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Anything You Want: 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur
by
Finally available in bookstores, the Portfolio edition of Derek Sivers’s iconic and bestselling manifesto on lessons learned while becoming an entrepreneur
Most people don’t know what they’re doing. They imitate others, go with the flow, and follow paths without making their own.
Best known for creating CD Baby, the most popular music site for independent artists, f ...more
Most people don’t know what they’re doing. They imitate others, go with the flow, and follow paths without making their own.
Best known for creating CD Baby, the most popular music site for independent artists, f ...more
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Kindle Edition, 88 pages
Published
September 15th 2015
by Portfolio
(first published June 21st 2011)
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Showing 1-30
The first time I ever spoke to Derek Sivers, I accused him of ripping me off.
I had seen his great TEDx video called "Why You Need to Fail" and I wrote him to complain. (Jokingly of course.)
I told him "I wrote THE book on failing."
Derek gives his e-mail address on his website and he couldn't have responded quicker or have been nicer (or have used a more amusing adverb to explain why he hadn't heard of my book) :
"Holy crap! That's awesome. Wow. I'm s ...more
I had seen his great TEDx video called "Why You Need to Fail" and I wrote him to complain. (Jokingly of course.)
I told him "I wrote THE book on failing."
Derek gives his e-mail address on his website and he couldn't have responded quicker or have been nicer (or have used a more amusing adverb to explain why he hadn't heard of my book) :
"Holy crap! That's awesome. Wow. I'm s ...more
A couple of Derek Sivers stories:
My first CD Baby order was #17697, for 8 discs, in 2000. When I got the now-famous colorful shipment notice I thought I’d actually been the first brand new customer to order as many as 8 albums. I thought the email had been crafted for me, in particular. I felt special.
A little later, I placed an even bigger order, and it happened to be while CD Baby was moving across the country. It was delayed long enough that I eventually contacted supp ...more
My first CD Baby order was #17697, for 8 discs, in 2000. When I got the now-famous colorful shipment notice I thought I’d actually been the first brand new customer to order as many as 8 albums. I thought the email had been crafted for me, in particular. I felt special.
A little later, I placed an even bigger order, and it happened to be while CD Baby was moving across the country. It was delayed long enough that I eventually contacted supp ...more
Awesome little book, I will keep re-reading. I love the opening pages - "10 years of experience in 1 hour".
This book is written by Derek Sivers, who started a business called CDbaby that he later sold for $22 million. One of my favourite parts of the book was the graph at the beginning showing the monthly sales over 10 years of his business. In analysing it one thing I really appreciated was the steady but slow growth in the first 5 years of his business in particular. Reiterating once again th ...more
This book is written by Derek Sivers, who started a business called CDbaby that he later sold for $22 million. One of my favourite parts of the book was the graph at the beginning showing the monthly sales over 10 years of his business. In analysing it one thing I really appreciated was the steady but slow growth in the first 5 years of his business in particular. Reiterating once again th ...more
Seth Godin recommended this book for every entrepreneur. I just bought it in kindle format.
It's introduction tells that you could learn an author's entire experience of creating business within one hour or two... which, unbelievably, I managed to finish it within exactly one hour because it's short, direct-to-point and really fun to go through.
The story in the book is about author's bibliography, entrepreneur tips and tactics, wow ideas of CDBaby.com's owner Derek Sivers. He bu ...more
It's introduction tells that you could learn an author's entire experience of creating business within one hour or two... which, unbelievably, I managed to finish it within exactly one hour because it's short, direct-to-point and really fun to go through.
The story in the book is about author's bibliography, entrepreneur tips and tactics, wow ideas of CDBaby.com's owner Derek Sivers. He bu ...more
I like Derek Sivers a lot. He has fantastic stories and has great advice. I love to read his stuff.
However, reading this book made me realize that he is more of a product of survivorship bias.
This book was filled with two types of lessons: good business advice and then advice that happened to work for Derek Sivers.
I couldn’t tell the two apart.
However, reading this book made me realize that he is more of a product of survivorship bias.
This book was filled with two types of lessons: good business advice and then advice that happened to work for Derek Sivers.
I couldn’t tell the two apart.
