Think Like Amazon Tyler Wallis

Ronak spent over 9 years at Amazon, where he led large businesses across Fulfillment, Ultra-fast delivery, Real Estate, Process Improvement, and Last Mile Delivery. Ronak was also the youngest Regional Director in Amazon history, with placement into Amazon’s highest volume, most critical region of fulfillment. After nearly a decade with the company, Ronak left Amazon to join Odeko as Chief Supply Chain Officer. 
 
In this episode, Ronak shares how his career in operations leadership quickly unfolded and the leadership principles that helped him achieve success in the programs, centers, and regions he led. You’ll hear Ronak share how Deliver Results rounded out his perspective on maximizing the collective impact of Amazon’s leadership principles, how leadership transparency helped him turn around a 2,800-employee site, and how, with the right focus and motivation, leaders can help their teams operate at a high level, whether at Amazon or in any business arena. 
 
 
Ronak on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronak-patel-nashville/
 
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Jennifer spent over 16 years at Amazon across various roles that included Financial Analyst, Product Manager, Head of Vendor Management, and Category Leader. During this time, Jennifer’s teams helped create new input metrics and ask questions to evolve Amazon’s use of data in the quest for operational excellence. Jennifer has since taken this ability to lead through data and questioning to launch a marketplace service for BuildDirect Technologies and consult various consumer brands in their Amazon and e-commerce negotiations and growth strategies. 
 
In this episode, Jennifer shares context behind her career journey and how she used preceding roles to prepare for later leadership roles as Amazon director and executive at Build Direct. She also shared practical examples from her experience asking questions and identifying data to improve business operations. 
 
You’ll also hear Jennifer share:
 
·        How increased transparency into variable product costs quickly clarified needed actions
·        Why Dive Deep is such a fundamental principle for managing a P&L and marketplace business
·        How listening to key customer anecdotes helped create a better assortment strategy in the Watches category
·        How leaders can apply the Dive Deep principle when moving to a completely new business
·        How to improve negotiations with the right use of questions and data
 
 
Jennifer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-arthur-460768/
Jennifer’s email: jennifer@jmaconsultingco.com

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In part two of this 2-episode special with Steve Frazier, a former 20-year Amazon VP, we pick up in talking about how to use data, focus on inputs, and exercise strong judgement in prioritizing your team’s attention in a scaling business.
 
You’ll hear Steve share: 
·        Why businesses should focus on operational performance reviews, even on day 1
·        The 2 magical metrics that helped Amazon stay focused on the right actions as it scaled
·        The litmus test for a leader to know they have their team focused on the right inputs
·        Why Amazon focuses on the smallest defects in performance
·        Learning from both successes and failures
·        How being a reporter for The Wall Street Journal helped shape Steve’s approach in business
 
Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sfrazier/
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Steve spent over 20 years as a VP at Amazon where he launched multiple businesses and led organizations around the globe. During his Amazon career, Steve spent time as the country manager for Amazon UK and Amazon China, in addition to roles leading North American Retail expansion and the rollout of international consumer programs. 
 
In this first installment of our two-episode conversation with Steve, we discuss Amazon’s approach to expanding businesses internationally and what it was like to lead international teams during Amazon’s earlier years. Steve shares how Amazon prioritized efforts to launch internationally, including a few mistakes made along the way and the mental models that ultimately led to Amazon’s international success. 
 
You’ll also hear Steve share: 
 
·        How to manage risk and capital expenditure when setting the pace for international expansion
·        When to copy past models vs. create a localized strategy
·        The four decision buckets that need should be covered when launching a new country, and the relative Importance of getting each category right
·        A few costly mistakes, and how Amazon learned from these experiences
·        How to adapt a launch strategy in step with the growing product or service offering of your business
·        Practices for disseminating learning during a launch in order to de-risk future market launches
 
 
 
Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sfrazier/
 
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Umer spent nearly 12 years at Amazon as a software development leader across a diverse set of businesses including Amazon’s data warehouse, reverse logistics, Prime Now program, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods Market. Umer left Amazon in early 2018 to co-found Veeve, a contact-less shopping checkout solution, and in early 2021, Umer took on the role of CTO at fabric.inc, a high-growth startup providing headless commerce solutions for retail businesses.
 
In this interview, Umer shares how Amazon mechanisms helped him scale businesses to hundreds of employees and billions in revenue. Umer discusses how he identifies the right objectives and mechanisms needed to fit the core goals and lifecycle of a businesses and when to think about improving or changing and pivot existing mechanisms. You’ll also here examples of three mechanisms that Umer used at Amazon and has successfully applied in leading tech startups: Corrections of Errors, PRFAQs, and Change Management. Umer also addresses how mechanisms can help with VC fundraising and in building company culture.
 
 
Mentioned in the Episode: 
 
fabric Blog: https://resources.fabric.inc/blog
Umer on Twitter: @umersadiq 
 
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Mandy spent over 13 years at Amazon across a number of roles including as leader of product management, marketing, and retail buying teams, running Prime Pantry, leading the supply chain function for Amazon Private Label, and leading worldwide employee performance management programs. Since Amazon, Mandy has joined The Bouqs, an innovative e-commerce floral delivery service, where she is now VP of People and applying her input focused approach to driving improvements to organizational health. 
 
In this episode, Mandy shares how gaining broad functional experience in the first half of a career can be a key asset as a leader, the 3 pillars to becoming an effective multi-function leader, how to use inputs to make decisions at a large scale, and why organizations should collect more employee data to navigate successfully through changing work environments. If you’re trying to scale your impact, are involved in people management, or perhaps are just curious about how to leverage your past functional experience, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.
 
Mentioned in the episode:


The Bouqs:  Bouqs.com
Mandy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandybottorff/
 
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