Think Simple

Why do some companies effortlessly attract customers and ignite innovation, while others drown in endless meetings, bureaucratic layers, and indecision? In Think Simple, Ken Segall argues that the secret lies in simplicity—a principle easy to admire but extraordinarily hard to achieve. Segall, known for his work with Steve Jobs and Apple, contends that simplicity is the ultimate competitive advantage in business. It’s not just about making things look clean or minimal; it’s about clarifying purpose, streamlining decisions, and creating experiences that engage both hearts and minds.

Segall invites you to rethink what simplicity really means. He sees it as a philosophy—a way to design organizations, strategies, and cultures that are clear and human. Complexity, he reminds us, is the natural by-product of success. As companies grow, they accumulate layers of process, hierarchy, and data systems that constrict creativity and speed. Simplicity, on the other hand, multiplies focus and innovation. It is the invisible force that propels companies like Apple, Whole Foods, and Ben & Jerry’s beyond their competition.

Simplicity as a Philosophy of Action

Throughout the book, Segall shows that simplicity is not just design—it’s decision-making, communication, and leadership. Simplicity means asking: what truly matters? At Apple, Steve Jobs slashed two decades of clutter to focus on just four products. At The Container Store, CEO Kip Tindell built an empire not by expanding product lines but by reinforcing clear values of integrity and customer love. And at Westpac Bank, Brian Hartzer simplified complex operations by defining a vision summed up in a single phrase: “heroic bankers.” These examples prove that simplicity demands courage—the willingness to say no to distracting initiatives and to trust instinct when data becomes a crutch.

From Mission to Culture

Segall begins his exploration with the concept of mission. A mission, he explains, is the compass that directs every action in an organization. Amazon’s "One click away" defines its promise of convenience; Apple’s "Enrich lives" directs every employee toward creating experiences that matter. When missions are simple and authentic, they become rallying cries for teams. They strip away distractions and infuse clarity into daily decisions. This crystal-clear alignment enables organizations to move faster and build emotional connections with customers.

But missions alone cannot survive complexity. They require cultures built on shared values. A company’s culture acts as simplicity’s immune system—one that attacks bureaucratic viruses before they spread. Companies like Whole Foods, Ben & Jerry’s, and RadicalMedia showcase how clear values cultivate trust and authenticity. RadicalMedia’s founders, Jon Kamen and Frank Scherma, built their media empire on integrity: the belief that long-term success comes from doing what’s right, not what’s expedient. These cultural roots give simplicity its staying power.

Leadership as Simplification

The heart of Segall’s argument lies in leadership. The greatest simplifying force is a leader who empowers rather than dominates. Steve Jobs, Ron Johnson, and Ted Chung share this trait—they create environments where teams are free to act quickly, make courageous choices, and think differently. Simplicity thrives when leaders remove unnecessary structure and focus on outcomes rather than processes. As Jobs famously said, “Focus and simplicity.” When leaders bring clarity from the top, they transform complicated companies into nimble innovators.

The Human Side of Simplicity

At its core, simplicity reintroduces humanity into business. Segall contrasts data-driven decisions with intuition—showing how leaders like Walter Robb of Whole Foods and Jeff Fluhr of StubHub rely not only on analytics but also on empathy and instinct. Numbers reveal what happened, but intuition reveals what to do next. This human approach forges deeper emotional connections with customers, leading to loyalty and love. As Segall insists, simplicity isn’t a formula—it’s an instinct grounded in experience, courage, and clarity of purpose.

Why Simplicity Matters

In a world obsessed with speed, data, and growth metrics, simplicity offers something radical: focus. Simplicity lets you lead with meaning, create products that stand apart, and cultivate teams energized by clarity. It rewards companies that act decisively and build trust through authenticity rather than volume. If complexity is the natural state of business, simplicity is the deliberate choice that restores creativity and human connection. Segall’s message is timeless yet urgent—the future belongs to those who dare to think simple.

Ken Segall opens his argument with what he calls the foundational building block of simplicity: having a mission. A true mission is not corporate jargon—it is a unifying idea that tells everyone why the company exists and what matters most. Simplicity starts when decisions, strategies, and communications all point back to that single reason for being.

Crafting a Mission That Unites

Companies that articulate a clear, concise mission set themselves apart from competitors trapped in complexity. Amazon’s “One click away” expresses convenience with perfect brevity. At Apple, when Steve Jobs was still rebuilding the company in 1997, he defined Apple’s mission as “Provide relevant, compelling solutions that customers can only get from Apple.” That mission reminded the team of what the company offered that no one else could. Later, the Apple Stores expressed this through their own guiding phrase: “Enrich lives.”

