Jon Derkits

BEST@AMAZON NEWSLETTER --> https://bestatamazon.ck.page/

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Hi, I'm Jon and I'm a builder. 

Over the course of my 15-year career in management consulting and technology companies, I've built teams, I've built processes, I've built products, and I've built businesses (the 10-figure kind). I'm at my best when I'm in a role with scope and significance, and my superpower is consistency.

Some things I'm GOOD at include dealing with ambiguity and making good decisions in fast-paced, uncertain environments. Some things I'm *GREAT* at include obsessing over customers and developing my people.

Follow me here on LinkedIn if you want to hear my thoughts on Amazon, building great teams, or the current state of Chicago sports.

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CLIFTON STRENGTHS
Harmony, Achiever, Learner, Positivity, Ideation

DOMAIN KNOWLEDGE
eCommerce, Marketplaces/Platforms, Valuation 

FUNCTIONAL SKILLS
Business Performance Measurement, Category Management, Data Analytics, Digital Marketing, Financial Statement Analysis, Lean Six Sigma, P&L Ownership, Strategic Planning, Team Leadership, Written Communication

TECHNICAL SKILLS
Amazon Seller Central, Bloomberg, Capital IQ, Microsoft Office, SQL, Tableau

Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)

One common trait among true “A” players 👇


Regardless of whatever bar or standard you set for them, their *internal* standard for themselves will always be higher.

This type of intrinsic drive and pressure doesn’t come without costs though (see: Four Burners Theory).

So make sure that you proactively take care of these folks, and look out for the whole person; not just the work part.

Buying & Building eCommerce Agencies | Ex-Amazon

I woke up at 5am today to listen to the recording of Amazon's Q4 2025 earnings call, so that you don't have to. Here are the 4 most important takeaways: 👇 

1) CAPEX is exploding to $200B in 2026(!)

This is Amazon's all-in bet on AI dominance, and they are prioritizing data centers, custom chips, and infrastructure.

🔑 Quote: "We expect to invest about $200 billion in capital expenditures across Amazon, but predominantly in AWS, because we have very high demand. Customers really want AWS for core and AI workloads. And we are monetizing capacity as fast as we can install it."

2) AWS is roaring back with 24% growth, reclaiming its cloud throne amid AI frenzy. 

Hitting a $142B run rate, it's accelerating at its fastest rate in 13 quarters, and it's being driven by migrations, custom silicon like Trainium, and a $244B backlog.

🔑 Quote: "AWS growth continued to accelerate to 24%, the fastest we've seen in thirteen quarters. Up $2.6 billion quarter over quarter and nearly $7 billion year over year. AWS is now a $142 billion annualized run rate business."

3) Advertising hit $21.3B with 23% growth, becoming one of Amazon's biggest profit engines. 

The growth here was fueled by Prime Video expansion and AI-driven targeting, where Amazon continues to make investments. 

🔑 Quote:  "Our ads team is also innovating with AI. We recently announced our ads agent, which lets brands use AI to create and optimize campaigns at scale, implement effective campaign targeting, and quickly create actionable insights. And our creative agent lets advertisers research, brainstorm, and generate full funnel ad campaigns from concept to completion using conversational guidance in Amazon's retail data transforming what was a weeks long process into just hours."

4) Customers are rapidly adopting Rufus.

Nearly 300M customers have used Rufus in the past year. And, in 2025, Rufus generated $10B in incremental GMV.
 
🔑 Quote: "Our Agentic AI shopping assistant, Rufus, is rapidly expanding. Customers who used Rufus are about 60% more likely to complete a purchase."

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#amazon
#aws
#amazonads

In case you haven't been following the social zeitgeist and internet discourse...

Yesterday, Claude pre-released its Super Bowl ad set, which took a BIG swing at AI companies that plan to monetize through ads (*cough* OpenAI *cough*).

The ads were...kinda funny. 

Even Sam Altman lol'ed at them. But, then went on to intellectualize and defend OpenAI's decision.

And there are internet warriors on both sides, arguing in support of Claude's ads or arguing in support of OpenAI's decision to monetize through ads. 

