Our wonderful Finance team greets unsuspecting employees each Thursday with the "Random Acts of Kindness" award. They gather the entire team and parade through the office buildings spreading joy (and gift cards!!) to employees across all departments.

I caught up with Michelle S., one of the lucky recipients, to see how the "Random Act of Kindness" inspired joy in her life.



Question: What is your favorite Random Act of kindness that you do for others?

Michelle: " If you walk in or out a door while I’m around, I’ll hold the door open for you."

Question: What "Random Act of Kindess" do you think could change the world if everyone did it?

Michelle: "If everyone covered their mouth after sneezing it would change the world."

Question: What is your favorite core value?

Michelle: "Do more with less."

Question: How did you feel when you received the award?

Michelle: "Amazing!"

Question: Did you wear the hat around all week?

Michelle: "No. I actually gave the hat to someone else
to wear. She loved it!"

Question: Name 5 things that make you happy

Michelle: "Pancakes, Rain, Traveling, Wi-Fi and Dry Humor."

Our Front End Development team, or FEZ, as they are also known, went on a day outing to the city of San Francisco on Wednesday. SF is actually the birthplace of the wonder that is Zappos; it welcomes any Zappos group with open arms!

Led by their fearless captain of code, Alex K., they flew out early Wednesday morning and boarded a plane bound for the bay. They all garnered their custom made (by themselves) t-shirts, which have become their official travel Uniforms. While roaming the beauty that is SF, they reaked havoc, frightened locals, rode trollies and conquered the Golden Gate bridge.



Ryan A. has the height advantage here, I do believe.



Here they are taking over the Apple store...only these crazy kids would choose that color for their shirts!

The FEZ team is quite loved in Creative Services and we salute them!

DATES: June 1 to June 6 ,2008
SHOW: FFANY
LOCATION: New York, NY
BUYER: Amber R., Assistant Buyer, Comfort

June 1, 2008

2:20 AM - Waiting to fall asleep. First night in NY. Tomorrow I will get some work done with W Hotel wireless and shop the market.

June 2, 2008

8:00 AM - At the “make sure everyone is alive” breakfast we always have during the week of shows. Eating at the Blue Fin restaurant downstairs of the W Hotel. Here with Galen, Graham, Kathy, Nicole.

10:33 AM - I am in hotel room hooked up to wireless getting a few things done, before I head out this afternoon to "shop the market". I must admit it is pretty nice working from the 36th floor with a view of Manhattan.

1:54 PM - At Macy's in NY. This is overwhelming. I had never been in here before. It's huge, with many endless floors!

3:22 PM - Almost the whole store is on sale. Scary!

5:00 PM - Nicole just called and asked if I wanted to have dinner with her and one of Andrea C.'s friends who lives in NY and also works as an Apparel rep for Tripp Apparel. We will go out for Sushi at 6:30.

8:00 PM - Sushi was very good and the company was great as well. I am now back at the lounge in the lobby of the W. Hanging out with several Zappos folks from my team, monkey row and Fashion.

June 3, 2008

8:04 AM - I am eating breakfast with the team and Steve Gebhart, before we all head separate ways for our first day of appointments. I have 4 brands today, and they aren't too far from the W, so minimal walking today. Should be wrapped up by 5:00PM.

9:46 AM - Walking into Warwick Hotel for Aerosoles appt. Galen will be joining me.

11:04 AM - Met with Aerosoles earlier. Line looks good. Looks like huaraches are going to make a comeback next year! We discussed some possible marketing ideas for Aerosoles on 6PM.com.

11:45 PM - Just left Perlina meeting. Such nice people. Can't wait for the Fall styles to hit. Perlina is doing very well. My senior rep, Yves, hopes someday that Perlina will be the biggest brand on Zappos.

12:45 PM - White Mt. was able to see me 2 hour early and now I have a nice break in schedule to grab some lunch. Met lots of people from White Mt as I was the only account present at the time I was there. Nice group of people, and they all speak very highly of Zappos.

2:35 PM - Organizing folders for my appointments tomorrow and Thursday. I have one appt left today with Duck Head at 4:00.

4:10 PM - Finished up with Duck Head short and sweet. Women's Spring looks great.They are doing lots with color. I have been way ahead of schedule all day and gotten in and out of appointments early all day. Love when that happens! Tomorrow will be a bit harder to stay on schedule as I’m meeting with some big brands from my portfolio.

9:20 PM - Just finishing up dinner with Born at Mesa Grill. Large group of us including Tom McClaskie. Great food, wine, the best white peach margarita I've ever had! We are so blessed to "live the good life".

June 4, 2008

7:39 AM - Day off to a great start. I have the giggles this morning. I am in the cab with Jeanne and Galen on our way to meet with the Clarks family. Have a big day today. Born, Ugg, Merrell, and Ecco. I will probably skip Merrell and Ecco to go back to hotel and get some work done on laptop.

11:00 AM - Met with Clarks/Privo/Indigo first thing this morning. Clarks line looks great. They know who their customer is and update in their own ways, while keeping up with current trends.

11:24 AM - About to meet with Born.

1:00 PM - Met with Born and watched fashion show for Interim into Spring 09. Line looks great as usual, and they are trying a few things no one has thought of yet. Love my Born reps. They are awesome! The are using many shoes with a “Carrie Bradshaw” type flower on the top.

9:16 PM - Sushi Samba was some of the best food I've ever had! Having a great time in NY. Ate dinner with White Mt. crew. My White Mt rep took her first Sake Bomb, it was awesome and she was a natural champ. Go Marianne! After Sushi Samba, headed over to an Irish Pub style place and saw the Deer Stags rep Danny’s family perform in their band. Lots of fun, but it was ending right as we arrived. Headed back to W to check out the lounge. Late night!