This two-word mission became the filter for every design and decision—from choosing store locations to inventing the Genius Bar. It wasn’t printed on posters, yet it shaped everything Apple employees did. When a mission resonates, it doesn’t need constant repetition; people simply know what it means.

Scaling a Mission through Growth

Start-ups often begin without a mission, focusing instead on survival. StubHub’s Jeff Fluhr admits he launched his company without any guiding statement. Only after the business grew did he recognize that a mission was vital to alignment. When executives pressed him to define one, he realized that it was already hidden inside his brand line: “Where fans buy and sell tickets.” StubHub’s mission—serving the fan—became its compass even when leagues attacked its ticket-reselling model. With a simple message, Fluhr defended the company’s legitimacy while uniting employees around a shared cause.

A Mission That Expresses Character

Strong missions do more than describe intent; they reveal character. Joe Mimran’s fashion line Joe Fresh was born from the idea of “fresh fashion at fresh prices.” This phrase captured both purpose and attitude. Rather than competing with Walmart’s cheap designs, Mimran chose to sell stylish, colorful clothing in supermarkets, turning an ordinary space into an unexpected fashion experience. The mission served not only customers but also employees who knew exactly what creativity aimed to achieve.

At Ben & Jerry’s, the mission evolved into something larger—a commitment to positive change. The company’s famous three-part mission (product, economic, social) kept its growth tethered to its conscience. Cofounder Jerry Greenfield explained that it wasn’t enough to make delicious ice cream; success also meant enriching communities and advocating for justice. Even after being acquired by Unilever, Ben & Jerry’s preserved this integrity through a legal agreement ensuring its social mission operated independently. Simplicity for Ben & Jerry’s meant aligning business with values, not just profits.

Avoiding Mission Drift

Segall contrasts these examples with companies like Microsoft and Dell, who lost direction because they couldn’t clearly articulate what they stood for. Their early missions—empowering people through technology—blurred as growth introduced bureaucracy. A muddled mission leads to fragmented marketing and inconsistent behavior. Simplicity thrives on unity; complexity splinters organizations into competing agendas. As Segall puts it, a single flag rallies people, but five flags confuse them. To build a business that lasts, start by defining your guiding idea—and make every decision an act of allegiance to it.

Even the best mission fails if culture does not support it. Segall defines culture as the invisible air inside a company—the behaviors, values, and norms that motivate people. It’s what employees breathe every day, shaping everything from customer interactions to innovation. Culture is simplicity’s silent engine: it either accelerates change or clogs the system with complexity.

Values Create Simplicity

At Apple, simplicity began with values. When Steve Jobs returned, the company was bloated and bureaucratic. Jobs revived its founding spirit of design, innovation, and clarity through the rallying cry “Think different.” This wasn’t just a marketing slogan; it was a cultural reset. Employees saw themselves as part of a rebellious tribe that celebrated creativity and human impact. The campaign’s portraits of icons like Picasso and Einstein reminded Apple’s workforce that thinking differently was who they were, not just what they sold.

How Values Become DNA

Segall reveals that great cultures emerge when values are internalized until they become instinct. At Ben & Jerry’s, strong principles shaped behavior across generations. The company’s position on GMO labeling—taken despite opposition from parent company Unilever—exemplifies how ingrained values simplify choices. Employees don’t need rules or spreadsheets; they simply know the right course because the company’s beliefs are clear.

Similarly, RadicalMedia’s founders built their media powerhouse on integrity. Jon Kamen recalls removing a director mid-production for mistreating a client because Radical’s DNA demanded respect and honesty. That clarity simplified decisions in a notoriously chaotic industry.

Cultures That Self-Regulate

The strongest cultures act like immune systems, expelling those who threaten their authenticity. When Apple hired retail chief John Browett from another chain, his cost-cutting approach clashed with Apple’s customer-first philosophy. In less than a year, the culture rejected him—it was its own defense mechanism. True simplicity means having principles so clear that the wrong people naturally opt out.

Carving Values in Stone

Some leaders formalize culture to keep it visible. Kip Tindell at The Container Store wrote seven “Foundation Principles,” emphasizing communication, intuition, and treating vendors like partners. These principles eliminate bureaucracy—the company doesn’t need layers of management because employees understand the expectations deeply. Similarly, Dave Pottruck at Charles Schwab defined six values—fairness, empathy, responsiveness, striving, teamwork, and trustworthiness—that guided every decision. When values become the compass, complexity fades.

