The biggest (and hardest) lesson I've learned in life is that the external world is just a reflection of the world within.

Most innovation comes from outside your industry applied to your own

Having a higher purpose is more than just about profits. You actually end up making more profits in the long run because employees really are a lot more engaged and customers see the higher purpose in the company.

Our customers call and e-mail us to say that's how it feels when a Zappos box arrives. And that's how we view this company.

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.

The biggest (and hardest) lesson I've learned in life is that the external world is just a reflection of the world within.

Be true to yourself. If you follow that principle, a lot of decisions are actually pretty easy.