Anything You Want

What's "Anything You Want" about?

• Entrepreneurial Journey: "Anything You Want" by Derek Sivers is a reflection on his journey from starting a small hobby to building and selling a successful business, CD Baby, for $22 million.
• Lessons Learned: The book distills 40 lessons Sivers learned over ten years as an entrepreneur, focusing on unconventional wisdom and personal philosophies.
• Personal Philosophy: Sivers emphasizes the importance of knowing your personal philosophy and using it as a compass in business and life.
• Compact Wisdom: The book is designed to be read in an hour, offering concise insights that are both practical and philosophical.

Why should I read "Anything You Want"?

• Unique Perspective: Sivers offers a unique perspective on entrepreneurship, challenging conventional business wisdom with personal anecdotes and lessons.
• Practical Advice: The book provides practical advice for entrepreneurs, especially those starting with limited resources or unconventional ideas.
• Inspiration: It's an inspiring read for anyone looking to create a business that aligns with their personal values and dreams.
• Engaging Stories: Sivers shares engaging stories from his own experiences, making the lessons relatable and memorable.

What are the key takeaways of "Anything You Want"?

• Business Philosophy: Business is not about money but about making dreams come true for others and yourself.
• Start Small: Starting with no money can be an advantage, as it forces you to focus on helping people and solving real problems.
• Be Unconventional: Don't be afraid to exclude people or ideas that don't align with your vision; focus on what truly matters to you.
• Happiness Over Growth: Prioritize happiness over growth; a smaller, more manageable business might be more fulfilling than a large one.

What are the best quotes from "Anything You Want" and what do they mean?

• "Never do anything just for the money." This quote emphasizes the importance of passion and purpose over financial gain in business.
• "Success comes from persistently improving and inventing, not from persistently promoting what's not working." It highlights the value of innovation and adaptation over stubbornly sticking to failing strategies.
• "If you're not saying 'HELL YEAH!' about something, say 'no.'" This encourages focusing on opportunities that truly excite you, rather than spreading yourself too thin.
• "You make your perfect world." This quote underscores the idea that entrepreneurship allows you to create a business that reflects your personal values and dreams.

How did Derek Sivers start CD Baby?

• Musician's Need: Sivers started CD Baby to sell his own music online when no other service was available for independent musicians.
• Accidental Business: It began as a favor to friends who also wanted to sell their CDs online, eventually growing into a full-fledged business.
• Utopian Approach: Sivers designed CD Baby with a utopian vision, focusing on fair treatment for musicians, such as weekly payments and no paid placements.
• Simple Business Model: The business model was straightforward, with a $35 setup fee per album and a $4 cut per CD sold.

What is Derek Sivers' approach to business growth?

• Reluctant Growth: Sivers was initially reluctant to grow CD Baby, preferring to keep it small and manageable.
• Customer Focus: He prioritized customer satisfaction over expansion, believing that focusing on existing customers would naturally lead to growth.
• Avoiding Investors: Sivers avoided external funding to maintain control and focus on customer needs rather than investor demands.
• Happiness Over Size: He believed that a smaller business could be more fulfilling and less stressful than a large one.

What does Derek Sivers mean by "Make a dream come true"?

• Personal Utopia: Sivers suggests creating a business that is a personal utopia, where you design your perfect world.
• Focus on Others: The goal is to make dreams come true for others, which in turn makes your own dreams come true.
• Mission Statement: He created a mission statement for CD Baby that reflected his ideal distribution deal from a musician's perspective.
• Simplicity and Clarity: By focusing on a simple, clear mission, Sivers was able to create a business that resonated with both him and his customers.

How does Derek Sivers view the role of money in business?

• Not the Primary Goal: Sivers believes that money should not be the primary goal of a business; instead, it should be about making dreams come true.
• Avoiding Distractions: He advises against pursuing business opportunities solely for financial gain, as this can lead to distractions from your true goals.
• Generosity and Trust: Sivers suggests setting up your business as if you don't need the money, which can lead to more genuine customer relationships.
• Enough is Enough: He emphasizes the importance of knowing when you have enough, as endless pursuit of money can detract from happiness.

What is the "HELL YEAH!" or "no" rule?

• Decision-Making Tool: This rule is a decision-making tool that encourages saying "no" to anything that doesn't elicit a strong "HELL YEAH!" response.
• Focus on Excitement: It helps focus your time and energy on opportunities that truly excite and motivate you.
• Avoid Overcommitment: By saying "no" to most things, you avoid overcommitment and leave room for the rare opportunities that are truly worthwhile.
• Simplifying Choices: This rule simplifies choices by providing a clear criterion for decision-making based on enthusiasm and passion.

How did Derek Sivers handle delegation at CD Baby?

• Delegation Mindset: Sivers realized he needed to make himself unnecessary to the running of his company by delegating tasks.
• Empowering Employees: He empowered employees by explaining the thought process behind decisions and encouraging them to make decisions independently.
• Documenting Processes: Sivers had employees document processes in a manual to ensure consistency and understanding.
• Trust but Verify: He learned the importance of trusting employees but also verifying their work to prevent mistakes.

What was Derek Sivers' biggest mistake, and what did he learn from it?

• Ownership Oversight: Sivers' biggest mistake was not realizing that he had sold 90% of his company to his father's business when borrowing money.
• Costly Buyback: This oversight cost him $3.3 million to buy back the majority ownership of CD Baby.
• Read Before Signing: He learned the importance of reading and understanding what you sign, as well as the implications of business structure decisions.
• Lesson in Control: The experience taught him to maintain control and awareness of his business dealings to avoid costly errors.

Why did Derek Sivers give his company to charity?

• Enough is Enough: Sivers felt he had enough for a simple, comfortable life and didn't need the money from the sale of CD Baby.
• Charitable Trust: He created a charitable trust to benefit music education, ensuring the proceeds from the sale would have a positive impact.
• Happiness Over Wealth: Sivers found happiness in knowing that his success would benefit others, rather than accumulating wealth for himself.
• Freedom and Simplicity: By giving away the company, he gained freedom from financial burdens and the satisfaction of contributing to a cause he cared about.