Creating an Owner Mindset that Inspires Creativity, Jonathan Weiss

From Startup to AWS: A Founder’s Journey, Jonathan Weiss

His journey began in Berlin, where he co-founded a startup to simplify cloud management for businesses. The timing was perfect; AWS was in its infancy, and there was a glaring need for tools to help startups migrate to the cloud.

Weiss recalls, “We saw the same problem over and over, helping companies deploy their applications and manage their workloads.”

The solution was a cloud management tool which attracted the attention of AWS leadership, then and now CEO Andy Jassy. Soon after pitching their idea – and the potential of Berlin as a hub for development – the startup was acquired, its product evolving into AWS OpsWorks, still a core service today.

What kept him at AWS long after the acquisition is its very particular culture.

“I stayed because of a feeling of agency,” he says. “At AWS, whether it’s the CEO or an intern, if you’ve got a good idea, people will listen.”

The Power of Ownership and Decentralization

The AWS culture emphasizes ownership from top to bottom.

“It’s not an infrequent occurrence for somebody to come to me with a challenge and say, ‘Amazon should do this,'” he reports. “My response is always, ‘Who is this Amazon person you’re talking about? If you see the problem, propose the solution.”

This is an ethos of accountability and empowerment throughout the organization. The organization is decentralized, almost in some ways like startups within the greater AWS ecosystem. Each team owns their products, their roadmap, and their customer satisfaction to make sure it’s all very agile and creative.

“It’s possible to be incredibly creative at AWS because of this autonomy. We push decisions as close to the problem as possible, trusting those who understand the customer best to make the right calls.”

A Startup Mentality in a Global Giant

Despite its scale, AWS retains the entrepreneurial spirit of a startup. According to him, his role hasn’t really changed much since his days as one of the founders of a startup: “The only thing I don’t do anymore is clean the toilets,” he jokes.

Beyond that, he’s still deeply involved in customer relations, product development, and cross-functional collaboration.

At AWS, wearing several hats is not only encouraged but expected.

“We don’t work in silos. If the task at hand requires marketing expertise or legal input, you step in and contribute. The end goal is always the same: make the customer happy.”

This strongly contrasts with the rigid traditional corporate environment where well-defined roles and responsibilities choke innovation.

“At AWS, there’s no ‘not my job’ mentality,” he asserts. “Everyone is empowered to solve problems, no matter their title or role.”

Creativity Meets Practicality

Asked if it is possible to remain creative within a large organization, he uses the decentralized nature of AWS as an enabler.

“Our teams are small and independent, which enables us to experiment and have fast iterations,” he says. “We encourage ourselves to think big, but start small with iterated learning from customer feedback.”

A case in point is PartyRock, which started life as an internal tool for experimenting with generative AI models.

“It started off as a side project to help our team understand large language models, but it quickly gained traction within AWS, and we decided to launch it publicly.”

Today, hundreds of thousands of users are building AI-driven apps on PartyRock, from vacation planners to soccer team managers.

“This sort of bottom-up innovation is what makes AWS unique, Great ideas can come from anywhere, and when they do we run with them.”

The Next Killer App

To Weiss, the next “killer app” will not be about bright glitter but real-world impact. The best applications solve real problems, he says.

“Generative AI may have enormous potential, for example, but it is not the use of the technology for the sake of it. The question is, what is the problem we’re trying to solve?”

He emphasizes a “working backward” philosophy, whereby Amazon first identifies customer needs and then seeks to provide a solution.

“The most exciting opportunities come from rethinking problems with new tools like AI,” he says. “It’s about enabling things that were previously unimaginable or too resource-intensive to consider.”

His team works on how generative AI could change software development – in essence, faster and more efficiently-but that’s only where the ideas can start.

“Imagine what AI could mean to a marketing professional, or an IT manager, or even an educator. It can go to any level, but it must begin with a meaningful problem.”

Why Culture Matters

What sets AWS apart, however, is a matter of culture. “Technology’s important, but it’s culture that drives success.”

This culture has created ownership and accountability where everyone at all levels could make decisions and effect change.

“It’s not about hierarchy or job title,” he says. “It’s about solving problems and delivering value.”

Even after 13 years, he gets excited about what is next. “The beauty of AWS is that it’s always changing,” he concludes. “There are endless opportunities to innovate, and everyone has a role to play.”

See more breaking stories here.