Bezos is Back

Here’s what we’re talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast: Amazon's sales rose 26% in the first quarter as the COVID-19 crisis made the online retailer an even bigger part of many lives, but profits were down 30% due to expenses from dealing with the virus. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos gave a clear message to shareholders, saying they "may want to take a seat," because there are big challenges ahead and they won't be easy or cheap to overcome. The company says it will spend $4 billion this quarter on initiatives related to the pandemic. With Amazon bigger and more powerful than ever, federal lawmakers want Bezos himself to testify before Congress. Pressure is mounting from Amazon warehouse workers who fear for their safety and are unhappy with how the retailer is responding to the coronavirus pandemic. Protecting workers from COVID-19 will be one of the biggest challenges for Bezos and Amazon in the months and year ahead. People will eventually return to their offices to work, but how will they do that safely? Madrona Venture Group compiled a "toolkit" with input from 15 major employers in the Seattle region, including Amazon, Microsoft and Starbucks. One big finding: Communication is key to making employees feel safe at work. Meanwhile, funding for startups in the Pacific Northwest is taking a hit from the COVID-19 crisis, which may be bad news for young companies that don't have money in the bank.  With GeekWire's Todd Bishop, Monica Nickelsburg and John Cook. Our podcast producer is Curt Milton. Our theme music is by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.