Through his new project, MuckWork, Derek Sivers wants to lessen the burdens (and boredom) of creative people.

Why you should listen

Derek Sivers is best known as the founder of CD Baby. A professional musician since 1987, he started CD Baby by accident in 1998 when he was selling his own CD on his website, and friends asked if he could sell theirs, too. CD Baby was the largest seller of independent music on the web, with over $100M in sales for over 150,000 musician clients.

In 2008, Sivers sold CD Baby to focus on his new ventures to benefit musicians, including his new company, MuckWork, where teams of efficient assistants help musicians do their "uncreative dirty work."

What others say

“Derek Sivers is changing the way music is bought and sold. A musicians' savior. One of the last music-business folk heroes.” — Esquire

Derek Sivers’ TED talks

More news and ideas from Derek Sivers

Live from TEDGlobal

Keep your goals to yourself: Derek Sivers on TED.com

September 2, 2010

After hitting on a brilliant new life plan, our first instinct is to tell someone, but Derek Sivers says it’s better to keep goals secret. He presents research stretching as far back as the 1920s to show why people who talk about their ambitions may be less likely to achieve them. (Recorded at TEDGlobal 2010, […]

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How to start a movement: Derek Sivers on TED.com

April 1, 2010

With help from some surprising footage, Derek Sivers explains how movements really get started. (Hint: it takes two.) (Recorded at TED2010, February 2010 in Long Beach, CA. Duration: 3:10) Watch Derek Sivers’ talk on TED.com, where you can download this TEDTalk, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive […]

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