Culture Fuels Empowerment

Culture transforms simplicity from theory into action. Whole Foods’ Walter Robb describes his stores as “distributed intelligence cultures,” where team members act independently because they trust shared values. Empowerment saves time, boosts creativity, and nurtures innovation. As Segall concludes, great culture is the oxygen that keeps simplicity alive—it allows people to make clear, courageous decisions without waiting for permission.

Every movement toward simplicity begins with leadership. Segall makes a bold claim: simplicity never happens by accident. Leaders must champion it, defend it, and continually fight against the forces of complexity. Those who succeed share one crucial trait—focus. They empower others while maintaining clarity from the top.

Empowering, Not Dominating

Steve Jobs stands as Segall’s archetype of the simplicity-driven leader. Despite his intimidating reputation, Jobs empowered rather than micromanaged. Former Apple retail chief Ron Johnson recalls that Jobs gave authority freely: “He hired brilliant people so they could be brilliant.” When working with designers like Jony Ive, Jobs didn’t dictate creativity—he joined debates, providing energy and unity. Employees felt the presence of leadership without bureaucratic interference. The result was speed, clarity, and loyalty.

The Chief Uncomplicator

Outside Silicon Valley, Australian realtor John McGrath models similar focus. His leadership philosophy is simple: peel away everything that doesn’t matter. For McGrath, simplicity means writing one-page plans, cutting negative noise, and maintaining unbreakable routines. Like Jobs, McGrath treats clarity as discipline. When the company delivers luxury real estate experiences, it’s because employees know exactly what excellence looks like. No excess PowerPoints—just pursuit of quality.

Collaboration as Simplification

Segall emphasizes that simplicity doesn’t mean solitary leadership—it thrives through collaboration. Kip Tindell structures The Container Store around open dialogue, flattening hierarchy so new ideas flow freely. In Australia, Andrew Bassat at SEEK runs heated debates where everyone challenges ideas until clarity emerges. When people participate early, fewer revisions follow later—a practice Steve Jobs called “getting the leader in from day one.” In contrast, big organizations like Intel often suffer from overanalysis and delayed decisions, proving that more voices don’t guarantee better outcomes.

Focus from the Top

Large companies often falter because leadership becomes diluted by committees. Brian Hartzer of Westpac Bank reimagined leadership through clear direction. He told teams to create a “sixty-minute mortgage” rather than endless paperwork. That vision simplified operations and motivated employees. The lesson: employees perform better when they know exactly what success looks like. Hartzer’s “heroic banker” philosophy—asking “how can I be a hero to my customers?”—transformed bank culture from transactional to human.

Aiming for Outcomes, Not Profits

Segall closes the section by reminding readers that simplicity leads to profit, but profit should never lead simplicity. As Jony Ive said, “Our goal isn’t to make money. Our goal is to make great products.” SEEK’s Bassat echoes the sentiment: focusing on outcomes creates long-term value. Complexity breeds short-term gains and internal competition. Simplicity aligns everyone toward one vision—and when that happens, profit naturally follows.

After exploring leadership, Segall turns to the teams who carry simplicity forward. He argues that simple companies are built by people who share beliefs, not just skills. Hiring decisions are crucial because culture depends on who’s in the boat—and who’s not.

Hiring for Heart and Integrity

At Apple, Jobs hired for alignment, not agreement. He wanted people who shared obsession with quality but were brave enough to disagree. His interview with marketing candidate Stephen Sonnenfeld is legendary: he tore apart Sonnenfeld’s resume to test conviction. Jobs valued authenticity and refusal to compromise—because compromise breeds mediocrity. Similarly, Ron Johnson tells his team, “Tell me what you think,” not what you think I want to hear. Companies stagnate when employees fear honesty.

Building Relationships, Not Arrangements

Johnson explains that relationships drive innovation; arrangements drive stagnation. In his Apple Store project, everyone worked toward enriching lives, forming relationships defined by trust. But at JCPenney, an entrenched bureaucracy prevented honest dialogue. Without cultural alignment, even great ideas collapse under old habits. Johnson’s failed turnaround reminds leaders that simplicity can’t survive without shared courage.