June 5, 2008

7:42 AM - Last night was such a fun time at Sushi Samba with White Mt. Delicious food and great company. Then ended up running into Eric and his Steve Madden reps who we had a few drinks with. This afternoon, I am off to the Piers for my last appt of the show with Eastland. Clarks dinner tonight. Can't wait!

11:00 AM - Just finished up a revision of my Privo and Timberland Outdoor plan. Thank you Caron for giving us the last chance.

3:55 PM - So I am at the Piers. Finished up with Eastland. Women's Spring looks great and I can't wait for the styles to hit the site. Men's was interesting as they are taking more of an urban approach. The shoes looked good. Very nice distressed leathers. I’m outside Dansko booth, waiting for Jeanne, Dave, and Galen to finish up, so we can share a cab back to W.

5:17 PM -
Back at hotel, getting a head start on packing for return flight tomorrow afternoon. Heading to Porterhouse for dinner with Clarks at 7:00.

7:16 PM -
At Porterhouse restaurant in Time Warner building. Dave and I took an interesting picture with a statue. I have to give it to Graham for the blog! Also, very humid outside right now. I am not into the humidity!



10:00 PM - Dinner with Clarks tonight was amazing, but the coldest restaurant I have ever been in!

11:53 PM -
All packed up and ready to go bag home tomorrow. Having a hard time falling asleep. Don't know why, considering I haven't had much sleep at all throughout the week. All in all, the trip was a great success and I look forward to receiving many new styles from my brands when they hit the site late fall and Spring 09!

June 6, 2008

10:18 AM - On my way to JFK for return flight to Vegas. Sharing a cab with Eileen and Graham. Glad the show is over, because it is a bit chilly today and starting to drizzle. All in all, the weather held up great all week. Certainly very muggy though! Makes me appreciate the dry heat we are about to enter for a hot Vegas summer. Busy week next week, from catching up on work after FFANY. Good bye New York, see you in December!

It just so happens that I came into work today, only to find everyone in the Photo Department crowded in the middle of the room. At one moment I could have tricked myself into believing I was back in 2nd grade. Everyone had out their markers, decorative pieces, and all other sorts of randomness!

Last week everyone in the department had their photo taken whether they liked it or not. Okay, that would probably just be Carol on night shift (who's photo turned out absolutely stunning)! We were told that they would be used for a Team Building exercise sometime in the following week. Turned out, today was that day!

As I approach the center of the room, and take a closer look, I notice everyone is designing a fish with their photo from last week on it. You've got people going absolutely all out on theirs, coloring of all sorts, fuzz balls and other designs on the fish.

The reason behind this activity was inspired by the book titled " Fish" by: Stephen C. Lundin. The book focuses on how to take an ordinary job and make it amazing. It gives tips on motivation, team building and the famous "Choose your attitude" which means it is up to you to decide if you want to be reactive or proactive about the things that happen through out the course of your day. So along with their own photo, everyone put something that inspires them on their fish, with everything from known lines such as, "With my mind on my money and my money on my mind" thanks to Alex M., or the more randomness of Beth H. simply stating, "Vegetable." You also have Dave J. who wins the award for "Most Original Design".

Night shift took part in this activity just a few hours later. Everyone had a great time writing quotes of inspiration and decorating. It brought our fellow co-workers closer together, which is something we constantly strive for here at Zappos.com

"Just Keep Swimming", as Dan C. would say.

Written by: Dave W. and Angela T.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone more devoted to style and “haute” fashion than our very own Jonathan H.

Jonathan, a content coordinator for couture footwear and apparel, is infamously obsessed with Vivienne Westwood. So, it was no surprise to see him live up to his high-style ways during our recent trip to New York for the FFANY show.

Here is the always dapper Jonathan in the lobby of the W Hotel working on writing some awesome descriptions while sporting a fancy ascot. Only this “couture connoisseur” could pull it off!



Style Notes:
Black velvet blazer: vintage ,ascot: vintage,white button down: Dolce & Gabbana
Jeans: Levi’s
Boots: Ted Baker

This morning we came into our office to see Laura S. and Erin R.'s desk were..well, you could say decorated...Zappos Style!

Erin had a nice topical theme going on while Laura had an industrial plastic look. Question is...who did this?! We cant tell by the handwriting on the sticky notes, its in all caps. No one seems to know, but we'll get to the bottom of it: )

Jon, who worked night shift last night, and was the last one here, claims nothing was like this when he left. However, someone who was here bright and early said the damage was already done! (dunnn dunn dunnn duunnnnnn..) Was it Jon? Was it someone who came in early? Do you know? Who do you think?

As of June 13, 2008 Stephanie Tang's photographer ID is no longer in circulation. Her ID, 827, was retired today as she left through the studio doors one last time. The Photographer ID is a number that is unique to each photographer in the Photo Dept. For the last month and a half team members have been at a loss with the ever so rapidly approaching departure of Mrs. Tang.

We consider ourselves blessed to have worked with her during her 5 year tenure at Zappos and none of us were ready to see her leave. Sure, we are all lucky. Who wouldn't consider it an honor to have known and worked with Stephanie. She paved the way for so many of us and we are all very thankful for what she has done. When you work with someone like Stephanie you realize that the Zappos.com Core Values are more than a mission, they are a lifestyle. She embodied each and every single Core Value and when you work with someone of this caliber it is hard to say goodbye! We wanted to do something special, in her honor, to let her know just how much we appreciated all that she's done.

We were able to fashion two Zappos t-shirts with the addition of her Photographer ID and the name of her last round. One of the shirts was given to her as a going away gift and the other will hang from the rafters of the Photo Studio. We felt that this would be the ultimate sign of appreciation, just as it is done in all major sports. As she continues to pave paths for others we hope she has a blast under her umbrella, drinking freshly brewed coffee, while splashing through puddles of water in newly purchased galoshes. So, from all of us here at Zappos, "Have fun in Seattle!!!"

Written by: Mike M.

