Discover new selections
This edition of this title is not available for purchase in your country. Choose an available edition from the options above
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Derek Sivers
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Anything You Want: 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur Kindle Edition

by Derek Sivers (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 out of 5 stars 5,068 ratings
You can follow the beaten path and call yourself an entrepreneur or you can blaze your own trail and really be one.

When Derek Sivers started CD Baby, he wasn’t planning on building a major business. He was a successful independent musician who just wanted to sell his CDs online. When no one would help him do it, he set out on his own and built an online store from scratch.

He started in 1998 by helping his friends sell their CDs. In 2000, he hired his first employee. Eight years later, he sold CD Baby for $22 million.

Sivers didn’t need a business plan, and neither do you. You don’t need to think big; in fact, it’s better if you don’t. Start with what you have, care about your customers more than yourself, and run your business like you don’t need the money.
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    88 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Portfolio
  4. Publication date
    September 15, 2015
  5. File size
    1.4 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details
  Report an issue with this product or seller
Popular Highlights in this book
What are popular highlights?
Previous page
  1. Success comes from persistently improving and inventing, not from persistently doing what’s not working.
    Highlighted by 3,101 Kindle readers
  2. Starting small puts 100 percent of your energy into actually solving real problems for real people.
    Highlighted by 2,400 Kindle readers
  3. When you make a business, you get to make a little universe where you control all the laws. This is your utopia.
    Highlighted by 2,045 Kindle readers
Next page

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Tim Ferriss Reviews Anything You Want

Tim Ferriss is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The 4-Hour Body and The 4-Hour Workweek. He has a diverse background of experience, including working as an actor, speaking seven foreign languages, holding a world record in tango, and being a national Chinese kickboxing champion. He has written for Maxim and the Philadelphia Inquirer, has appeared on MTV and CBS radio, and has been interviewed or featured in such major publications as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and more. Read his review of Derek Sivers's Anything You Want:

I love this book!

Derek is the entrepreneur's entrepreneur. Just as important, perhaps more so--he is a phenomenal teacher. Whether detailing the fascinating rise of CDBaby, explaining catastrophic (but common) founder mistakes, or teaching me about relational databases in two minutes using analogies, he makes the complex simple. Moreover, he makes it all actionable.

If you want a true manifesto, a guidebook with clear signposts, and a fun ride you'll return to again and again, you have it here in this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. --Tim Ferriss

Derek Sivers's Recommended Reading

We asked author and founder of CD Baby Derek Sivers to tell us about the books that have influenced him the most as an entrepreneur. His list includes everything from What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successfulto The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World. Check out Derek's complete list of recommended reading for those aspiring to follow their passion to build a successful business--and a rewarding life.

See the complete list of Derek's recommended reading

    Review

    "If you want a true manifesto, a guidebook with clear signposts, and a fun ride you'll return to again and again, you have it here in this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did."
    ―TIM FERRISS, author of     The 4-Hour Workweek

    "[I] burned through the book in about an hour. Wow. Really. Derek shares some of the principles (and anti-principles) he learned and applied during his time as an accidental entrepreneur and how to grow a business without losing your soul."
    ―TODD HENRY, author of     Die Empty

    "One of the best hours you’ll ever spend will be reading Derek Sivers’s new book…Anything You Want."
    ―Forbes

    Product details

    • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00SI0B5FS
    • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Portfolio (September 15, 2015)
    • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 15, 2015
    • Language ‏ : ‎ English
    • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.4 MB
    • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
    • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
    • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
    • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
    • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
    • Print length ‏ : ‎ 88 pages
    • Customer Reviews:
      4.7 out of 5 stars 5,068 ratings

    About the author

    Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
    Derek Sivers

    Derek Sivers

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Derek Sivers is an author of philosophy and entrepreneurship, known for his surprising quotable insights and 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.

