[imagesource: Instagram / @nmdcomunicacion]

Instead of taking over the internet and global retail with one colossal online shop like Jeff Bezos did with Amazon, the man dubbed the ‘anti-Bezos’ created a platform to allow everyone to join the online retail space.

Meet German billionaire Tobias “Tobi” Lütke, the CEO of Shopify.

He founded Shopify almost by accident, but it quickly become an e-commerce beast that helps companies set up and run online stores in over 175 countries.

It was even considered a rival once when Bezos was still Amazon’s CEO, reported South China Morning Post:

Shopify may have grown into an e-commerce behemoth and Canada’s largest listed company, but it started as an online snowboard retailer called Snowdevil in 2004. Lütke told Signal v. Noise that he wanted to start a retail store in Ottawa because of programming burnout.

However, when Lütke and his partners couldn’t find decent software for Snowdevil, they shifted their focus to building e-commerce software that would help merchants sell products online instead.

Fast forward 10 years and Tobi was recognised as The Globe and Mail’s “CEO of the year” and branded the ‘anti-Bezos’ for the ways in which he sets himself apart from other tech billionaires.

For example, he donated a million and one trees to #TeamTrees, which was one more than Elon Musk.

Although, Lütke has nothing personal against Musk, and likewise Musk has nothing but admiration for his fellow tech billionaire:

Congrats! Shopify is great btw. Nice work.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 30, 2019

The only difference is that Lütke reportedly prefers riding his bike to work over his Tesla.

The ‘anti-Bezos’ spiel came after a 2019 Q&A session on Twitter when he was asked if Shopify was the next Amazon.

He was sure to mark the difference, saying that “Amazon is trying to build an empire. Shopify is trying to arm the rebels.”

Q: #asktobi people are starting to characterize Shopify as the next Amazon. Is that the right lens to view your strategy?
– @jwangARK

A: pic.twitter.com/0fnzKdBoYr

— tobi lutke (@tobi) October 11, 2019

Born in 1981, Koblenz, Germany, Tobi started rewriting the code of the games he played when he was just 11 or 12 years old:

Lütke’s role in the industry has given him ample opportunity to meet significant figures, such as former US President Barack Obama:

 

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A post shared by Tobi Lutke (@tobi)

As well as Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau:

 

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A post shared by Tobi Lutke (@tobi)

Besides all that, he seems to relish his time as a husband and dad of three in Canada:

 

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A post shared by Tobi Lutke (@tobi)

Nice going, Tobi.

[source:scmp]