How did you end up in Seattle running Amazon marketing?
I started at Apple designing the automation of the Official Gazette of the Generalitat, which cost us two years of work; and then, I started my own company...
That's the spirit!
It was for ten years... very hard.
Did you learn more as an entrepreneur than as an employee?
I created the Microsoft Productivity Innovation Center together with the Generalitat and the Manresa City Council.
And did you grow with your new adventure?
I learned not to give everything for a company in which you have less than 50% and I had to go to Microsoft in Madrid until Amazon, in 2013, offered me an executive position at its headquarters in Seattle.
How did your family take it?
We bet on America. I took them all, my wife, my three children and my three dogs: walking with them all was my life.
What do Microsoft and Amazon teach?
Microsoft is a strategy company: they are slow in execution, but very constant and compliant. On the other hand, Amazon still retains the startup spirit, because where it wins is on the small margin...
To win something you have to scratch a little bit from each of the millions of sales?
And that requires putting a magnifying glass on everything and continuous innovation. On the other hand, Microsoft is a long-term strategy; of PowerPoint. I have already discovered that Amazon is from Word.
How do you progress at Microsoft?
You present in PowerPoint; some slides, pretty graphics... And it doesn't go into details.
Why is Amazon from Word?
It is the complete opposite of Microsoft: they discuss each point for weeks until the document is impeccable and agreed upon by everyone. The document is its culture.
Which strategy do you find most effective?
PowerPoint supports everything: well-made graphics, four well-placed sentences and said with art by whoever presents best and... go ahead!
Does everyone smile and go eat?
They don't need disruption. On the other hand, at Amazon everyone sweats daily, starting with those who, at any level or position, take a gamble by writing a six-page document for an hour-long meeting or three pages if it is one of those for half an hour.
Do you bring the read document from home?
Half of the meeting is everyone reading it silently and taking notes.
Then they will almost certainly read it.
Only when everyone knows it, the discussion begins and not a single comma is forgiven.
Doesn't Word handle everything?
There is pressure and in the end, you have to include everyone's feedback, observations, corrections and proposals and counterproposals and present it again and meet again.
Who says enough of reunions?
There is always some genius – they are usually the best placed in the company – who locates the points that could be improved. And there is consensus, because leadership principles are shared.
I remember the boy scouts.
They include maintaining the pioneering spirit of the first day; ownership, making the topics yours, getting involved; but, at the same time, even if you disagree, continue with enthusiasm working towards the team.
I hope you disagree with your boss Jeff Bezos' dress code: it's very tacky.
Decision-making mechanisms are also relevant: there are revolving doors or one-way doors. Revolving door decisions are reversible and are made more quickly and with less control. There is freedom to adopt them.
Who takes the non-reversible ones?
They are very collegial, thoughtful and then supported. But we all have an opinion. And let's not forget the biases for action.
Always opt for action?
Get deeply involved in what you do: one year at Amazon is like four at Microsoft. And I realized when, when I asked colleagues how long they had been at Amazon, they answered: “One year and three days.”
Like in jail. Is it easy to get promoted?
At Microsoft you can reach level 70 or so: there are many. At Amazon, on the other hand, the mission counts more than the position and there are only 12 levels: the CEO has 12 and I don't know why 11 doesn't exist.
Vacation?
Calendar holidays aside, very few. Testimonials: five, six days, a few more with permission for personal matters perhaps.
Do hospitals work?
You have to pay for them and they are very expensive. In general, social coverage is much lower than in the European Union and, in return, in the US we also pay less taxes. There you organize your salary, your pension and your healthcare. They like it so that each person feels that they decide their own life.
