Creative Strategist and Founder, Dream Development
Creative Strategist and Founder, Dream Development
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Who remembers CD Baby? Easily the predecessor to iTunes, Spotify and similar services...
The founder, Derek Sivers, did not intend on CD Baby becoming obsolete but he was certainly not afraid if it.
When asked how he planned to stop the “death” of CD Baby if other musicians set up their own sites. He replied, “Honestly, I don’t care about CD Baby. I only care about the musicians. If someday, musicians don’t need CD Baby anymore, that’s great. I will just shut it down, and get back to making music.” This he has done - when he sold CDBaby for 22 Million and set up a charitable trust for musicians.
This kind of thinking does not compute depending on how you measure success, satisfaction, loyalty and legacy.
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It also depends on where you place your ego. For those who may be in love with their dream, image, brand or their own hype, or for those who define loyalty by physical presence, this may be hard to digest.
Perhaps it is wise not to become enamored with our companies, organizations, ministries, structures, business models, ideas, etc. less we forget that they are only vehicles in which a purpose travels which will impact others, build character, live life lessons, provide for our families and create memories. If the structure changes, the call remains.
I find it personally satisfying when a client no longer needs me. I measure success by becoming obsolete.
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Over the years, I have had quite a few endings with clients. Truth be told, I am working on a few now. These are only graduations where I get to cheer on the impact that individual or company will make or continues to make. Most are just the closing of chapters.
New chapters are waiting to be written, new possibilities await... or not. My commitment is to play my role when needed, no more, no less; and to recognize an ending.
A company that sells itself as the cure... is not always interested in prevention. (think pharmaceutical commercials).
Our dreams answer a question or a prayer. Great impact is made when it is not about taking credit but about being a willing conduit. When the answer is received, we would do well to realize it is simply - not about us.
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