Inside the Intense Work Culture of Amazon - Part 1

Ever wondered what it's really like to work at Amazon? In the first episode of our two-part season premiere, we sit down with Kristi Coulter, former Amazon executive and author of Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career. Kristi pulls back the curtain on the high-pressure, high-stakes culture inside one of the world's most influential companies. From the notorious Jeff Bezos question mark emails to the iconic six-pager memos that set the tone for every meeting, Kristi shares how she navigated the relentless pressure and constant ambiguity that define life at Amazon. You can learn more about Kristi here and more about Surfing Corporate here. Follow Surfing Corporate on Instagram and write to us at [e-mail] The podcast we referenced during the episode is It Gets Late Early. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Overview 01:29 Kristy Coulter's Career Journey and Decision to Join Amazon 08:13 First Impressions of Amazon's Work Culture 14:44 The Lifeboat Exercise: Ranking Employees 22:43 The Challenges of Working at Amazon 25:07 Changes in Amazon's Work Culture 25:46 High Turnover and Lack of Recognition 37:43 The Pressure to Do More 43:58 Unique Aspects of Amazon's Culture 46:48 The Stress of Question Mark Emails 48:31 Challenges Faced by Employees 48:37 The Power and Pitfalls of Six-Pagers 55:30 Lessons from Calista: Being Tough but Fair 01:00:24 Navigating the Brutal and Demanding Culture at Amazon 01:16:01 Promotions and Achievements at Amazon 01:21:16 The Sexist Culture at Amazon 01:26:34 Conforming to a Masculine Ideal 01:35:26 The Boozy Culture and Struggle with Alcohol 01:40:42 Addressing Gender Dynamics and Creating Inclusive Work Environments 01:41:30 From Viral Essay to Career Opportunities 01:43:13 Transformation and Lessons Learned at Amazon 01:46:21 Strong Bonds and Lasting Connections Want to advertise on Surfing Corporate? Email us at [e-mail] Show Credits: Cohosts: Aileen Merciel and Glenda Pacanins Producers: Aileen Merciel and Glenda Pacanins Script, editing, music design: Aileen Merciel Theme Song: Chaliwa Music Other music: BlueDot Sessions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices