Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose

To be honest, it's a little hard for me to write an objective review of this book. Why? Because in the spring of 2009, I visited the corporate offices of Zappos and was WOW'ed by Tony Hsieh and the other masters of happiness there. When it comes to happiness, I've seen how Tony Hsieh delivers.

In Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose, Tony Hsieh shares his quest for conscious success with authenticity and insight. From his unsuccessful stint as a child worm farmer to the days of "torture" at Link Exchange to the financial uncertainty of the early Zappos days, Tony doesn't pretend that profits and purpose came via a magic wand.

Instead, Tony shows us - in detail - how he journeyed from the land of the disheartening corporation to the promised land of purpose and profits. And along the way, he helps us remember that it's OK to have fun and be a little weird. For instance, in a section of his life where he is trying to figure out what makes him happy, Tony says:

"Pickles make me happy. I'm still unclear why. I think it's just because they are obviously delicious and I enjoy saying "pickles"."

Transparency reigns in Delivering Happiness. One example is when Tony shares exactly where the money to grow Zappos came from as well as the times when they weren't sure if it would come at all. Another example is the company's internal newsletter called Ask Anything. In it, employees are given the opportunity to ask whatever is on their minds - from "Where do you see us in 3 years?" to "How much does Zappos spend on shipping in any given month?" to "Do vegetarians eat animal crackers?"

This book is an honest and compelling look at the journey to conscious success. I highly recommend it to anyone who cares about making a profit while living their purpose.