    Sivers’ books (How to Live, Hell Yeah or No, Your Music and People, Anything You Want) and newest projects are at his website: sive.rs

    Customer reviews

    4.7 out of 5 stars
    5,068 global ratings

    Review this product

    Share your thoughts with other customers
    Write a customer review

    Customers say

    Customers find this book to be a quick and engaging read, with one noting it contains a lot of information in a concise format. Moreover, the book is praised for its wisdom, with one customer highlighting how it teaches the value of an idea, and another mentioning how it helps reflect on business goals. Additionally, customers appreciate its authenticity, humor, and value for money, noting it's worth every penny. The book's style receives positive feedback, with one customer describing it as completely unconventional.

    AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

    Select to learn more

    325 customers mention "Readability"325 positive0 negative

    Customers find the book easy to read and concise, with one customer noting it's a quick read packed with information.

    "...I really enjoyed this book. Creating a little utopia; in a world so messed up what could be more satisfying?..." Read more

    "...was only meant to be a fun hobby at first - is narrated in a very engaging way in this small book...." Read more

    "...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...." Read more

    "A nice distillation of a number of his blog posts into a single coherent narrative...." Read more

    311 customers mention "Inspiration"308 positive3 negative

    Customers find the book inspiring and insightful, with one customer noting how it teaches the value of an idea, while another mentions it provides great reminders of basic business principles.

    "...The fat has been well trimmed and the author provides some real insights that are refreshing, and I believe generally applicable to one's life...." Read more

    "...It is certainty a healthy approach to have in a business however sometimes I think reality can bite into this approach given our fast paced world of..." Read more

    "...34;Making a company is a great way to improve the world while improving yourself." "Never do anything just for the money." &#..." Read more

    "...Anything You Want" is THE greatest manual for running a business...." Read more

    71 customers mention "Shortness"66 positive5 negative

    Customers appreciate the book's brevity, noting it is only 70 pages long, making it easy to read.

    "...Because of how short and digestible the book is there’s really no reason not to read it...." Read more

    "...Most definitely a recommended read. The best part about it is it's so short I can re-read it over and over again when I have an hour or so to spare..." Read more

    "...The book is well written, quite funny at times, insightful and very short...." Read more

    "...Sigh..." In this tiny gem of a book, Sivers outlines how he became a reluctant entrepreneur, turning CD baby into a force that changed..." Read more

    31 customers mention "Authenticity"31 positive0 negative

    Customers appreciate the book's authenticity, describing it as honest and genuine.

    "...Honest and thought provoking I'm sure many will be nodding their heads in agreement with more than one of the analogies presented...." Read more

    "...This very honest account of how he grew CD Baby from a basement cottage hobby to a warehouse indie institution, is thoughtful, concise, informative..." Read more

    "...It was an excellent read to me because it seemed to be a very honest and realistic discourse...." Read more

    "...a different way of "all for the profit" but here there is a simple honest inside to a different and WAAAAAY more human approach to business with..." Read more

    28 customers mention "Fun stories"28 positive0 negative

    Customers enjoy the fun stories in the book, with one mentioning that the author's journey is told with humor.

    "...To him, it is about having fun, being happy and ultimately about the customer; money didn't play a role...." Read more

    "...you’re starting/running a business this book is incredibly digestible, fun, and full of wisdom from CD Baby founder, Derek Sivers...." Read more

    "...Having fun running a business, and serving a need in your community, which in this case is independent musicians and bands that could not or did not..." Read more

    "...isn't exceptional, but Derek backs it up with interesting and funny stories on how he has been able to continuously surprise his customer...." Read more

    24 customers mention "Value for money"21 positive3 negative

    Customers find the book worth every penny, appreciating that business is not solely about money, with one customer noting it can save years and fortunes.

    "...That's time and money well spent if it changes your life--and it very well may. '..." Read more

    "...To me it is worth the $6 to have these inspirational lessons curated here in one convenient book...." Read more

    "...listening to a friend, easy and fun to read, but most of all it delivers real value...." Read more

    "...Without investment, yet with fun and allowing it to take time. Though an otherwise existing income or savings will be helpful. Great fun read." Read more

    23 customers mention "Pacing"23 positive0 negative

    Customers find the pacing of the book nice and sweet, with several mentioning it made them smile, and many praising Derek Sivers' brilliance.