Amazing little book of mostly unconventional entrepreneurship wisdom. Highly recommended!
Ok, so I read this because apparently everyone in web development has been raving about it and I am not really that blown away.
I don't know why I had such a different experience from others, but most of the things said in this book just seemed common sense to me. I didn't feel like it is a very special wisdom he is sharing, he is just stating the obvious (at least for me). It might be to with the fact that I am currently listening to the Simon Sinek's book and a lot of ideas are really the same ...more
I don't know why I had such a different experience from others, but most of the things said in this book just seemed common sense to me. I didn't feel like it is a very special wisdom he is sharing, he is just stating the obvious (at least for me). It might be to with the fact that I am currently listening to the Simon Sinek's book and a lot of ideas are really the same ...more
Quick read but insightful. The basic premise, as I understood it, is to spend your life doing things that bring you happiness, which is not as straightforward as it seems. Too often, we spend our time doing what we think will make us happy, or what we think others expect from us, or what society dictates that we do. This book isn't a formula for building a multi-million dollar company, although that's what CDBaby turned out to be. Instead, it helps you see what criteria to consider when making d
...more
I have loved reading Derek Sivers' essays for the longest time. And even though I've read some of the ones mentioned in the book before, they were still as fresh and thought provoking as ever.
I listened to the audio book narrated by Mr. Sivers himself, it added another layer of personal connection to the stories. It narrates a story with an unusual approach to business. Yet it's about much more than that.
It's a very short book, and I would recommend it to everyone.
I listened to the audio book narrated by Mr. Sivers himself, it added another layer of personal connection to the stories. It narrates a story with an unusual approach to business. Yet it's about much more than that.
It's a very short book, and I would recommend it to everyone.
An interesting read, more like you've sat down over a couple of drinks, and he's spilled his story out on the table.
I have a secret desire to found a technology startup, which probably comes from reading too much Hacker News. I'm pretty happy with my current job, and I don't think I'd actually handle the stress of doing a startup very well, so I doubt it will ever happen. But reading books like this push me towards it. It makes running a startup sound so exciting! (and skips over the long discouraging parts)
This is a collection of anecdotes about founding, running, and eventually selling CDBaby. It's a ...more
This is a collection of anecdotes about founding, running, and eventually selling CDBaby. It's a ...more
Actually I knew the author, Derek Sivers from his TED speeches: "How to start a movement," "Keep your goals to yourself," and "Weired, or just different?," not from this book. At glance of my thought about him is that he is interested in a big range of topics, but he points out the core things of human psychology and phenomenon very well. Most of all, I feel strongly he enjoys being what he is doing. He seems very happy. I mean he is doing what makes him happy. From his book "Anything You Want,"
...more
Simple message told simply by an author and an business owner who admits to liking simplicity: Do what you like is the best strategy for better business management. Don't get driven into the usual way of doing and managing your business. Your business is YOUR business. Do what you like and know, very well, why are you doing it.
Interesting read of an unusual story. Not exactly a story that will fit every business out there but still nice to read.
Interesting read of an unusual story. Not exactly a story that will fit every business out there but still nice to read.
Derek Sivers is not your everyday person or entrepreneur. He has a solid philosophy of life which he executes in a way few dares to do, as it breaks with many cultural norms.
In many ways, CD Baby, the backdrop story of this book was the time he discovered his philosophy and got aware of it.
Though some of his advice might not hold water in every situation, or for any person, I believe there are many small tidbits of wisdom both philosophical and practical for anyone who re ...more
In many ways, CD Baby, the backdrop story of this book was the time he discovered his philosophy and got aware of it.
Though some of his advice might not hold water in every situation, or for any person, I believe there are many small tidbits of wisdom both philosophical and practical for anyone who re ...more
I fucking love this guy
Quick, easy, very inspirational read -- particularly for entrepreneurs. Love Derek's story and fierce commitment to happiness, simplicity and doing what's best for his customers.
Wow. Amazing book that is compact enough to read in one hour in one sitting yet informative enough to cause your brain to explode with new ideas and inspiration. I needed this, badly. This book gave me the wake up call after five years of being an entrepreneur.
