logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2021
18m 7s

No boss, no problems

Bbc World Service
About this episode

A young entrepreneur builds the ‘happiest company in the world’, an online shoe retailer so profitable that Amazon snaps it up for over a billion dollars. But what if the company’s profits and happiness could be boosted by a radical reimagining of the workplace? No more bosses, no more job titles, just creativity, equality and pure joy. We hear the story of Tony Hsieh, a visionary entrepreneur who abandoned social hierarchy in his Las Vegas-based shoe company. Could it be that the secret to happiness lies in making everybody equal?

(Image: Tony Hsieh in 2013. Credit: Christopher Farina/ Getty Images)

Up next
Today
The cocoa conundrum
<p>Can Europe be weaned off cheap chocolate? EU efforts to block cocoa linked to deforestation were due to come into force at the end of this year – but have faced multiple delays. Another vote is due to take place soon. Some parties are pushing for further delay and modification ... Show More
20m 42s
Yesterday
Is this the end for South East Asia's scam centres?
<p>It’s one of the biggest human trafficking operations of modern times. Scam centres across South East Asia have been making hundreds of billions of dollars annually, it’s estimated, conning people into fake crypto-currency investment schemes. </p><p>But now these centres could ... Show More
18m 29s
Nov 24
Monetising Machu Picchu
<p>Peru is home to Machu Picchu - the ancient Inca city in the Andes mountains. </p><p>It's one of the seven wonders of the world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The popular tourist destination attracts millions of visitors, making it very lucrative for the government, local a ... Show More
17m 38s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2023
Business on 'the box'
From The Office and Succession to The Apprentice and Dragons' Den, does the portrayal of business on television inspire or is it a total turn off to budding entrepreneurs? And how challenging is it to create great drama from the world of business? Is 'greed, for lack of a better ... Show More
28m 54s
Jul 2023
Klarna Founder: Even $45.6 billion can’t buy happiness - Niklas Adalberth
Niklas Adalberth is the co-founder and former Deputy CEO of Klarna. The massive Swedish fintech provides payment services for online shops like ASOS being able to offer their customers buy now pay later. Although Klarna has been hugely successful, Niklas found himself hitting an ... Show More
51m 21s
Mar 2021
Hard Work vs. Effort
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Everyone wants to reverse engineer the successes of the most rich and famous people in the world... </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That strategy might look good on the surface, but in reality, it never works. You and I can never ... Show More
12m 15s
Jul 2021
243. What if entrepreneurship isn't the best option for you
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The painful truth is that not everyone is cut out to be a business owner. Another hard pill to swallow is that people cling to ideas, and concepts they think will get them ahead. I've said it before and I'll say it again, but my fear through all ... Show More
13m 58s
Feb 2021
#15 Osama Natto - Why You are Not Rich and How to Hack Your Way to Financial Fluency
Osama Natto is a serial entrepreneur who embodies, and in-fact develops “the live your purpose” philosophy.  He created the first public startup accelerator program in Saudi Arabia that run by a private company and has long been involved in the entrepreneurial scene in the kingdo ... Show More
1h 19m
Mar 2022
347. The Mindset of a Million-Dollar Product Boss
<p>One mistake people often make is thinking it all comes down to strategy, when, really, the most important thing is mindset. It can seem daunting or overwhelming to change how you think about running your business as it grows, but these kinds of shifts are critical to being abl ... Show More
57m 44s
Dec 2019
Steve Madden: Steve Madden (2018)
Steve Madden fell in love with the shoe business in the 1970's, when he sold platform shoes at a neighborhood store in Long Island, New York; that was in high school. About 15 years later, he struck out on his own, designing and selling shoes with a high-end look at affordable pr ... Show More
53m 12s
Apr 2021
102: Are You Ready to Take the Entrepreneurial Leap? with Gino Wickman
Many business owners and entrepreneurs have read books like Traction and Rocket Fuel, both of which talk about how to build a successful business, partnership, and how to use the EOS (entrepreneurial operating system). Today we have on the author of both those books, and a new bo ... Show More
1h 1m