We asked ourselves what we wanted this company to stand for. We didn't want to just sell shoes. I wasn't even into shoes - but I was passionate about customer service.

I think the most important thing is just if you hire people whose personal values match the corporate core values - and not just the stated ones.

We decided that if we get the culture right, most of the stuff, like building a brand around delivering the very best customer service, will just take care of itself.

A bigger business is like a cruise ship: There are lots of amenities and you can go a lot further, but it's harder to turn quickly.

The brand is just a lagging indicator of a company's culture.

Without conscious and deliberate effort, inertia always wins

Have fun. The game is a lot more enjoyable when you're trying to do more than just make money.