5 1/2 Questions for Derek Sivers

Derek Sivers — Founder, Author, Creator, Philosopher

Derek Sivers — A unique and unusual Entrepreneur, Writer, Philosopher and Creator — very insightful, self aware and profound, – and he knows how to express his thoughts and views in a clear and compelling manner. He’s known for his surprisingly quotable insights, and his pithy, succinct writing style. Formerly a musician, programmer, TED speaker, and circus clown, he sold his first company for $22 million and gave all the money to charity.

Derek Sivers is known as the founder of CD Baby. A professional musician since 1987, he started CD Baby by accident in 1998 when he was selling his own CD on his website, and friends asked if he could sell theirs, too. CD Baby was the largest seller of independent music on the web, with over $100M in sales for over 150,000 musician clients.

But perhaps Derek is best known for his viral, impactful and inspiring TED Talk: How to start a movement — where he astutely observed:

• “‍There is no movement without the first follower. We’re told we all need to be leaders, but that would be really ineffective. The best way to make a movement, if you really care, is to courageously follow and show others how to follow.”

More about Derek Sivers:

1 — What book was a game changer for your career or life?

Awaken the Giant Within — by Tony Robbins.

This 1992 book changed everything about my life. It’s my Bible. Most of my beliefs come from it. I read it many times at a formative age, but re-read it now 30 years later, taking notes. It’s not a perfect book. It’s too verbose and full of expired American references. But its core messages are the wisest, most effective life philosophy I’ve ever encountered. You choose how you feel. Your emotions come from you, not events or others. Doesn’t matter what’s true, but what empowers you. You adopted beliefs randomly from circumstance, but you can rewire your mind to believe whatever helps you be who you want to be. You have absolute control over your internal world. Anyone who thinks “I can’t help the way I feel” needs this book.

2 — What is the one quality or behavior that you often admire in other people?

Reflection or introspection. The ability to look at your own thoughts and question them, challenge them, and change them. Why? Because that’s where all self-improvement comes from, all real learning, all positive change.

3 — Tell us about a time or incident when you got really really lucky in business?

In 1998 I started a little online record store called CD Baby when there was literally not a single place online to sell your music. The timing was right and it immediately became the largest seller of independent music online with a quarter million artists and millions of customers. I sold the company 10 years later for a ton of money because I felt done with it. Then a month later the 2008 global financial collapse happened. So yeah, damn lucky. I wrote a little book about the lessons I learned from this, and how you could apply it to your own small business. It’s called “Anything You Want”.

4 — These days, how often have to convince people to turn a no into a yes? Who are they and how do you do it?

Wow. Good question. I honestly don’t! So, how often is never. Lucky me!

5 — If you could start a new venture tomorrow, what industry or technology would it be? why?

That’s a funny “if”. Of course I could. Anyone could! It doesn’t take big money. My startup cost for CD Baby was $500, and it was profitable every month after that. I like ventures that size.

I would start something really small appealing to a very tiny niche of people that I like. Starting a venture is like throwing a party. You need to like the people you’re inviting!

In my case, right now, probably create a trust to host people’s personal websites for 100 years, so sites like cjcornell.net and sive.rs can carry on for 50+ years after we die.

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5–1/2 — BONUS “Color” Question

Superheros dominate pop culture and imaginations — from Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, X-Men, to Deadpool. Which superpower would be most useful when starting out as an entrepreneur, why?

Daredevil, because he’s got super hearing. He could listen closely to what people really need, and how they’re talking about what they need, so he could describe his solution in their own language.