Category Archives: business

Lessons From Billionaire : Tony Hsieh on 20/20


Lessons From Billionaire : Tony Hsieh on 20/20

If you missed 20/20 last week, you missed an interesting piece about Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh and the evangelical way he keeps employees happy. At a young age, his parents wanted him to be a lawyer or doctor for his future career and even forced him to play instruments. He didn’t want to do any of these. In fact, when he was a kid, instead of practicing the piano, he played a recording of himself playing it, while his parents were in a different room. Even going through Harvard, he was a maverick. He skipped classes, but still passes all his classes. Although he speaks Mandarin, he signed up to take beginner’s Mandarin. His advice to future entrepreneurs: Skip school and funnel the money you would have used for school straight into you startup business.

His success in business is undeniable. He sold his company Linkexchange for $265 million to Microsoft because he wasn’t happy going to work anymore. With his involvement in his next venture Zappos, he vowed to keep the company culture to something, he would have fun doing. Although Zappos is known for shoes, Tony wasn’t really interested in shoes. He much more interested in developing a company culture, where you can have fun and let your own personality shine. Zappos offers free food, fully covered medical benefits, even life coaches to its employees.

Zappos is more like a lifestyle rather than just a job. Last year, Zappos was sold to Amazon.com. Tony Hsieh is still working there getting paid $36,000 a year and sitting in his own cubicle next to his assistant. However, he’s still got bigger plan including spreading the word on how to deliver happiness and revitalize downtown Las Vegas.

Lessons From Billionaire : Tony Hsieh on 20/20

Jet Li rings NYSE Closing Bell

Jet Li rings NYSE Closing Bell

Today, actor Jet Li accompanied by members of the China World Champion Wushu Team, Chinese Wushu Association and International Wushu Federation, visited the New York Stock Exchange and toured the trading floor. The World Wushu Champions are in New York for a performance at the United Nations. To mark this occasion, Jet Li, joined by Mr. Qinglong He , Vice President of the Chinese Wushu Association and Mr. Yuping Zhang, Chief of the International Wushu Federation Secretariat and CWA Foreign Affairs Department, along with several Wushu Champions, rang the NYSE Closing Bell. Jet Li and the Wushu teams are actively trying to get wushu as an Olympic sport.

We might see more Asian personalities ringing the bell in the future as the U.S. drowns in debt and the European crisis is about to torpedo their economies.

Jet Li rings NYSE Closing Bell

China Blue

China Blue

2011 marks the 20th anniversary of the Independent Television Service (ITVS), one of the largest sources of funding for independent filmmakers. In recognition of this milestone, ITVS has launched the ITVS Indies Showcase, a free online film festival running from July 25 to September 23, 2011 in honor of the extraordinary contributions of independent filmmakers to public television. This weekend they are showing China Blue. Here’s more about the film:

The documentary China Blue follows 17-year-old Jasmine, one of many teenagers working at a blue jeans factory, struggling to survive brutal work conditions. They work around the clock for pennies a day. Shot clandestinely and without permission from Chinese authorities, China Blue takes a rare and poignant look at the individuals who toil day-to-day to make the clothes we buy. CHINA BLUE reveals what international retail companies don’t want us to see: how the clothes we buy are actually made. To date, the film remains banned in China.

You can watch this free online screening Friday, August 12 – Sunday, August 14, 2011 here.

Here’s more films along the same topic: Xmas without China, Young & Restless in China, and Made In China: The People’s Republic of Profit

China Blue trailer

Hula Flash Mob at 38,000 Feet on Hawaiian Airlines

Hula Flash Mob  at 38,000 Feet on Hawaiian Airlines

Last year, Cebu Pacific dancing flight attendants had an entertaining flight safety tutorial. Hawaiian Airlines ups the ante this year. A hula dance group traveling from San Francisco to Honolulu surprised their fellow passengers on a Hawaiian Airlines flight at 38,000 Feet with a Hit and Run Hula Flash Mob. They start off with hula to Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu and follow it up with Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”. Aloha!!

Hula Flash Mob at 38,000 Feet on Hawaiian Airlines

80 Impression : Intel short film

80 Impression : Intel short film

As part of chip maker Intel’s marketing campaign, they hit up a wedding photography studio in Shanghai, 80 Impression. This short film illustrates the diverse, personal, and emotional role that technology plays in the everyday Visual Life of two young Chinese wedding photographers – Kitty and Lala. They give couples a personalized and unique look for modern wedding photos. Props and technology help create and deliver their innovative style and provide worldwide exposure. If you’re getting married soon, you’ll get inspired with this video.

80 Impression : Intel short film