looks like when that mindset drives every decision.

Welcome to How Leaders Lead. I'm David Novak and every week I have conversations with the very best leaders in the world to help you become the best leader you can be. My guest today is Andy Jassy, the CEO of Amazon. He's been with the company for 28 years and he's the guy who built and led Amazon Web Services before succeeding Jeff Bezos as CEO in 2021. Now listen, it's not easy to lead one of the biggest companies in the world, not to mention following an iconic founder like Bezos.

But as you'll see, Andy is more than up for the task. He's smart, he's curious, and he's committed not just to saying customers matter, but actually operationalizing it. Andy knows how to start with the customer and then work backwards. And if you want to make better decisions and launch better products, you've got to hear the strategies he shares. Plus, he's got some bold takes on AI and post-pandemic work that are definitely gonna get your wheels turning.

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