How does one man move mountains? Apparently, by being everywhere at once. The founder of one company (you may have heard of it) recently clued the public into how his nearly $50 billion venture got its footing.

That and more in today’s Lunchtime Links:

Amazon man: Ever wonder how Amazon got its start? The household name was once a fleeting thought, with very little money. The Next Web talks about a snippet from an interview with founder Jeff Bezos where he reveals it took 60 meetings to raise the first $1 million needed to start the company. It’s a little lesson in perseverance and faith that took Bezos from idea to reality. “That was the most fragile moment for Amazon,” Bezos says in the interview. “Since 1997, our immediate destiny has been in our own hands.” Have you turned a risky idea into reality?

All in good faith: Volunteers are a crucial part of any association. Thinking of a way to thank them for their help? You’ll get your chance on International Volunteer Day, December 5. Energize Blog gives a great roundup of how some organizations are celebrating—with everything from a carnival packed with refreshments and entertainment for the volunteers, to the launch of a web page designed to help organizations throw their own events. How are you honoring your volunteers? You can register your event on the official IVD Stories page.

Stalker savvy: So there’s one guy out there who doesn’t frown on stalking, at least in a professional sense. CEO Eric V. Holtzclaw, founder of user-experience strategy and consulting firm User Insight, talks about why he never posts job openings—and encourages full-on stalking from potential candidates, in a candid blog post on Inc. He uses his social media channels to discuss where he’ll be speaking or attending to let job seekers hunt him down and engage him so they’ll be top of mind once he does hire. “I believe the future of business is in thought leadership and intellectual property, so I want to hire people for how they think, not just to do a job,” Holtzclaw explains. Potential hires, take note: Holtzclaw warns the stalking goes both ways.

What are you reading over lunch? Let us know in the comments.

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