The day Steve Jobs dissed me in a keynote
Summary
Derek Sivers recounts an early iTunes negotiation with Steve Jobs, the tension around indie music distribution, and how Jobs' comments influenced CD Baby's strategy. The piece highlights platform control, vendor relationships, and a dramatic pivot when iTunes policy clashed with indie catalogs, culminating in a refunded $200k and a renewed contract the next day. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at creator economics and platform risk in the tech industry.