June is National Safety Month and the Zappos Safety Committee helped to kick it off at the KY fulfillment Center! The safety topic for the first week of June is Heat Protection. Safety Committee Representatives are on hand all week during lunches to spread the safety knowledge and pass out cool-ties (trust me your gonna' need them- IT'S HOT!). Team-members also have the chance to win some Zollars if they can answer various safety questions.

The Zappos Safety Committee has lots of fun activities (and Zappos trinket giveaways) planned for the month of June. So keep an eye out for all of the fun happenings!

Everyone knows and loves Andrea W.; I mean come on she takes care of feeding ALL of us in the KY Fulfillment Center. Andrea will be taking the big step on Saturday June 6th, 2008. Yes folks she is getting married! So her Zappos family thought it would be nice to throw her a wedding shower and feed HER for once! So we donned our pj's and had a Pajama Wedding Shower Breakfast Potluck. The spread of food was unbelievable- from quiche to waffles hot off the griddle! Everything was delicious!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ANDREA!!

It's time to recognize our Safety Superheros. Each month 4 lucky individuals are saluted for their dedication to safety. They recieve 50 Zollars and prime front row parking for a month!

Our Safety Superheros for the month of June are Sheila Joiner, Mandy Carder, Rick Downs, and Reatha Marion. You can see Miss Mandy Carder (above) is absolutley ecstatic about her first class parking place!

Congratulations to all of our Safety Superheros!

That's what kept running through my head as I choked back the tears while driving home today. I can't say I had no idea that I would feel this passionately about a co-worker leaving but I guess it really has to be put into context to understand.

It struck me in the middle of her big send-off. Thankfully the lights were off, and as the good-bye video played itself out in front of me I thought back to everything it took to get where we all were today.

She wasn't just another employee- she was one of the cornerstones in a department that I remember just three short years ago. She was there before our core values had ever been set and I believe that she was the inspiration for all of them. Even though I was a photographer, before I ever set foot in the door she was the one who taught me how to shoot shoes "the Zappos way". Her passion for the company was scary at first but you couldn't help but be inspired with her around. She gave you all the security of being cradled in mothers' arms and you felt like you were part of a family at her Thanksgiving dinners, after reading hand-written Christmas cards that would melt your heart, and pep talks that gave you the courage to go on even after you had thrown in the towel.

As I watched the video of 72 people saying their goodbye I realized that most of them never knew what it was like. What kind of staggering growth their company has gone through in such a short time. In my three years she was one of the few constants amid a sea of continual change. That kind of dependability is invaluable.



I lost something very close to me today. All I've ever known about this place you taught me, and it scares me to think that I won't be to others what you were to me. Good-bye and good luck Stephanie. You are Zappos.

written by Dan C.

I had the pleasure of interviewing the woman that started it all for us in photo department recently... before a very tearful goodbye as her and her family move to another state to better their lives and leave their loving Zappos family behind. I won't go on because we are so passionate about her that a few people in our department are writing about her and our hawiian style farewell... but here are some of her final words about her life here at Zappos, how much Zappos has meant to her and her advice to all of us in the future.

Steph, if you are reading, you will be happy to see that I did not include the part about your nasty toe fungus ((wink)) LOVE YOU!! And promise us that you always follow your yellow brick road, for it is only there, that you will find your Emerald City.

****************************************
-How has Zappos changed you as a person?

I've grown up at Zappos, from 22 years to now 28. I have been through everything, deaths, marriage, and the birth of my two children. I used to work in health care with elderly terminally ill patients and being here has given me the other side of the spectrum. People here are positive, uplifting and look forward to their futures. Being here has helped me really learn how to communicate with people on their own levels, not just in my own way of communicating. I've also learned what it is like to have a really great job. I know now what to expect in a company and what my needs are for myself to be happy.

-What was your most memorable time at Zappos?

Probably life in W1, at the very beginning of my career here. It was my first warehouse job ever and things were very crazy. We didn't have HR in KY yet and there was very little management. We would go out to lunch every day and had a lot of out of the ordinary fun times.

I will always remember and take with me the constant passion that occurs at Zappos that I call the "Zappos high". I will take that with me wherever I go.

-What was it like shaving your head 3 years ago for the "bald and blue" tradition, and would you do it again?

It was LIBERATING! And yes I would do it again. I felt like it proved my dedication and love to Zappos.

-I hear you are quite gullible? Tell me about this...

Well, I guess I eavesdrop a little sometimes, I have big ears or something, but I would hear other people's conversations while I was shooting and sometimes I would jump in the middle of them without being invited. I guess sometimes I wasn't listening as well as I thought and had confused some of the information, then some of the photographers would joke about what I had thought I heard and really had me going a few times. I even believed a couple of photographers were going to get a house together and all kinds of crazy stuff. I totally believed them!

-What will you miss most about working at Zappos?

The relationships with people I have made here. I want to keep Zappos as a big part of my life somehow for years to come. I will miss the exciting changes and new adventures with new products and company development.

-What is something weird about you that not many people know?

I would always park pretty far away in the parking lot in the mornings so I would have time to self-motivate on the way into work. I would honestly think about the core values and try to make a plan on how to use them that day and leave everything else behind.

And because of how often this has come up in the photo department, I am very aware of how often I blink my eyes. So many people have commented over the years that I seem to stare at them or I weird people out when I talk to them so I try to look around so no one thinks I am trying to burn a hole in their head. http://blogs.zappos.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif

-Do you have any advice for the newcomers on the team?

Break out of the mold as soon as you step in the door. Be ready to become something new, go with the flow, and HAVE FUN!


****************************************

THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts - and KEEP IN TOUCH!!

Z Big Ball at the Zappos KY Fulfillment Center is uber-ecstatic, and a little lonely. Lately, Zappos Team Members have been neglecting him to focus on another cool project: Recycling Aluminum Cans! ;\

Do you ever wonder to yourself at night: How many pounds of aluminum cans do Zappos Team Members at the Kentucky Fulfillment Center go through every two weeks? Well, Z Big Ball does ]:) . Any guess? Well, Z answer is: 344 pounds (at a minimum). How much is that worth? $309.60.