I love every single page of this book, from all the realizations to the encountering with Steve Jobs. Even though I know and breathe about half of the attitude presented (some unknowingly) there are many take-aways I will cheri ...more
I love every single page of this book, from all the realizations to the encountering with Steve Jobs. Even though I know and breathe about half of the attitude presented (some unknowingly) there are many take-aways I will cheri ...more
Anything You Want by Derek Sivers
It’s not what you think. The title causes someone to think of some sort of name it and claim it gospel or a how to guide to accumulate mass amounts of whatever you want. Derek Sivers is behind one of the most important lessons on leadership on the web. Derek was also the brains behind a company called CD baby. These are lessons that he learned from that experience. This comes a business background so some of this is not applicable to church leadership ...more
It’s not what you think. The title causes someone to think of some sort of name it and claim it gospel or a how to guide to accumulate mass amounts of whatever you want. Derek Sivers is behind one of the most important lessons on leadership on the web. Derek was also the brains behind a company called CD baby. These are lessons that he learned from that experience. This comes a business background so some of this is not applicable to church leadership ...more
Summary:
- The goal is happiness, not money.
- Be persistent in iterating, not in doing what doesn't work.
- Just focus on making customers happy. Go above and beyond for them. If they're not begging you to let them pay you for the service, keep iterating until they are.
- Don't worry about the business-y stuff - it's not that important.
- Be real. Be genuine. Be a person.
- Optimizing for lots of trivial metrics has bad unintended consequences. There's value in simplicity an ...more
- The goal is happiness, not money.
- Be persistent in iterating, not in doing what doesn't work.
- Just focus on making customers happy. Go above and beyond for them. If they're not begging you to let them pay you for the service, keep iterating until they are.
- Don't worry about the business-y stuff - it's not that important.
- Be real. Be genuine. Be a person.
- Optimizing for lots of trivial metrics has bad unintended consequences. There's value in simplicity an ...more
I was first introduced to Derek Sivers while watching a TED Talk. I thought his three minute speech was brilliant, so when I saw that he had written a book I was very excited to read it.
Sivers is the creator of CD Baby, a very successful online business that helps independent musicians sell their music. The book is essentially his retelling of the birth and journey of growing that business. It is described as "40 Lessons For A New Kind of Entrepreneur". The book is put out by The Dom ...more
Sivers is the creator of CD Baby, a very successful online business that helps independent musicians sell their music. The book is essentially his retelling of the birth and journey of growing that business. It is described as "40 Lessons For A New Kind of Entrepreneur". The book is put out by The Dom ...more
I added this to my list of books to read after it being recommended by Shawn Blanc's monthly book club. Although new books go to the bottom of my list, this one looked like a quick read and given Easter Monday I was able to consume within the hour. What I liked about this book was Siver's open and honest approach to running a business. To him, it is about having fun, being happy and ultimately about the customer; money didn't play a role. It is certainty a healthy approach to have in a business
...more
I've heard Derek's story multiple times in multiple formats, whether in a TED talk, on the Tim Ferriss show, or even on a random podcast where he shared his story, so I had heard many of the lessons distilled in here in different ways. I finally had the chance to knock back the 84 pages on a recent flight and it's enjoyable, filled with lots of good advice for new entrepreneurs. A few of the gems:
"Your business plan is moot. You don't know what people really want until you start doin ...more
"Your business plan is moot. You don't know what people really want until you start doin ...more
I read the audio version of this, read by the author himself.
The book reads as a manifesto mixed with a retrospective. Derek SIvers founded CD Baby before iTunes, before even ecommerce was popular in order to help a few of his musician friends sell their own CDs online. The business exploded and he sold it for $20+M. The book is both his philosophy on what it means to start a business (summed up as "you have a chance to build your own utopia in which the world works as you want it to ...more
The book reads as a manifesto mixed with a retrospective. Derek SIvers founded CD Baby before iTunes, before even ecommerce was popular in order to help a few of his musician friends sell their own CDs online. The business exploded and he sold it for $20+M. The book is both his philosophy on what it means to start a business (summed up as "you have a chance to build your own utopia in which the world works as you want it to ...more
An extremely short but worthy read. I'm a slower reader, and was done in an hour and a half. Derek Sivers began his own company without ever intending it to grow as it did, and he gives practical advice to readers about happiness in your work, what worked well for him, and mistakes that he made. Sivers is extremely down-to-earth, and his language portrays this. After growing his business to a level in which he was no longer joyful about running it, he sold it for 22 million dollars and gave the
...more
I listed to his Ted talk which was the short version of the book although I recommend the book more. Must read! Anyone starting a business or in business or with a pulse read this. His gentle boyish style is refreshing especially considering the heights he has been able to attain.