    "Derek Sivers is a good guy. He is one of those people who really WANTS to give back...and does!..." Read more

    "A nice, easy and brief read that's a manifestation of distilled knowledge acquired over decades of experience starting and building CDbaby...." Read more

    "...something with which he is or has been involved I have been STUNNED at the level of love, selflessness, deep thought, compassion and awareness he..." Read more

    "I absolutely love Todd book it’s short and sweet. Straight to the point with many different gems throughout it...." Read more

    11 customers mention "Style"11 positive0 negative

    Customers appreciate the book's style, describing it as unique and creative, with one customer highlighting its great suggestions about designing and another noting its amazing art of creating business.

    "...entrepreneur who wants to get the passion back into the amazing art of creating business...." Read more

    "...I was able to read this in one afternoon. This author has an unusual, refreshing attitude as an entrepreneur...." Read more

    "Completely unconventional and very deep. I loved it. Here are some more words to meet the minimum requirements of this review." Read more

    "...Great lessons for anyone looking to accomplish a goal, presented by a quirky, kind-hearted narrator." Read more

    How would you begin?
    5 out of 5 stars
    How would you begin?
    This book is perfect if your looking for how to start a new business or a better way run one you already have. It can also help you with just daily life! These principles the author gives have been extremely helpful and inspiring to me. Especially the parts that deal with making decisions for the right reasons. Don't do things out of greed. Instead do them to help others One of the examples the author gives is "the real point of doing anything is to be happy, so do only what makes you happy". This is just one of the many examples of the good advice he gives in this great book. Its awesome! Definitely a good read for anyone looking for a good start toward something great. Another book that goes well with this one would be Zarrella's Hierarchy of Contagiousness: The Science, Design, and Engineering of Contagious Ideas.These two books can give you a great jump start towards your your new business or new start at life.
    Hide
    Thank you for your feedback
    Sorry, there was an error
    Sorry we couldn't load the review

    Top reviews from the United States

    • ThroughTheLookingGlass
      5.0 out of 5 stars Please Read the Terms and Conditions
      Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2013
      Verified Purchase
      Terms and Conditions: Use of the material below is ... just kidding...

      This book sat for a while until the time was right. I plugged the iPad into the charger and picked up my Kindle... today was the day. I'm off work for a few days and one of my goals is to read a book or two... first up "Anything You Want". I previously had just peeked at the first couple pages on the iPad with the Kindle App, but I was going to read cover to cover and for that I prefer the Kindle.

      I really enjoyed this book. Creating a little utopia; in a world so messed up what could be more satisfying? Is it more about philosophy or the building of a distribution company? You'll learn that the author never really separated the two. It's all about the soul of CD Baby. With a little editing, time compression, and a few more anecdotes it would make a good story for The Moth.

      The writing is very clear and concise. The fat has been well trimmed and the author provides some real insights that are refreshing, and I believe generally applicable to one's life. Honest and thought provoking I'm sure many will be nodding their heads in agreement with more than one of the analogies presented. I was easily able to read it all the way through with a brief stop for Crispy Pad Thai about mid way, but I was reading again while I ate.

      I bought this book because of my love for CD Baby and my respect for their success, but it would be a great book for the young entrepreneur, and it might even help the not so young become the entrepreneur they've dreamed of. This book has the potential to invoke change in the reader, and thus the world.

      Disclosure: I was huge fan of CD Baby, no one other than maybe another true CD Baby lover would understand how much I loved CD Baby and the concepts behind it. I really miss it, even though it still lives on in another form. I did smile the other day buying a CD; "sold by CD Baby Fulfilled by Amazon". F*%^$ Apple
      One person found this helpful
      Helpful
       Report
    • Steve Bailey
      5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful Personal Insights of this Musician's entreprenuerial ride
      Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2011
      Verified Purchase
      The main emphasis I would make from the get-go, was that I was entertained from the first page to the last.
      Derek's ride through the business world - which was only meant to be a fun hobby at first - is narrated in a very engaging way in this small book. In his own words, he discusses not only the various events and decisions that went into his growing of CD Baby, but also how he refused to allow the small-minded, scarcity-consciousness urgings of the business lawyers who urged him to take precautions to protect himself (the kind of legal precautions that annoy or push away customers ..)