Holy Cow! Who knew! Here in Kentucky, they recently decided to start doing something with all of the free soft drinks they consume. They are going to recycle them and give the proceeds back to the community. Though, old habits are hard to kick. The 344 lbs. we collected over the first two weeks of the program doesn't even come close to what can potentially be collected. Z Big Ball has noticed Many Late-Adopters just tossing their cans in the garbage. But hey, Z Big Ball is working on changing that. More recycling containers and ball full of hype are on the way.

Next week, the KY team is hoping to cement a partnership with a local organization. Zappos Team Members will collect the cans, and our partner organization will cash them in to invest in programs for local youth. We are super excited. :^0

Props go to Jerry down in the KY Photo Department. His tenacity was the spark that got the ball rolling (no pun intended). Thanks for being Passionate and Determined.

Recycle on, Zappos; Recycle on.

One of our very own Content Team members recently achieved something pretty spectacular. The amazing Angela Chege received her Master’s degree from the University of Southern Nevada, and we couldn’t be more proud of her great accomplishment. Now, one of the first things I thought was, how in the world does someone as hard-working as Angela, manage to find enough time to do such a stellar job at Zappos AND go to classes, and crank out thesis papers? I know many of us often feel like there are just not enough hours in a day to get everything in…so, with this in mind, I just had to have a little Q&A with Miss C. herself:



H: So Angela, rumor has it that you recently earned your Master’s Degree! That’s quite an accomplishment! What did you get your Master’s in?

A: Who is spreading those rumors? Is it because I have a large head? Yes, I received my Masters in Business Administration.

H: Wow…Congratulations! It’s so cool to have an MBA among us! Was it hard to balance working here at Zappos +and going to school? How did you manage your time and what tips can you give to those of us who never can seem to squeeze enough hours out of the day?

A: Thanks.The funny thing is working at Zappos actually brought some relief from my hectic school schedule. Advice?? Anything is possible, so just believe in yourself. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do anything. I mean, just look at Zappos. Set your mind to do what it is that you want to do, keep your mouth shut, and keep it simple. More importantly, I could not have done anything without the support of my family, friends and Zappos co-workers. So many people have made sacrifices, altered their schedules, etc. to accommodate me, and this degree belongs to them too.Smart-sounding people always use quotes, so let me think of one.....

“You become effective by being selective. It's human nature to get distracted by minor issues.”

- Rick Warren

Ahh, yes…that’s very sound advice from our resident MBA, always end with a good quote! This one is definitely a good one to live by especially in such a fast-paced, hectic world.

Thanks Angela! I believe this calls for a….Happy Hour celebration??, Yes? =)

This is the third installment of Q&A with the CLT business units. We have previously interviewed our Kids team CLT group and the Outdoor team. This week features the candid responses of our Running CLT business unit!



From the left: Renea W. and Eleni D.

Question: Why are you passionate about running?

Renea: "Oddly enough, I'm not much of a runner these days. I'm more into cross training, hip hop-zumba classes, and playing volleyball."

Eleni: "Running gives people a sense of accomplishment. No matter how bad of a day they've had or what's going on in their life, after running a couple miles or even just 1, they can say that they have completed a goal. My mom who is 62 and she participated in and completed the Full Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon last year. Although her body hurt afterwards, she was so proud of herself for finishing that she hasn't stopped talking about it."

Question: Other than running competitively or for exercise purposes, when have you run the fastest?

Renea: "The last time I ran real fast was back in the '80's (high school track). I was running from a girl who eventually passed me and kicked my butt in the race! My track career was
officially over at that point!"

Eleni: "I was walking with a friend when, from out of nowhere, a big giant horse looking dog started coming towards us and started barking. I pushed my friend in front of the dog and took off. All that dog saw was my dust!!! Sorry Lakisha, but somebody had to go for help!!" :)

Question: If you had to choose between being able to run and being
able to fly, which would you choose?

Renea: "I would rather fly because (a) I wouldn't be stuck in traffic, (b) driving is so overrated (everybody's doing it, and not very well!), (c) it would give me a greater sense of freedom and (d) I would save a ton of money on airline tickets and gas!"

Eleni: "I would definitely have to say Run. I would need a cape to fly. It's not a good thing to have when there are planes and elevators or big fans around. As Edna Mode from "The Incredibles" said "No Capes"!!"

Question: What are you most excited about now that summer
has arrived?

Renea: "The fact that I'm going back home for a week (Alaska) and won't have to deal with 100 degree temperature!"

Eleni: "Sending the kids out of town! WOO HOO!! Momma loves you but I need a break!!!"

Question: What are your 3 biggest pet peeves?

Renea: "People asking questions they already know the answer to, the SLOW clap, and drivers talking on their cell phones.

Eleni: "People who order cheeseburgers & then say with "no
cheese"(what!?!?!), patting me on my head, and Kool-Aid with only one
cup of sugar in it...YUCK!!

Question: Which summer blockbuster movies are you most excited to
see?

Renea: "There are a few...Sex and the City, Indiana Jones, and Iron Man."

Eleni: "Kung FU Panda, Wanted, and THE HULK!!"

Question: What are your top 5 songs for the summer?

Renea: "I don't really have any favorites...anything with a good beat!"

Eleni: "(1)"HONEY" by Erykah Badu, 2)"THE RIVER" by Noel Gourdin,(3)"CUSTOMER" by Raheem Devaughn,(4)"SUMMERTIME IN THE LBC" by The Dove Shack, and (5) Any oldies song between the years '72-78 (The Isley Brothers mainly)."

Question: What do you love most about your job?

