Derek Sivers podcast
Episodes
And if only 1% of those people…
27 Sep 2009
Contributed by Lukas
A musician had manufactured 10,000 copies of his CD, in anticipation of 10,000 orders that were sure to come through that week. He had bought a qu...
Emphasize meaning over price
21 Sep 2009
Contributed by Lukas
A musician named Griffin House used to sell CDs at his gigs for $15. He’d mention it once or twice from the stage, and sell about $300 per night ...
Is there such a thing as too much freedom?
17 Sep 2009
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve always used freedom as the compass to guide my decisions. We moved a lot when I was a kid. I lived in five states and countries by the tim...
Imagining lots of tedious steps? Or one fun step?
12 Sep 2009
Contributed by Lukas
If we hate doing something, we think of it as hard. We picture it having many annoying steps. If we love doing something, it seems simple. We ...
Sprezzatura
30 Aug 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Watch Elizabeth Gilbert’s great TED talk called “Your elusive creative genius”. Absolutely amazing speech. Emotional, universal, insightful...
What do you hate not doing?
29 Aug 2009
Contributed by Lukas
When we wonder what’s worth doing, we ask ourselves, “What do I really love?” or “What makes me happy?” That question never really goes ...
No “yes.” Either “HELL YEAH!” or “no.”
26 Aug 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Use this rule if you’re often over-committed or too scattered. If you’re not saying “HELL YEAH!” about something, say no. When deciding ...
I miss the mob
16 Jul 2009
Contributed by Lukas
I was in Las Vegas for a conference, taking a taxi from the airport to the hotel. I asked the driver, “How long have you lived here?” He sai...
Barking
11 Jul 2009
Contributed by Lukas
I’m in New York City. Across the street is a man pacing on the sidewalk. He’s insanely barking something at the top of his lungs. Everyone is...
The mirror: It’s about you, not them.
07 Jul 2009
Contributed by Lukas
If you see a gorgeous painting that fascinates you, does it matter if you find out the artist didn’t pay her taxes? Would you stop enjoying the p...
Doing the opposite of everyone is valuable
24 Jun 2009
Contributed by Lukas
It’s supply and demand. The more people do something, the less valuable it is. Everyone else is multi-tasking. So it’s more valuable to si...
That’s version infinity. First launch version 0.1.
15 Jun 2009
Contributed by Lukas
I hear lots of business plans. Most of them are trying to do a ton of things. For example: “It’s a social networking e-commerce portal for ...
Show success before asking for help
11 Jun 2009
Contributed by Lukas
I learned this huge life lesson from a secret document. Music publishers give a cash advance to a songwriter in return for owning half the future ...
Why you need your own company
10 Jun 2009
Contributed by Lukas
We all need a place to play. Kids need playgrounds and sandboxes. Musicians need an instrument. Mad scientists need a laboratory. Those of us ...
Are you present-focused or future-focused?
05 Jun 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone knows about being introverted versus extroverted, but there’s another axis that makes a much bigger difference. It’s present-focused v...
Some people like to pay. Let them
03 Jun 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Not everyone is broke. When musicians put me on the guest list at a venue, I pay anyway. I like to support the venue and the artist. When the r...
Are fans telling friends? If not, don’t promote
02 Jun 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Should you spend more time promoting right now? Or should you spend more time creating and improving? It’s a tough question. Lucky for you, I...
The security of no security
01 Jun 2009
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re a full-time musician, you’ll never have a job, a boss, a salary, or insurance. You’ll bootstrap everything yourself. You’ll alwa...
You need to be profitable to last
28 May 2009
Contributed by Lukas
A musician sent me her album, and very proudly said, “This cost $80,000 to make and two years to record. Everything is top-notch. We used one of t...
My $3.3M mistake
27 May 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Ever since I was a teenager, my dad would occasionally send me things to sign — things for the family business. I didn’t understand the complex...
Character predicts your future
22 May 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Many years ago, I worked in the music industry in New York City. Then I left. Fifteen years later, I came back to New York and met with many of t...
