Jeff Bezos does a phenomenal job outlining everything he has learned over the years about building product in these three great pieces of advice below.
1. Obsess Over Customers — the only reason Amazon.com exists today is because of Bezos's obsession with customers. "If you're truly obsessed about your customers" Bezos says, "it will cover a lot of your other mistakes."
2. Invent — anytime the Amazon team has a problem they don't accept "either or" type of thinking Bezos says. They try to figure out a solution where they don't have to choose. This type of solution requires inventions. Inventing on behalf of customers:
It's not customers' job to invent for themselves. It's your job to invent on their behalf. You need to listen to customers, they wont tell you everything. You need to invent on their behalf. Kindle, EC2 would not have been developed if we did not have an inventive culture.
3. Think Long Term — any company that wants to focus on customers and wants to think on behalf of customers has to think long term. Most initiatives we undertake take 5 to 7 years before they pay any dividends for the company Bezos says. They may pay dividends for customers right away but they take a while to pay back to shareholders of the company. Thinking in 5-7 year timeframes is tough of course since it requires and allows willingness to be misunderstood.