Renea: "The laid back atmosphere, the people I work with, the "culture" and being one of the first people to see the catered lunch carts go
by!" :)

Eleni: "Everything! The ATMOSPHERE IS OFF DA HOOK!! The vendors are friendly, and ALL of my co-workers rock!!!"

Alana Ledford, who joined Zappos in February of 2007, left Zappos.com on Friday, May 31st to move back east with her husband. From day one Alana was recognized as not just someone who could be counted on to do a job well, but also as someone who could be counted on as a friend. Even those who did not work closely with Alana felt a sense of comfort going to her, as she had a very welcoming personality and warm smile – as I can attest to when I first transferred to the Business Unit. I sat down with Alana on Friday to talk about her time here at Zappos.com and what she will miss the most.

W: Alana, tell me about – let's start with your history here at Zappos – actually, let's go back further than that, where are you originally from?

A: I was born in New Zealand and we moved around a lot internationally when I was younger and then I grew up mostly in Southern California. Then I went to school in UCLA and I was actually an outdoor guide for them, leading trips for students and faculty doing kayaking, backpacking, rock climbing and all kinds of stuff. When I graduated from UCLA I started working for Adidas in sports marketing for a couple years and then moved to Vegas and
started working on the outdoor team for merchandising here at Zappos.

W: What'd you think when you first showed up at Zappos? Like on your first day, never even hearing about the place and not knowing anything about it, what went through
your mind?

A: I think it was exciting, just the casual work environment and how much fun people were having at work. I think it was a little overwhelming because I didn't entirely know what I was getting. . . it was a lot of excitement mixed with anxious trepidation kind of waiting to see what this experience was going to be like.

W: So, over time as you've continued in your employment here, how has those initial feelings you had, maybe the anxious trepidation, etc.; what has that turned into over time? How has your experience with Zappos evolved over this time period?

A: I think there's so many things about Zappos that are just so hard to replace. I think that the people that I get to work with on the outdoor team, they are just irreplaceable; such great people to work with, but also such great people on a personal level as well. I'm so thankful for the experiences like the 40 mile hike that we got to do together, training for the marathon and half marathon with people and encouraging them to get out and run. At the same time I have learned so much from the job and its been great to have the opportunities to move up and learn my category and taking charge of my portfolio, so there are definitely some stressful times as you are learning and growing and managing and figuring out numbers and all of that. So, its been a huge personal and professional experience and I wouldn't trade my time here for anything.

W: I know, for me, Zappos has had a big effect on my personal life. How has Zappos effected your personal life or helped enrich you in some way? What have you learned the most personally as opposed to professionally?

A: I think the great thing is coming into work and not counting the hours. There are always things going on outside of work, but its interesting how everything kind of fuses together. Your job just kind of becomes part of who you are because you care about it so much, you know, you take it home with you, you talk about it and you work on your laptop when you get home, its hard to put it down. You want your portfolio to do so well its hard to kind of disengage from it. The weekends are also about hanging out with work people and barbecues with them, its just so much that I think the line between personal and work becomes cloudy.

W: What are you going to miss the most about Zappos?

A: The friendships and I really like my category and my reps.

W: Is there anything else you would like to add or say in conclusion?

A: I guess I would just encourage people to just make the most of opportunities that they have. Sometimes on trips that I've gone whether its traveling or outdoors, it never comes at the most convenient time. Its never like “oh, this is the perfect time to train for a marathon” or “this is the perfect time to go hike forty miles before I have a wedding that weekend”. I feel like you always have to fit stuff in and I would just really encourage everybody to really seize those opportunities because when you go on a seven day backpack trip. . .the perspective that you have on who you are as a person and what's important in life, its gonna be so different then just going about your daily routine. Even if its a small step like getting up in the morning and running before the sun rises. The mountains are beautiful here, take the time to go outdoors, don't put it off until there is a better time because who knows when that better time is going to come as you have a family or start a family. So, I definitely want to be the kind of person who is up for those adventures and make the most of those experiences. I really just wanna encourage people that if you have a chance to just jump in a plane and go somewhere you've never been for a three day weekend, just do it! Have those experiences, don't live it through the travel channel or on your couch. Get out and do it whether you feel like you can or you feel like you can't! Seize those opportunities and – if you don't know how to do something find someone who does and try it. You don't know if you're going to love whitewater kayaking until you get in a boat and charge down the rapids. I feel like when I go into a library that its just overwhelming because there's so many books to read and so much out there that I want to try and see and I guess I would just encourage people to never, ever let go of that thirst for knowledge and experience.

Thanks Alana, you're a great spirit, and good luck!

We got a new toy today in the Imaging room. Its the Puffer Pig! Others would disagree, but I'd like to think of it as a stress ball. It tricks you thinking you are playing and having fun squeezing his head so his eyeballs burst out at you. Puffer pig is actually reducing your stress levels.

Then you may wonder why in the world is anyone stressin' over here? I mean, we're working at Zappos.com?! The greatest company to work for ever! Its not so much the work as its is, well... Christopher Walken's face-Yep, even though he's all over this room, he's still hidden, watching us. Sometimes he is wearing disguises.

When we leave at night, he dances mostly. He will fly around the warehouse blaring Weapon of Choice. If he isn't in the mood he becomes the best and coolest team member there is. Telling people what to do in the only way he can. Just imagine it. He throws in some cow bell for that fever situation he has.

Thanks for the Puffer Pig, Erin!

DATES: June 1 to June 6 ,2008

SHOW: FFANY

*LOCATION: New
York, NY*

BUYER: Jennifer M., Assistant Buyer, Salon

Sunday, June 1, 2008

8:00am - Waking up to finish packing for 11:20am flight to NY, realizing that I can only check ONE bag foran entire week of work, knowing NY is never predictable weather.

10:45am - Arrived at airport, tons of people all hung over going home from a long weekend in
Vegas…love it!