Goals shape the present, not the future.
21 May 2009
Contributed by Lukas
You have a goal you’ve been putting off. You want to do it someday. You’ve been meaning to take real action on it, but could use more motiva...
Sammy Cahn said thank you
21 May 2009
Contributed by Lukas
In 1990, at the age of 20, I moved to New York City and got a job as the tape room guy for Warner/Chappell Music Publishing. It was a small office...
My favorite fable
28 Feb 2009
Contributed by Lukas
A farmer had only one horse. One day, his horse ran away. His neighbors said, “I’m so sorry. This is such bad news. You must be so upset.” ...
Assume nobody is going to help you
18 Dec 2008
Contributed by Lukas
I meet entrepreneurs who are waiting to find an investor. I meet musicians who are waiting to find a manager. My advice is to assume nobody is co...
How to attend a conference
12 Dec 2008
Contributed by Lukas
Attending a music conference is the most efficient way to meet the most number of the best contacts. People who attend conferences are ambitious, ...
Make mystery : make people wonder
22 Nov 2008
Contributed by Lukas
Do you remember when you first started listening to music? It was all so mysterious, as you wondered what those lyrics meant or how they made those...
This is just one of many options
23 Oct 2008
Contributed by Lukas
I used to take voice lessons from a great teacher named Warren Senders. For each lesson, I’d bring in a song I was trying to improve. First, I’...
Nobody knows the future, so focus on what doesn’t change
17 Oct 2008
Contributed by Lukas
At every music conference, with a panel of experts on stage, the moderator always asks, “What’s the future of the music business?” The guy s...
Are you at the starting line or the finish line?
13 Sep 2008
Contributed by Lukas
New clients would often ask me, “How much does the average artist on CD Baby sell?” Some people would take our posted sales figures and divide...
Small actions change your self-identity
10 Sep 2008
Contributed by Lukas
When we think about what’s worth doing, we usually think of big things. But when you hear the stories of how people got successful, they usually...
Selling music by solving a specific need
29 May 2008
Contributed by Lukas
Instrumental music sells best if you tie it into a purpose. Massage music sells very well. Yoga music sells very well. Instrumental Christmas ...
Don’t promote until people can take action
17 May 2008
Contributed by Lukas
I often hear musicians say they want to do advance promotion — telling people about their new album before it’s available for purchase. Though...
two three four ONE, two three four ONE
08 May 2008
Contributed by Lukas
One of my favorite musicians is Fela Kuti from Nigeria. I used to play guitar in an Afropop band that did a lot of Fela Kuti songs. The bandleade...
Aim for the edges
07 May 2008
Contributed by Lukas
An amazing shift has happened in the last few decades. You used to get successful by being normal and mainstream. But now you have a better chanc...
Restrictions will set you free
29 Apr 2008
Contributed by Lukas
Someone says, “Write me a piece of music. Anything. No restrictions. Go!” You’re stumped. It’s the blank page syndrome. Instead, someon...
Never have a limit on your income
06 Apr 2008
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine two people. One is a toy maker. One is a masseuse. Imagine both get suddenly famous. Now a million people want that toy. And a million...
Whatever scares you, go do it
26 Mar 2008
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes people ask me if there’s one motto or rule of thumb I use most often. This is it: Whatever scares you, go do it. For thirty years, ...
The strength of many little customers
11 Mar 2008
Contributed by Lukas
Many small entrepreneurs think, “If we could just land Apple, Google, or the government as a client, we’d be all set!” Software companies of...
The public you is not you
25 Sep 2007
Contributed by Lukas
I hope you don’t have to learn this lesson the way I did. One day, I wrote a blog post sharing what I had learned while switching between the PH...
Ideas are just a multiplier of execution
16 Aug 2005
Contributed by Lukas
It’s so funny when I hear people being so protective of ideas. People who want me to sign a non-disclosure agreement to tell me the simplest idea...
Compass in your gut
10 Sep 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Your instincts have a compass that points two directions: what excites you what drains you No matter what advice anyone gives you — no matt...
