Answered from Ex-Amazon VP tells us what it’s really like working with Jeff Bezos · My First Million · 2026-10-28
Ethan Evans said Amazon used gentler phrases for a very demanding culture. Bezos preferred work-life harmony to work-life balance, meaning long hours were fine if you enjoyed the work. Staff were told careers have seasons and Amazon may not suit some of them, such as raising young children. Evans said Amazon was often called a place where high performers go to feel bad about themselves, because the bar kept rising after every success.
Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on My First Million (2026-10-28). Read the whole episode summary →