Amazon founder Jeff Bezos recently revealed in an interview at The New York Times DealBook Summit that he asked the Amazon board not to pay him any salary, believing his equity stake was sufficient motivation. Bezos stated, “I just didn’t feel good about taking more… I just felt how could I possibly need more incentive?” During his CEO tenure, he earned only $80,000 annually, aligning with his philosophy as an owner-operator who grows wealth through increasing company value rather than salary.
Bezos also expressed a shift in perspective about wealth, emphasizing that personal net worth matters less than the amount of wealth created for others. He noted Amazon’s market cap of $2.3 trillion, highlighting that he personally created approximately $2.1 trillion in wealth for others through his company’s success.
This approach places Bezos alongside other tech leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and Apple’s Steve Jobs, known for symbolic or minimal salaries, reflecting a Silicon Valley ethos that prioritizes value creation over personal financial gain.
In other news, Bezos recently mourned the passing of his mother, Jackie Bezos, who died following a long battle with Lewy body dementia. He shared an emotional tribute reflecting the deep love and care she gave him throughout his life.
Bezos continues to be an influential figure not just as Amazon’s founder but through ventures like Blue Origin and climate philanthropy efforts via the Bezos Earth Fund.