Ignore advice that drains you
07 Sep 2000
Contributed by Lukas
My music career was derailed when I took some advice from an expert. When my own music was at its peak success, a famous lawyer said he wanted to ...
You don’t get extreme results without extreme actions
30 Aug 2000
Contributed by Lukas
You can’t just normal your way through this. Extreme talent requires extreme practice — training like an Olympic athlete. Extreme success re...
Be a competent novice, not an expert
27 Aug 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Don’t go too far down the rabbit hole of managing your little business. It can become a brainless escape — a way to avoid the more open-heart...
Have someone work the inside of the industry
23 Aug 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Moby, the famous techno artist, was interviewed by a journalist who said, “I’ve known you since your early days, and we both know that there wer...
Get rejected, get filtered
13 Aug 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Have you heard of rejection therapy? It’s a challenge — kind of a game — where you make it your mission to get rejected by someone every day....
Put your fans to work
04 Aug 2000
Contributed by Lukas
You know that guy who comes to all your shows? You know that woman who tells you how much she loves your music? You know that fan who said, “I...
Call the destination, and ask for directions
01 Aug 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us don’t know what to do next. We know where we want to be, but we don’t know how to get there. The solution is incredibly simple and...
Or you can not talk at all
04 Jul 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Maybe all these words have got you down, and you have nothing new to say? Spend some money on a great photographer, and make a great video. Plen...
Describe your music like a non-musician
01 Jul 2000
Contributed by Lukas
When describing your music, don’t use musician language. Don’t say, “Wonderful harmonies and intricate arrangements. A tight rhythm section ...
Without a good reason, they won’t bother
25 Jun 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Someone sees you carrying a guitar and asks, “What kind of music do you play?” You say, “There’s no way to describe it. You just have to c...
Hillbilly Flamenco
23 Jun 2000
Contributed by Lukas
This is a story about how two words can change your career. David and his band had always wanted to play at the big music festivals. They had be...
Don’t know how to describe your music?
20 Jun 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Email everyone you know, saying you’re trying to come up with a single phrase to describe your music, and ask their help. Find a few teenagers, ...
Make people curious in one sentence
17 Jun 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Screenwriters in Hollywood constantly pitch their movie ideas to studio executives. Each one has about five seconds to impress. The one sentence t...
When your music can’t speak for itself
13 Jun 2000
Contributed by Lukas
On the radio, your music speaks for itself. People hear your music and like it or not. In concert, your music speaks for itself. Hearing and wat...
Life is like high school
01 Jun 2000
Contributed by Lukas
When you’re in high school, it’s all about popularity, cliques, and being cool. When you go to college, the focus shifts to academic achieveme...
Small gifts go a long way
30 May 2000
Contributed by Lukas
When I worked at Warner/Chappell, I was the least-important person in the company, just working in the library. Since it’s the largest music pub...
Don’t be afraid to ask for favors
27 May 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever asked for directions in a city? People get a little ego boost when they know the answer to something you’re asking. They’ll glad...
Always think how you can help someone
21 May 2000
Contributed by Lukas
When someone says they’re looking for something, remember it, and help them find it. Introduce people to each other. Also listen carefully for ...
Meet three new people every week
18 May 2000
Contributed by Lukas
That’s your simple goal to expand your network. Every single week, meet at least three new people that could help your career. Have a real conv...
Stay in touch with hundreds of people
10 May 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Every person you’ve ever met has the potential to help you. If you keep in touch and stay on their mind, there’s a good chance an opportunity ...
Persistence is polite
07 May 2000
Contributed by Lukas
As teenagers, we learned the hard way that if you contact someone and they don’t reply, they’re just not into you. If you keep trying, you must...
Don’t be a mosquito
04 May 2000
Contributed by Lukas
A mosquito enters a room of people only to suck something out of them. People hate mosquitos. It’s important to meet people, but more importan...
Every breakthrough comes from someone you know
01 May 2000
Contributed by Lukas
When I was promoting my music, I used to look to the big wide world for opportunities. Only later, I realized that every great thing that happened...