But, while the professional marketers, media intellectuals, and AI evangelists debate whether the ads were good or bad, right or wrong, pretty or ugly, I can't help but notice...

The average person: 
1) Likes them
2) Likes them enough to tell their friends

There's a lesson in there somewhere, if you're a marketer.

What if the key to disrupting a stale $100 billion category just came down to...

...Innovative packaging

I don't know if that is true in every category, or at all.

But, as a consumer, I love seeing brands differentiate with their packaging.

University of Pennsylvania

Executive Coach, Educator, Author, and Learning Designer with over 25 years of global experience in higher education and leadership development. Specializing in leadership development, executive presence, and intercultural management (through a biblical worldview). Demonstrated success in designing and teaching online and in-person courses for executives, graduate students, and public leaders. Certified coach (PCC - ICF) with deep expertise in developing and delivering impactful learning experiences aligned with leadership competencies and institutional missions.

Professor

The Intercultural Leader Institute

I empower leaders with cultural competence through executive courses, coaching, and consulting in order to meet the challenges of leading in a multicultural workforce and world.

Founder

LifeHikes®

Executive coaching for worldwide success. LifeHikes is a global professional training company created to help you navigate the path to lifelong growth.

Coach

International Coaching Federation

ACC Coach

Fulbright Association

The Fulbright Program is the leading international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Taught in conjunction with Sichuan University.

Fulbright Scholar to China

Fulbright Scholar

Fulbright Association- Scholar to China

University of Notre Dame

Delivered cutting edge instruction regarding the importance of cultural competence and communication skills in global leadership to BBA, MBA, and EMBA students. Developed and led cross-cultural learning programs to China.  Developed and taught executive courses for business students.

Associate Professor Intercultural Management

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

CUHK - developed a Management Communication Program for the School of Hotel Management; Wharton - taught in the Communication Program and Executive Education

Assistant Professor

The Wharton School

MBA Communication Program and Executive MBA Program

Associate Director

Founder, The Intercultural Leader Institute - Empowering leaders to manage the tough conversations with people who think, act, and believe differently / Fulbright Scholar to China

+Someone on your team is offended and has complained
+Team members are walking on eggshells
+You don't know what to say or do 

𝐈 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤, 𝐚𝐜𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲... 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝

The Intercultural Leader Institute offers: Online courses, coaching, and consulting to empower leaders with cultural competence.   Check us out at:   𝐰𝐰𝐰.𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫.𝐜𝐨𝐦

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

One of the things I learned when taking Tango lessons in Buenos Aires is just how unpredictable the rhythms, steps, and music can be. Tango can be spirited and lively but also intense and melancholy. The leader chooses how and where to move according to the beat of the music while the follower has to be alert to the subtle movements and rhythmic nuances. 

Both are leaders AND followers simultaneously.

It’s a beautiful yet complicated  dance that requires attention, concentration, and intuition; and by working together the dancers seamlessly glide across the floor.  

Isn’t this similar at work where we try to get along with each other, whether leaders or followers? Today it's hard to navigate sensitive conversations and interactions regarding politics, religion, race, ethnicity, and gender.  All too often we feel like we’re just clumsily stepping on someone else’s toes.

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CLIENTS INCLUDE:  Boeing, Virginia Department of Corrections, and Verizon Wireless. She has taught and consulted for over 20 years with a variety of clients, such as Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, AXA, Vanguard, the U.S. Marines, Panasonic Japan, China Development Bank, and HSBC

UNIVERSITY AFFILIATIONS:  Wharton School; Chinese University of Hong Kong; University of Notre Dame; Sichuan University, Chengdu, Chin; Shanghai International Studies University (EMBA, MBA, undergrads

HONORS: Fulbright Scholar in Chengdu, China (2017-2018) at Sichuan University.

EXPERTISE: Intercultural Communication and Global Leadership

EDUCATION: Ph.D. in Education/Communication; MS Edu Intercultural Communication/Sociolinguistics, University of Pennsylvania

BOOKS: Intercultural Communication for Global Leadership: How Leaders Communicate for Success, Routledge, 2021 (2e).

ACC (Associate Certified Coach) through the International Coaching Federation.

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