12:30pm - Signing Jonathan’s fashion book, racking my brain for about an hour as to what where and who aboutmy opinions of fashion, fun

7:30pm - We land at JFK and as we wait for our bags... Leemarie’s still isn’t showing it’s face…she starts to panic, can you imagine an entire week of work appointments without any of your clothes, hair products, contact solution!

8:00pm - Looking at the cab line, no way! It’s like a 2 hour wait so we decide to take up this guy on a car service as he promises 15-20 minutes.

9:00pm - finally getting into the car! Haha, 15-20 minutes translated is 45 to 60!

10:00pm - Just pulling up to W Hotel, STARVING! Check in, grab handbag, start searching for food.

10:45pm - Find South African place called XaiXai randomly on 9th and 51st. Very quaint, wine, tapas... a great way to say hello to NY before a crazy week!

12:00am - noticing a man with a stroller passing the restaurant on the opposite side of the street going right with black bag in stroller, left without, right with…weird…

1:00am - Time for bed, long day of trend shopping and appointments tomorrow.

Monday, June 2, 2008
8:00am - Wake up, shower, grab banana and hit the streets for some shopping before my appointments in the afternoon!

9:15am - Grabbing a bagel from café next door…ahh NY bagels, can’t beat them!

10:30am - 5th Avenue trend shopping! Saks, Fendi, Gucci, Bergdorf, then off to Barneys! All the while wondering if I’ll ever be lucky enough to live in this crazy vibrant city…comfortably!

1:30pm - Meet Jessica at hotel to grab a cab to Lacoste belts appointment on 35th.

2:00pm - View the holiday and review the fall line with my rep. It looks great! The croc definitely sells!

3:00pm - Finish early so head back to hotel to freshen up and grab next appointment’s business reviews.

3:30pm -Next to Beverly Feldman! We’re going to pick the Zappos Life shoe for holiday drop! Already setting dates for WSA in July…drinks of course!

6:30pm - On our way to Trump tower, we end up at the wrong one! I had no idea how many towers this man owns! Finally get there meeting an old friend at Trump tower on 57th for our
traditional glass of champagne as we overlook central park…I’ve never seen NY in June, amazing! We were so lucky to get a great weather day!!

8:00pm - East village for some awesome French food, had steak tartar and wine - great conversation.

9:30pm - Heading back to the hotel to check emails from today.

2:00am - Finally getting to sleep after finishing emails and reviewing business for appointments starting at 9am.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008
8:35am - Walking to Hilton Hotel for first part of the day. After getting our badges we head to the room which Bivel and One of 2 are showing…door closed, tons of workers in hallways still cleaning rooms. Hmmm….ok?

9:15am- Head to next appointment, will come back to closed door…get to Pura Lopez, looks
amazing! Such a gorgeous collection!

10:00am - Headed back to first room, see reps in hallway, they tell me that they were there at 8am! Lesson of the day, knock on the door!

11:30am - Time to eat something. Grabbed a flat bread at a little café on 57th between 5th and 6th called Mangia, killing time checking Blackberry emails before 12:30pm appointment - so loud here with sirens going off every moment!

12:30pm - Icon collection, met new rep.

1:30pm - New line that will launch spring, looks amazing! Also got a chance to catch up with an old friend!

3:00pm - Walking to catch last cab of the day to Hunter Boots appointment and we run into a guy in a pin-striped, short-sleeved silk number with head phones a thick neck and sunglasses
(although it was overcast)! Laugh of the day.

4:00pm - Hunter appointment, which goes great! Met a ton of new people on their end, I love meeting new people!

7:00pm - Drink with Terra and Leemarie at bar in W - the Livingroom!

7:30pm - Had a few with a rep.

11:30pm - Came home, called for 2 wake up calls starting at 5:30am (what was I thinking?!?) And breakfast at 6am.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008
5:30am - Wakeup call.

8:30am- Meet everyone for Lacoste Footwear appointment at 9am.

9:30am- Tell Lacoste about a project we’re doing this fall, definitely interested! Oh, and the product looked fantastic! Great colors, right on trend!

11:30am- Camuto group, starting with BCBGMAXAZRIA on to Jessica Simpson, Vince Camuto and then BCBGirls…what a day!!!

3:30pm - Off to Soho! The best part of Manhattan to me, so much character! View the
Coclico line, finally grab lunch at this great French cafe, Gitane, head to Jeffery’s then back to hotel before last minute dinner.

5:45pm - Freshening up and checking emails before grabbing a bite to eat at Rosa Mexicano, this is where my picture was taken! I was dared half way through dinner to take an entire mini spoonful of jalapenos! So of course I did it!

10:30pm - Dancing at Hudson Hotel! Great scene! 4 rooms, each with a different vibe.

1:30am- Home for last minute review of Thursday’s appointments.

Thursday, June, 2008
8:30am - Got a chance to sleep in a bit!

10:00am - First appointment with Cynthia Vincent Footwear, LOVE.

11:30am - Jaime Mascaro, new showroom, looks awesome! Another great view, rep even ordered pizza, first time all week with some NY style pizza, HUGE pieces, so delish!

1:30pm - Off to the Hilton, going to see KorkEase and talk about resort and fall.

2:30pm - Killing time, ran into Sabon, awesome soap place, great bath scrubs! Check it out!

3:30pm - New brand view, then to Bliss to check out some more product.

4:00pm - On way home, stop in Henri Bendel and a couple other shops, tons of people out today, lots of group tours. Decked out in the headphones and all!

5:30pm- On way home called Dad to check in, ended up talking my ear off! Walked right down diamond lane (as I call it!) with people yelling at you to buy some black market jewelry!

7:00pm - Met colleague and his rep for a drink and dinner. We ended up going to a Chinese place because we were starving before we could get in at Freeman (amazing place)!!!

9:00pm - I ordered trout and received the whole fish cooked…eyeball and everything! So tasty!

10:30pm- Rivington Hotel for a new scene.great music!12:00am- Forbidden City in East Village.