Captain T
20 Apr 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Back in 1997, when “The X Files” was still on the air, a friend of mine who called himself Captain T recorded an album that was all about conspi...
Business is creative
17 Apr 2000
Contributed by Lukas
A famous record label executive was confronted by a musician who said, “You don’t value creativity!” The executive said, “Oh please! I’ve...
This is only a test. See what happens
14 Apr 2000
Contributed by Lukas
In America in the 1970s, they would test the Emergency Broadcast System on TV, with a long “BEEEEEEEEEEP”. At the end, an announcer would say, ...
Direct it yourself
10 Apr 2000
Contributed by Lukas
The “do it yourself” mentality is appealing. But it doesn’t mean you do everything yourself. And it doesn’t mean it has to be your hands. ...
Was 10%, now 90%
07 Apr 2000
Contributed by Lukas
A few decades ago, as a musician, only 10% of your career was up to you. A few gate-keepers controlled all the outlets. You had to impress one of...
A good plan wins no matter what happens
04 Apr 2000
Contributed by Lukas
You don’t need a formal business plan. But you do need a plan. So make two simultaneous plans. Make one plan that depends on nobody else. ...
Test marketing
01 Apr 2000
Contributed by Lukas
If you want a bigger company to help you some day, imitate what food companies call “test marketing”. When companies create a new product, be...
Well-rounded doesn’t cut
20 Mar 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine the world’s attention as a big squishy pile of apathy — so thick you could cut it with a knife. To call attention to your music, you wa...
A hundred actors on stage
05 Mar 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine you’re in the audience of a play, and there are a hundred actors on stage. Which ones would stand out? Which ones would you remember? ...
Don’t try to sound big
27 Feb 2000
Contributed by Lukas
When communicating with your fans and contacts, don’t try to sound bigger than you are. Don’t use the corporate “we”. Say “I”. Fans ...
Touch as many of their senses as you can
22 Feb 2000
Contributed by Lukas
The more senses you touch in someone, the more they’ll remember you. The most sensory experience is a live show, with you sweating in front of t...
People search harder for the obscure
17 Feb 2000
Contributed by Lukas
On CD Baby, there was a great musician who made an amazing progressive heavy metal album. When we had a “search keywords” section, asking for ...
If you target sharp enough, you will own your niche
12 Feb 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s say you’ve decided that your style of music should be proudly called “power-pop”. If you say, “We’re power-pop!” in the very f...
The most expensive vodka
07 Feb 2000
Contributed by Lukas
There is a vodka company that advertises itself as “the most expensive vodka you can buy”. It’s enticing. It’s almost a dare. (And it pr...
Proudly exclude most people
02 Feb 2000
Contributed by Lukas
We love when someone hates the same thing we hate — especially if that thing is popular. We’re drawn to the confidence of someone who is not t...
A curious answer to the most common question
30 Jan 2000
Contributed by Lukas
People will always and forever ask you, “What kind of music do you do?” You will always and forever have to answer that question. So have a g...
Use the tricks that worked on you
25 Jan 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Find a media outlet that writes about new music. You’ll read about so many artists that you’ve never heard of before, and see their photos too...
Constantly ask what they really want
10 Jan 2000
Contributed by Lukas
This may sound obvious, but for me it made all the difference. Before I interact with people, I ask myself this question: “What do they really ...
How to get through the gates?
04 Jan 2000
Contributed by Lukas
As a young musician, I always heard that you had to get your music “solicited” to the major labels. I never really understood what “solicite...
It’s just people inside the machine!
02 Jan 2000
Contributed by Lukas
All those years I was trying to get famous, it felt like the music industry was this giant mysterious machine. I’d submit my music to showcases,...
What’s inside this book
01 Jan 2000
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to my book about getting your music to people, into people, and through people. You deserve a little preview of what’s inside, so I’m ...
Some quick context for these stories
01 Jan 2000
Contributed by Lukas
This book is entirely about you and your music. But I use some of my stories as examples. So here’s my context, as short as can be, to set the s...