Training and Engagement

The Container Store shows how employee investment translates to clarity and love. New hires go through a full “Foundation Week” and receive 263 hours of training annually (compared to eight hours at typical retailers). Kip Tindell believes great employees work “as one person doing the job of three.” Empowered, educated people don’t need micro-management—they create better experiences automatically. High training cost, he insists, is “the best money we ever spent.”

Values as Magnet

Companies with clarity attract people who share their values. Ben & Jerry’s pulls socially conscious applicants who believe in justice; RadicalMedia draws creatives who prize integrity. Happiness and engagement rise when personal and corporate values align. In an age of gig work and temporary jobs, Ron Johnson’s new venture, Enjoy, proves another path—on-demand workers who are salaried and treated as partners. Simplicity, Segall concludes, is a team sport fueled by trust, honesty, and shared purpose.

Segall calls brand the outward face of simplicity—the way a company’s inner clarity appears to the world. A strong brand, he asserts, is not just a logo or campaign but the sum of everything a company says and does. Simplicity strengthens brand identity because it eliminates mixed signals and builds emotional trust.

Defining Simplicity in Brands

Apple’s laser focus on its brand shows the power of consistency. When critics urged Jobs to release a cheap iPhone, he refused—believing it would dilute Apple’s premium brand. Simplicity meant staying true to “who we are.” Steve Wilhite, Apple’s former marketing chief, kept slogans, tone, and design unified worldwide. Whether in the U.S., Japan, or Berlin, Apple ads share minimalist white space and human emotion. This clarity builds long-term value and customer trust.

Reviving Brands through Emotion

Kofola, a nostalgic Czech soda, thrived by rediscovering its emotional core. Its CEO resurrected vintage branding to evoke childhood memories. By embracing “the taste of youth,” Kofola reconnected with Czechs’ hearts despite Coca-Cola’s global dominance. It wasn’t about competing in flavor—it was about capturing feeling. Emotion, Segall reminds, is simplicity’s silent ingredient.

Similarly, Bank of Melbourne revived its regional identity as “the local bank.” CEO Scott Tanner redesigned branches to encourage conversation, hired locally, and built community partnerships. Customers understood exactly what the bank stood for: homegrown service. Staying “on brand” made operations simpler and unified.

Consistency Creates Endurance

Segall contrasts great brands—like Porsche, BMW, and Ferrari—against those who fracture identity through localization. These brands offer the same experience globally; the Porsche 911 is the same in Tokyo or New York. Leaders like Alan Mulally at Ford insisted on “One Ford,” a global design ethos. When a brand’s essence translates universally, complexity shrinks and loyalty grows.

Protecting the Brand Bank

Jobs often spoke of the “brand bank”—every great experience makes deposits; every failure withdraws trust. Protecting the brand means guarding simplicity. When Pepsi offered to buy thousands of iMacs for a giveaway, Wilhite declined. Letting Apple become a gimmick would have been a withdrawal. True leadership, Segall writes, means saying no to shiny distractions and yes to timeless consistency.

Segall likens simplicity to physics: lighter objects move faster. In business, removing friction—excess meetings, choices, and process—creates momentum. He calls simplification “changing the physics of business.” This idea plays out across industries, showing how fewer options and faster decisions increase focus and joy.

Reducing Choices to Increase Clarity

Companies often assume more choice means happier customers. Behavioral research (Barry Schwartz’s The Paradox of Choice) shows the opposite: too many options paralyze decisions. Netflix’s Neil Hunt tested adding half-star ratings and saw engagement drop 11%. Simplicity wins because clarity builds confidence. Restaurant chains illustrate this perfectly: In-N-Out Burger thrives with six menu items; McDonald’s overloaded with over a hundred until profits fell. Doing fewer things better is the simplest—and most profitable—strategy.

Simplifying Names and Systems

Product naming reveals a company’s mindset. HP’s chaotic alphanumeric soup—Z230, ENVY 750qe—contrasts Apple’s readable elegance: MacBook Air, MacBook Pro. Simple names reflect clear design. The lesson is universal: clarity of naming equals clarity of thinking.

Streamlining Processes and Teams

Segall uses Hyundai Card’s Ted Chung as an example of velocity in leadership. Chung makes million-dollar decisions in hours, rejecting formal process chains. “Slow is dead,” he says. Similarly at Netflix, unlimited vacation and judgment-driven policies free employees from paperwork. Andrew Bassat at SEEK and Konrad Feldman at Quantcast build cultures of trust in judgment, where process serves people—not the other way around. The result is faster decisions and higher morale.

