Despite being a billionaire, Jeff Bezos still embraces the humble beginnings of Amazon, as evidenced by his continued use of a homemade door desk dating back to the company’s early days in the 1990s. Recently, a photo shared by Bezos’ fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, on Instagram captured the Amazon founder diligently working from his makeshift desk, showcasing his commitment to simplicity and frugality. Sanchez’s post, accompanied by a nostalgic caption, reflects admiration for Bezos’ enduring attachment to the desk that witnessed Amazon’s nascent stages.
The origin of the door desk traces back to 1995, just a year after Bezos laid the foundation for the e-commerce behemoth. According to insights shared in an Amazon blog, the concept emerged out of necessity when Bezos sought economical solutions to furnish the burgeoning company’s workspace. Nico Lovejoy, one of Amazon’s earliest employees, recounted Bezos’ pragmatic approach—he opted for doors instead of conventional desks due to their significantly lower cost. Describing the door desks as “scrappy” and occasionally unstable, Lovejoy revealed the team’s ingenuity in stabilizing them with cardboard to ensure functionality.
The door desk transcended its utilitarian purpose to become emblematic of Amazon’s corporate ethos and commitment to thriftiness. This enduring symbol of frugality is echoed in modern iterations of office furniture across Amazon’s global offices, underscoring the company’s reverence for its humble origins. Marc Randolph, Netflix’s first CEO, reflected on Bezos’ intent behind the makeshift desks, perceiving them as a deliberate message prioritizing customer-centric expenditure over extravagance.
While Bezos relinquished his role as Amazon’s CEO in 2021, his adherence to the door desk ethos underscores his enduring influence on the company’s culture. With a fortune of $184 billion, Bezos remains one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, yet his choice of workspace serves as a tangible reminder of Amazon’s scrappy beginnings. Beyond the corporate realm, Bezos and Sanchez’s leisurely pursuits, including sailing on their $500 million yacht, offer glimpses into the lifestyle facilitated by Bezos’ entrepreneurial success.
