It was at this point Tony Hsieh decided to stop pursuing money or success, and to instead start pursuing happiness instead. But as the company grew, company culture declined-ultimately the deciding factor behind Hsieh selling his first company to Microsoft for $265 million in 1999. In the beginning, Hsieh was hiring friends, or friends of friends, with like-minded interests and values. Initially starting as a small internet advertising company, LinkExchange was founded by Hsieh and fellow Oracle colleague, Sanjay Madan, based on their mutual rejection of working in a rigid and claustrophobic corporate environment.īut as their company grew from a makeshift two-man operation into a popular, full-fledged powerhouse of internet marketing, Hsieh was faced with the same roadblocks that stunted his climb up the corporate ladder at Oracle: a lack of emotional connection with his employees. Ultimately, within one year, Hsieh graduated from Harvard, secured one of the highest-paying jobs at multinational, mega-corporate tech company- Oracle Corporation-and co-founded LinkExchange-one of the biggest e-marketing firms to come out of the initial dot.com craze of the late 90s. He dabbled with becoming a professional rave-thrower, he even purchased a giant loft above a movie theatre in San Diego to throw totally raging birthday and New Year’s Eve parties. Tony Hsieh tried his hand at becoming a professional poker player.

Tony hsieh book delivering happiness