10 Life and Business Lessons from Jeff Bezos’ Opening Statement to Congress

The chief executives of the world’s four biggest tech firms appeared before Congress this week.

Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, was there to defend against Antitrust allegations that Amazon has been undercutting competitors by pricing products at a loss that only it can sustain, thus shutting out competitors in the long-term.

Bezos’ annual shareholder letters have been referenced by entrepreneurs worldwide to inform strategy, decision-making, and inspire their organizations to great heights, and weather the storm that inevitably comes with any difficult pursuit.

And like his eloquent and thought-provoking shareholder letters, Bezos’ opening statement to the US House Committee on the Judiciary, was equally compelling, drawing from his experiences growing up, to his relationship with his parents and grandfather, to overcoming the countless critics and insurmountable odds with Amazon.

Like his shareholder letters, his statement is full of actionable golden nuggets that can serve us both in life and in business.

Here are some that stood out to me.

1. Jeff’s Upbringing

Bezos’ mom, Jackie, had him when she was just 17-years-old, which was unpopular back in…