Turning Complexity into Focus

Laura Anderson’s “Rule of Three” distills massive information into three strategic priorities. This method, used across industries from defense to fashion, helps companies focus and act decisively. Simplicity is not the absence of complexity—it’s mastery over it. As Jannis Samaras at Kofola discovered, success brings clutter; simplifying restores creative spirit. His return to laid-back offices and “no dress code” shows that even physical spaces affect mental clarity. Segall’s law of simplicity holds true everywhere: streamlining accelerates everything.

In his late chapters, Segall makes a philosophical turn: simplicity ultimately rests on instinct. While data and processes are vital, human intuition gives meaning to decisions. Segall’s featured leaders—from Whole Foods’ Walter Robb to Apple’s Ron Johnson—trust their gut without rejecting analytics. True simplicity, he writes, is the art of balancing head and heart.

Heart and Head Leadership

Walter Robb calls himself a “heart leader,” arguing that business without genuine care loses humanity. Jeff Fluhr of StubHub practices “head and heart leadership”—experimenting with data but trusting intuition to innovate. It’s not sentimentality; it’s experience distilled into feeling. Jobs echoed this when he urged people to “skate to where the puck is going.” Intuition tells you what data cannot yet reveal.

Flying in the Face of Data

Bruce Churchill’s story with Rupert Murdoch at Fox illustrates courage over calculation. When Murdoch paid $1.6 billion for NFL rights in 1993, data predicted disaster. Yet intuition foresaw transformation. The bold move made Fox a sports powerhouse—a perfect case of trusting vision over metrics. Ron Johnson warns that spreadsheets only show history; intuition connects to the future.

Instinct Creates Connection

Segall reveals how instinct simplifies both operations and relationships. John McGrath’s “90 percent heart and 10 percent head” philosophy empowers fast, human decisions—from adding price guides to listings to engaging customers authentically online. Ted Chung at Hyundai Card channels passion over calculation. “Ignore the numbers,” he tells his teams, “and talk about what kind of company we want to be.” The result is design-rich marketing and emotional branding that make financial services feel alive.

Instinct as the Great Simplifier

Segall ends by calling instinct “accumulated wisdom”—experience, empathy, common sense, and humor blended through life. It’s what lets leaders identify what truly matters and cut through complexity with conviction. Westpac’s Brian Hartzer unites head and heart by viewing banking emotionally—money touches identity, so clarity matters. Joe Mimran channels fashion instinct to differentiate Joe Fresh from copycats. Intuition is not a whim; it’s a practiced simplicity. It is—and always will be—the human advantage.

Segall closes his book with the most human outcome of simplicity: love. When companies simplify experiences, they don’t just win customers—they win hearts. Complexity repels; clarity attracts. Simplicity turns functional transactions into emotional relationships.

Creating Love through Experience

Apple is Segall’s prime example. Jobs built Apple’s success on making technology people could fall in love with—from elegant packaging to intuitive devices. The Apple Store transformed shopping into inspiration. Each positive experience was a deposit in the “brand bank.” Simplicity here doesn’t mean fewer features—it means pure focus on what delights people.

Turning Monoliths Human

Telstra and DirecTV Latin America prove that even giants can create love through empathy. By improving service speed and empowering local teams, Telstra went from Australia’s most disliked company to winning advocates. DirecTV’s Bruce Churchill uses “net promoters” as a measure of love—simplifying service and outmatching competitors through reliability. Customers became allies when the company solved frustrations.

Love from Within

Segall argues love begins with employees. Kip Tindell’s belief that “You can build a better company on love than fear” shaped The Container Store’s success. Empowered workers transmit enthusiasm to customers. Jack Ma of Alibaba echoes this hierarchy: customers first, employees second, shareholders third. Profit follows passion. Companies like Ben & Jerry’s and Whole Foods cultivate emotional connection by living their values visibly—not as marketing, but as identity.

Value, Simplicity, and Design

Love also emerges from perceived value—the feeling of getting more than you paid for. Tindell recalls Stanley Marcus’s wisdom: true value is when something costs 20% more but looks 200% better. Great design and simplicity elevate daily experiences. StubHub’s elegant ticket envelopes or Uber’s effortless app interface generate attachment through clarity and beauty.

The Heart of Simplicity

Simplicity is emotional physics—it reduces friction so love can flow. It’s how companies turn transactions into trust and how leaders turn missions into movements. From tech icons to ice cream makers, Segall’s lesson is clear: simplicity doesn’t just create better business. It creates belonging. It’s the shortest route from logic to love.