How Amazon Web Services (AWS) Achieved an \$11.5B Run Rate by Working Backwards

Hiten Shah's analysis of Amazon's 'Working Backwards' methodology that drove AWS to $11.5B run rate. The process starts with writing an internal press release before building anything, focusing on the customer problem and solution. Andy Jassy went through dozens of drafts perfecting the AWS vision. Key principles include having an 'empty chair' representing the customer in meetings, building internal tools as if customer-facing, and ensuring all interfaces are 'externalizable.' This customer-centric approach enabled AWS to create services like S3 that gave 'a college kid in his dorm room' the same infrastructure as large businesses. The core philosophy: work backwards from customer needs, not forwards from rigid roadmaps. This method hardwires customer focus into company culture, ensuring products directly address market needs rather than internal assumptions.