      As well, he ignored "marketing gurus" who insisted that he is losing money because he didn't plaster advertisements on his site. It was *his* business, and that's not what he wanted. He was simply running his business to help independent musicians, that's it. He wasn't in it for the money - he was in it to do what he loved, and to help others.

      As just stated, I enjoyed reading how he insisted on asserting his own right to run his business as he saw fit, not having to answer to anyone, and just make everything he did, an expression of just pure fun and joy and of making friends with his own customers through entertaining emails, and company policies that customers got a kick out of.

      You could tell that Derek wasn't trying to prepare the message in this book to convey some kind of I'm-an-expert-listen-to-my-business advice.. he was simply telling an entertaining story about a business he ran, that at the same gives you an insight in his personal values, and that will end up being a set of principles summed up that you will re-read to remind yourself how to engage customers and spread the viral message of your product/service as powerfully as Derek did.

      Some Siver-isms:
      - When someone's doing something for the money, people can sense it, like a desperate lover. It's a turnoff.

      - When someone's doing something for love, being generous instead of stingy, trusting instead of fearful, it triggers this law: We want to give to those who give.

      - When you set up your business like you don't need the money, people are happier to pay you.
      6 people found this helpful
      Helpful
       Report
    • Brad Revell
      4.0 out of 5 stars Very quick read with great customer fundamentals for entrepreneurs
      Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2017
      Verified Purchase
      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 however sometimes I think reality can bite into this approach given our fast paced world of technology and disruption. There were many anecdotes on both his successes and failures along with lessons we can all take from it. For example, the tried and true test of trusting and verifying, to delegate but not abdicate and to make every decision based on the impact to the customer. I don't believe that this approach to business works carte blanche in every industry and idea however there are some great fundamentals for any entrepreneur to take on board with a new venture.

      Three key takeaways from the book:
      1. Delegation is key in the business (especially when you grow), however, with delegation trust but verify. Furthermore delegation doesn't not mean abdication.
      2. If you're not saying "Hell Yeah!" to an idea/approach etc. then say no!
      3. Siver's Tao of Business: Care about your customers more than about yourself and you'll do well.
      21 people found this helpful
      Helpful
       Report

    Top reviews from other countries

    Translate all reviews to English
    • Vincent Payet
      5.0 out of 5 stars Boîte à chocolat
      Reviewed in France on April 20, 2021
      Verified Purchase
      A lire et relire avec parcimonie, revenir piochez dedans pour se rafraîchir la mémoire.
      Une très bonne source d'information et d'inspiration
      Report
    • Bellini Mirino
      5.0 out of 5 stars breve ma ricco
      Reviewed in Italy on February 23, 2020
      Verified Purchase
      tante cose davvero utili da sapere, per chi vuole fare business è una lettura rapida ma ricca di info non da sottovalutare.
      Report
    • The Charismatic Nerd
      5.0 out of 5 stars No nonsense book with tangible advice
      Reviewed in Canada on June 12, 2017
      Verified Purchase
      Bought this after reading about it briefly on Tim Ferris's blog. The book is interesting and inspiring. It does not give unrealistic advice nor fit the bill as positive thinking piece. This book gives tangible advice that can be helpful regardless of whether you are seeking to be an entrepreneur or not. Derek Sivers found himself to be an accidental entrepreneur, so his advice seems genuine and realistic. Since this is a short read, I highly recommend it.
      Report
    • Placeholder
      5.0 out of 5 stars A great open minded man gave us the practical hint to Anything You Want..
      Reviewed in India on December 31, 2019
      Verified Purchase
      A nice simple book with very helping hints to the entrepreneurs..
      Now this is very relevant because more people are turning towards some kind of entrepreneurship.
      I also wanted to start a online jobe.
      Here I like most is you are working for service to the people and not for the money. The key point of Delegate, but don't abdicate

      Happiness is main goal., nice
      A very good New year thoughts.
      A very good reading experience.
      Report
    • RB
      5.0 out of 5 stars recommended
      Reviewed in Singapore on December 14, 2020
      Verified Purchase
      easy read and useful
      Report

    Report an issue


    Does this item contain inappropriate content?
    Report
    Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
    Report
    Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
    Report