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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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