2:00am - Grabbed a cab back to hotel, thinking of checking out Whisky Bar/club below the W.

2:45am - Decided to hit the hay! Have to get up early and pack before flight tomorrow!

Friday, June 6, 2008
9:30am - Did not want to get up…started packing.

12:30pm - Caught cab to airport, you never know what the traffic is going to be like! Especially on Friday!

1:20pm - Arrive at Jet Blue terminal, printed boarding pass, headed through security and towards a sports bar.

2:00pm - Had at least 20 minutes before we boarded, ordered, then as food gets here they announce LAST CALL TO BOARD FLIGHT 257 to LAS VEGAS!

5:35pm PST- Ahhh I’m home, and slept almost the whole flight, minus some crazy people all excited to get to Vegas, and some scary meatheads on the plane who decided they were too cool to take off their sunglasses…oh wait, the plane was pretty bright, it could be validated!

6:15pm - Robin, a gem, picks us up from the airport and the end is finally here…time to sleep and catch up from the week away.

We are currently having some issue with the servers, and some of our older blogs have lost the formatting....please stay with us, should be fixed soon.

Our teams are on it!

Have you ever had one of those Fridays where, your only excuse was "Hey, its Friday man!" That's how it was for us last Friday. Everything was funny, even though it really wasn't. We were all really talkative. Laurie is here from Vegas, and she helped entertain us with her awesome dance moves. Jon drew faces for our Zappos card board cut outs. That was our main team building project.. to get faces for the card board cut outs. Yeah, since it was Friday and all it didn't happen exactly as planned! One of the faces was done by Max. If you know him, you'll know which face was his! I began filming, with no point, and thats pretty much what you'll see! So watch our weird Friday video I put together! Enjoy friends!

One of our B shift Receiving leads, Wayne Downey, decided to follow in our supervisor's footsteps and make a little wager of his own. The wager went pretty much the same as before. If we processed over 18,000 units in one shift then he would belittle himself for us. An offer we couldn't refuse. After some brainstorming, we decided that it would be fun to have him shave his head and we would get to draw on it with PERMANENT marker. Needless to say we achieved our goal and once again one of our bosses was humiliated. Two bosses down, three to go! The best part is that he left it on all day.... and it took him a couple days to get it all off.

I had the pleasure of attending a Little League game this past week. Zappos is a sponsor of the Henderson Little League and our team is the “Zappos A’s”, with the A standing for “Athletics.” It turns out the “A’s” had a smoking hot season and they took number 1 in the Majors Division. They won their final game of the season 16-6 over the Johnny Mac Rockies.

It’s been ages since I’ve been to a Little League game and watching this game brought back fond memories of my Little League play a bazillion years ago. Back then we used a dinosaur bone for the bat and dried dinosaur pellets for the balls. Seriously. One indicator of why the “A’s” have done so well is the team work and mutual support between all the players and the coaches Barry M., Jason C. and Corky R. Here they are in their bull pen cheering on their man up at bat.

So there’s 10 Zappos Core Values and the 7th is“Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit.” Now I did not stage or direct this picture but I did hold my breath until I turned blue hoping the jersey numbers 7 and 10 would align.

Ladies and Gentlemen of all ages, I present to you the 2008 Henderson Little League Majors Division Champions, the Zappos A’s! Regionals here we come!

Our closing act for Expo Mania Week (aka 3 Expos in 4 days!) was the Apparel Expo put on by our Casual Life Style team (aka C-life) on Thursday. The theme of the expo "Z-Life" was nautical with a fond parody of the tv series "The Love Boat." (C-Life => sealife => nautical :D) There were 21 brands covering the gamut from intimates to maternity, sleepwear, petite and plus sizes, and other women's items as well as for men.

Here’s bartender Jen “Isaac” passing out frozen margaritas to Donna and Lisa. Don’t let anyone from the Legal Dept. see you with those drinks ladies! Oh +Noes+! That's where Donna and Lisa work! ;) (seriously, these were alcohol free) :(



Thank you C-Life Team and all the vendors who came to show us their newest, hottest items!

Meet Lisa everyone! She is one of our wonderful Seniors in the Images department! Lisa's pretty awesome, and I thought everyone else should know a little bit about this Indiana Jones loving, safety team lady! Being on the safety team here in KY, she is always representing the HOOPLA! She knows her CPR and is always going to meetings and keeping us informed on all the safety rules, and new and fun activities for us to do!

Here is some random questions I asked Lisa so we could know a little more about her:

Favorite Movie: there are tons...Super Troopers is one that I can watch all day, and never feel like its too much.

What do you do on the Safety Team: I get information about things going on in the warehouse and I try to keep my team informed. Just try to keep everyone aware.

Best Pick up Line: A friend of mine used this on some girls "How much does a Polar Bear weigh?... Enough to break the ice, Hi my name is..." and One I heard on the radio, its lame but I laugh. " I'm glad I brought my Library card cause I'm checking you out."

Dumbest thing ever seen: WOW, umm... lets see, when my friend used that lame pick up line about the Polar Bear. It was at a crappy haunted house thing, so can that make it even worse? And Steven Seagal's singing.

Whats the strangest thing: just look around on the Internet, you will find all kinds of gems. Like the Universe, Its strange, unknown, but amazing.

Coolest thing in the world: the Internet, and my Indiana Jones hat.

You may have seen Lisa in Vegas back in March... Here she is -with her mustache! All great men.. and women, have mustaches!

Dates: May 27, 2008 to May 28, 2008

Brand: Two Lips

Location: Los Angeles

Buyer: Meghan B. Assistant Buyer, Fashion

May 27, 2008

5:24 AM - Rise and Shine! It is way too early to be awake after
Memorial Day festivities, but no time to press the snooze this morning. I
better make a big cup of coffee to sip on while I watch the news and check
email via Blackberry.