Nuggets of Truth:
Don't be on your death bed someday having squandered your one chance at life full of regret because you pursued little distractions instead of big dreams.
You can't please everyone so proudly exclude ...more
Nuggets of Truth:
Don't be on your death bed someday having squandered your one chance at life full of regret because you pursued little distractions instead of big dreams.
You can't please everyone so proudly exclude ...more
If you read Derek Sivers' blog or have seen him speak, you won't read anything new in this book. It's very short and took me about an hour to read. Derek Sivers has a great voice and has a refreshing, down-to-earth perspective based on his experiences and decisions. He seems incredibly genuine. The relationship between a customer and a business is often adversarial, but it's clear that Derek Sivers was able to create a different kind of relationship with his clients. Maybe that's because he ulti
...more
Why I didn't read this six months ago was a huge mistake.
Seems Monsieur Derek has some valuable lessons and insight... but here's the thing his words are only words until you've gone through the fire yourself... or maybe you're just one of those people who actually take advice and don't agree when hindsight is 20/20.
Best piece of advice from Derek Sivers? Delegate don't Abdicate. Le Sigh. Yes yes...
I learned a very hard lesson doing just exactly what Derek advises the reader not to do... and ...more
Seems Monsieur Derek has some valuable lessons and insight... but here's the thing his words are only words until you've gone through the fire yourself... or maybe you're just one of those people who actually take advice and don't agree when hindsight is 20/20.
Best piece of advice from Derek Sivers? Delegate don't Abdicate. Le Sigh. Yes yes...
I learned a very hard lesson doing just exactly what Derek advises the reader not to do... and ...more
Refreshing book about building a customer focused business. Refreshing because it is very short - takes as long to read as a business magazine. Refreshing because it focuses on the decisions to best serve the customer, with plenty of examples, even though some examples run counter to other suggestions. Yes, business can be messy. Refreshing because this story about a business is not about optimizing the business, it's about optimizing the owner's happiness. Refreshing in that the owner describes
...more
This book aims to be read in an hour. This is technically possible, but it probably needs to be read a dozen times over to really internalize the lessons.
Sivers has an incredibly unique perspective, which can be very freeing if you're open to it. Through anecdotes, he shows that shunning the beaten path can lead to great things in many different areas (though it comes with unknown challenges).
I'm marking the book "read" now, in that my eyes have seen all the words. I'm no ...more
Sivers has an incredibly unique perspective, which can be very freeing if you're open to it. Through anecdotes, he shows that shunning the beaten path can lead to great things in many different areas (though it comes with unknown challenges).
I'm marking the book "read" now, in that my eyes have seen all the words. I'm no ...more
Always loved listening to Derek Sivers talk. This time it wasn't different. Lovely, lovely book. It was short, insightful and was told like a story. Most of all it was enjoyable.
I'd recommend it to everyone who wants to have a fulfilling life, and has an hour or two to spare.
I must say that I read the audiobook and it was beautifully narrated by Derek himself.
I'd recommend it to everyone who wants to have a fulfilling life, and has an hour or two to spare.
I must say that I read the audiobook and it was beautifully narrated by Derek himself.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What book should I read? | 3 | 10 | Mar 15, 2016 09:01AM | |
| Other similar books? | 3 | 16 | Sep 02, 2013 04:02AM |
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“Most people don't know why they're doing what they're doing. They imitate others, go with the flow, and follow paths without making their own.”
—
28 likes
“Don't be on your deathbed someday, having squandered your one chance at life, full of regret because you pursued little distractions instead of big dreams.”
—
12 likes
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