Author: Derek Sivers

“Anything You Want: 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur” by Derek Sivers is a concise and insightful book that shares the author’s journey from being a musician to founding and growing CD Baby, a successful online music store. The book is filled with unconventional wisdom and practical advice for entrepreneurs.

Summary

The book is structured around 40 key lessons that Sivers learned while building his business. Here are some of the main takeaways:

1. Follow Your Passion: Sivers emphasizes the importance of doing what you love and not just chasing money. He started CD Baby to sell his own music and ended up helping other musicians.
2. Customer Focus: The book stresses that everything you do should be for your customers. Sivers believes that pleasing customers should be the primary goal, not making money.
3. Simplicity: Sivers advocates for keeping things simple and not overcomplicating business plans. He believes in starting small and focusing on solving real problems for real people.
4. Flexibility: The book highlights the importance of being adaptable and willing to change plans based on customer feedback.
5. Authenticity: Sivers encourages entrepreneurs to be true to themselves and their values, rather than following trends or trying to please everyone.
6. Learning by Doing: He suggests that you don’t need to have everything figured out before starting. Instead, start small, learn from your experiences, and grow from there.
7. Saying No: One of the key lessons is the power of saying no to things that don’t excite you or align with your goals. This helps in focusing on what truly matters¹²³.

Reviews

The book has received positive reviews for its straightforward and honest approach:

• James Clear: He praises the book for its simplicity and the practical wisdom it offers. Clear highlights that the book is not just for entrepreneurs but for anyone looking to live a more fulfilling life¹.
• The Invisible Mentor: This review appreciates Sivers’ storytelling and the actionable advice he provides. The reviewer notes that the book is a quick read but packed with valuable insights².
• Sam Thomas Davies: He commends the book for challenging conventional business wisdom and providing a fresh perspective on entrepreneurship. Davies finds the lessons applicable not just to business but to personal growth as well³.

Overall, “Anything You Want” is a highly recommended read for its practical advice, engaging storytelling, and the unique perspective it offers on entrepreneurship and life.

Source:
(1) Book Summary: Anything You Want by Derek Sivers – James Clear. https://jamesclear.com/book-summaries/anything-you-want.
(2) Anything You Want by Derek Sivers, Summary – The Invisible Mentor. https://theinvisiblementor.com/anything-you-want-by-derek-sivers-summary/.
(3) Book Summary: Anything You Want by Derek Sivers – Sam Thomas Davies. https://www.samuelthomasdavies.com/book-summaries/business/anything-you-want/.
(4) Anything You Want by Derek Sivers [Actionable Summary]. https://durmonski.com/book-summaries/anything-you-want/.
(5) Derek Sivers on How to Get Anything You Want – Creative Entrepreneur #020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB-lXs4dEOE.
(6) Anything You Want – DEREK SIVERS | Animated Book Summary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z190B1uREU.
(7) Scratch your own itch: ANYTHING YOU WANT by Derek Sivers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqo9g_3FelY.
(8) Anything You Want by Derek Sivers [Book Summary & PDF]. https://paulminors.com/blog/anything-want-derek-sivers-book-summary-pdf/.