6:30 AM - At the gym. Today is a weight lifting day. I like
weight lifting days because after lifting I get to drink a protein shake, and
they are yummy!

7:36 AM - Chocolate protein shake! +Mmmm+!!

8:45 AM - Got ready for work and packed for a night in LA in
less than an hour. Hope I didn't forget anything! I'm going to have to hit up
Starbucks on my way to the office for the caffeine fix I need to really focus
on my emails before heading to the airport. Should be a good day though...
Elisa (one of the Assistant Buyers on my team) and I are going to LA to meet
with one of her brands... We are going to work the line and checkout their
showroom and production facilities. But first, a tall skinny caramel latte with
no foam, please!!

10:30 AM - Still trying to clean out my inbox. Only 170
emails left to answer. In between emails, I'm also working with Elisa on the
search engine terms for her portfolio.

11:30 AM - Process Efficiency Committee meeting! Zappos is
focusing on improving the efficiency of our processes this year and I am on the committee. We gatherideas from the merchandising department and meet once a month to select the
winning idea. The winner is "clocked" with the ‘Do More with Less
Time’ award and receives a $50 prize. One small change that saves 5 minutes a
day adds up to 1825 minutes saved a year... That's 30 hours per employee and
considering we have about 250 in merchandising, that's 7,500 hours saved!! It’s
neat to see how the small changes we implement add up to something really
significant.

1:00 PM - Headed to the airport. I really could have used
another 10hrs in the office today, but I'm going to miss my flight if I stay
any longer. I will have to continue answering emails from my Phone and
work on my laptop at the airport. Wireless cards ROCK and help me work from
everywhere!!

1:30 PM - Settled in with my laptop at the airport. Flight
was delayed a half hour which is usually annoying, but today I am happy because
it gives me more time with my emails! Sooooo many emails! Elisa just went to
get coffee, but I decided to pass so I can sit still on the plane… I’ve already
had a lot of caffeine today!

1:45 PM - Elisa just suggested we get Zappos tattooed on our
butts while we are in LA! I heart Zappos, but that’s weird! I think someone must
have spiked her coffee while she was gone! Back to email!

2:30 PM - Just boarded the plane. I was hoping to catch up
on my reading during the flight but just realized I took "The Carrot
Principle" out of my handbag and forgot to put it back in! Guess I will
read Footwear News and celebrity trash gossip magazines instead. (Gossip magazines
are great for fashion trends research plus oh so entertaining! BONUS!)

4:00 PM - Just got picked up at the Burbank airport by our reps from Two Lips. Going to go trend shopping for a while this afternoon. I try to always spend time shopping the markets when I travel.

5:00 PM - Traffic too bad so unable to go shopping. At "Gladstones" on the beach in Malibu for appetizers and drinks instead. The ocean is amazing! One thing I miss about living in Vegas is seeing water.

7:08 PM - Just convinced our Two Lips reps to sign up for a twitter account after seeing Skechers president Michael Greenburg with bunny ears via Tony's (@zappos) twit pic! Off to meet Two Lips president, Chahe, for dinner at an Armenian restaurant. I've never eaten Armenian cuisine so I'm very curious.

9:50 PM - Just finished dinner. It was absolutely delicious and the conversation was great. We ate, talked business and smoked a hookah.
Dinner is a fun way to get to know and build relationships with our vendors. Now we are going to check in the hotel. I am so exhausted. I can't wait to shut myself away in my room, work on some more emails and then go to bed!

May 28, 2008

6:30 AM - Time for my morning ritual of watching the news
and reading emails on my blackberry in bed. Decided to skip the gym portion of
my routine this morning. I’m still sleepy!

9:40 AM - Just got to the factory and we are taking a tour.
It is soo amazing watching all of the samples be constructed by hand and seeing
how all the pieces come together. The craftsmanship involved is incredible.
Shoemaking is certainly a lost art in America... Well, almost everywhere
but here that is!

11:00 AM - Viewing samples from the new Two Lips collection. There are some very exciting things in the works! An upcoming style that I particularly liked was a pair of woven rider boots that we ordered for Zappos for October. Chahe, the owner and president of Two Lips, told me that it takes 11 and 1 /2 feet of leather to make one pair of these boots! Chahe is a very hands-on Owner/President and actually makes all of the initial prototype shoes himself. He travels around the world for inspiration and to source materials and then gets hard to work in his LA studio designing, cutting leather, stitching uppers, gluing soles, etc. You should see the rows and rows of materials; beautiful bright leathers, funky patterned fabrics, rolls of raffia and linen for sandals, jeweled ornamentations, and so much more. It would be very fun to
be turned loose in his factory and let the creative design juices flow!!

12:00 PM - Checking out all the latest trends and upcoming styles is the fun part of our job, but now its time to get down to the nitty gritty of our business. Elisa reviews numbers and selling with our reps and we talk about current business trends. Numbers, numbers, numbers.... More than half of what we do on a regular day is crunch numbers... But it’s a necessary evils and part of what makes days like this so fun!

12:30 PM - Meeting is done and we've had a very successful trip. Not only did we get to have a great time and see what's new, but we accomplished all of our business objectives, wrote boot orders for fall and learned a lot about the art of shoe construction.

1:00 PM - Rushing to the airport so we don't miss our flight. Lucky for us we are carrying on so don't have to be at the airport an hour in advance to get our luggage checked in. My fingers are crossed that security is a breeze!

2:00 PM - Just boarded flight back to Vegas. I really
enjoyed the trip, but fun’s over; now its time to focus on the 2009 Q1 plans my inventory analyst emailed over. I downloaded them onto my desktop so hopefully I can finish them
during the flight.

3:20 PM - Just landed back in Vegas. Didn't get as much work done on the plane as I would have liked because it was super turbulent... So much so that Elisa almost had to use the little white bag! Traveling is fun, but I'm looking forward to getting back to the office and catching up on all of the daily grind.