Our Values
One of our founders, Wayne, worked at Amazon between 2016 and 2022, developing a deep respect for Amazon’s Leadership Principles in shaping an effective culture with high standards. Similarly, at Millan Investments we’ve adopted a slightly modified version to guide our actions.
01
Customer Focus
Leaders work backwards from their customer. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust. Leaders pay attention to competitors, but they focus on serving customers.
02
Earn Trust
Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing.
03
Ownership
Leaders are owners. They think long-term and don’t sacrifice long-term value for short-term results. They never say “that’s not my job.”
04
Invent and Simplify
Leaders innovate and invent and find ways to simplify. They are externally aware, look for new ideas from everywhere, and are not limited by “not invented here.”
05
Learn and Be Curious
Leaders are never done learning and always seek to improve themselves. They are curious about new possibilities and act to explore them.
06
Customer Focus
Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. We value calculated risk taking.
07
Are Right, A Lot
Leaders seek diverse perspectives and work to disconfirm their beliefs.
08
Insist on the Highest Standards
Leaders have relentlessly high standards. Leaders continually raise the bar to deliver high quality products, services, and processes. Leaders ensure that defects do not get sent down the line and that problems are fixed so they stay fixed.
09
Think Big
Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results. They think differently and look around corners for ways to serve customers.
10
Frugality
Leaders accomplish more with less. Constraints breed resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and invention.
11
Dive Deep
Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details, audit frequently, and are skeptical when metrics and anecdotes differ. No task is beneath them.
12
Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit
Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. They do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly.
13
Deliver Results
Leaders focus on the key inputs for their business and deliver them with the right quality and in a timely fashion. Despite setbacks, they rise to the occasion and never settle.