“Open, honest communication is the best foundation for any relationship, but remember that at the end of the day it’s not what you say or what you do, but how you make people feel that matters the most.”

Never accept or be too comfortable with the status quo, because the companies that get into trouble are historically the ones that aren’t able to adapt to change and respond quickly enough.

To never forget that the most important thing in life is the quality of life we lead.

Success is getting to a point where you’d be truly OK with losing everything you have and starting over.

Happiness is really just about four things: perceived control, perceived progress, connectedness (number and depth of your relationships), and vision/meaning (being part of something bigger than yourself).

I thought about how easily we are all brainwashed by our society and culture to stop thinking and just assume by default that more money equals more success and more happiness, when ultimately happiness is really just about enjoying life.

Chase the vision, not the money, the money will end up following you.

Help shape the stories that people are telling about you.

If there are too many competitors, even if you’re the best it’s a lot harder to win.

Businesses often forget about the culture, and ultimately, they suffer for it because you can’t deliver good service from unhappy employees.

I’d rather spend money on things that improve the customer experience than on marketing.

Whatever you’re thinking, think bigger.

For individuals, character is destiny. For organizations, culture is destiny.

We asked ourselves what we wanted this company to stand for. We didn’t want to just sell shoes. I wasn’t even into shoes – but I was passionate about customer service.

Launching a business is kind of like a motorboat: You can go very quickly and turn fast.

Learn by doing. Theory is nice, but nothing replaces actual experience.

Most innovation comes from outside your industry applied to your own

Communication starts with the understanding that there is my point of view (my truth) and someone else’s point of view (his truth). Rarely is there one absolute truth, so people who believe that they speak the truth are very silencing of others.

Real communication happens when people feel safe.

Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.

When you like someone, you like them in spite of their faults. When you love someone, you love them with their faults.

Reading is that fruitful miracle of a communication in the midst of solitude.

The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.

Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.

Secrecy, censorship, dishonesty, and blocking of communication threaten all the basic needs.