--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Steve Jobs gave a small private…" description: "\"“Steve Jobs gave a small private presentation about the iTunes Music Store to some independent record label people. My favorite line of the day was whe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/derek-sivers-9939_add_steve-jobs-gave-a-small-private-presenta_1859604.jpg" --- # Steve Jobs gave a small private presentation about the… ![“Steve Jobs gave a small private presentation about the iTunes Music Store to some independent record label people. My favorite line of the day was when people kept raising their hand saying, "Does it do [x]?", "Do you plan to add [y]?". Finally Jobs said, "Wait wait — put your hands down. Listen…” quote by Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/derek-sivers-9939_add_steve-jobs-gave-a-small-private-presenta_1859604.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/derek-sivers-9939_add_steve-jobs-gave-a-small-private-presenta_1859604.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/derek-sivers-9939_add_steve-jobs-gave-a-small-private-presenta_1859604.jpg) > ““Steve Jobs gave a small private presentation about the iTunes Music Store to some independent record label people. My favorite line of the day was when people kept raising their hand saying, "Does it do \[x\]?", "Do you plan to add \[y\]?". Finally Jobs said, "Wait wait — put your hands down. Listen: I know you have a thousand ideas for all the cool features iTunes could have. So do we. But we don't want a thousand features. That would be ugly. Innovation is not about saying yes to everything. It's about saying NO to all but the most crucial features.”” [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Innovation requires disciplined focus, rejecting most ideas to prioritize essential features. **In simple terms:** Focus on essentials, reject excess. Key Takeaway Say no to non‑essential features. Themes focus prioritization innovation product design Mood thoughtful strategic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - product development - startup planning - team meetings - feature brainstorming Key Concepts feature selection decision making minimalism Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide which features are essential? - What criteria guide your prioritization? A Different Perspective Saying no may stifle unexpected breakthroughs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Presentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presentation/) [Record labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record-labels/) [Saying yes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-yes/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [I know you have 1000 great ideas for things that iTunes could do. And we have 1000 more. But innovation is not about saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-know-you-have-1000-great-ideas-for-things-that-itunes-could-do-and/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [ There's definitely some sort of dissent brewing between record labels, publishing companies and artists \[about the compensation they get from streaming services\] Spotify is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-parker/there-s-definitely-some-sort-of-dissent-brewing-between-record-labels/) [Sean Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-parker/) > [ My record producer \[David Kahne\] said the major record labels these days are like dinosaurs sitting around discussing the asteroid. They know it's going… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/my-record-producer-david-kahne-said-the-major-record-labels-these/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [I can't wait until the record label feels like it's time for my album to come out, and then just disappear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnis/i-can-t-wait-until-the-record-label-feels-like-it-s-time-for-my-album/) [Donnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnis/) > [Commercial success still hasn't come to an artist that isn't signed to a record label. There are very few artists that can succeed without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-bronfman-jr/commercial-success-still-hasn-t-come-to-an-artist-that-isn-t-signed/) [Edgar Bronfman, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-bronfman-jr/) > [And the next album I do is going to be different because I'm going to change. I already did that thing where I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bell-bundy/and-the-next-album-i-do-is-going-to-be-different-because-i-m-going-to/) [Laura Bell Bundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bell-bundy/) > [Island Records was the first record label to... acknowledge me. After that, quickly, Republic Records, and then Atlantic Records, Sony Records and Warner Bros.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/island-records-was-the-first-record-label-to-acknowledge-me-after/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [Remember the Stax label and how if you liked one record, you liked all the others as well? You don't talk to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-rucker/remember-the-stax-label-and-how-if-you-liked-one-record-you-liked-all/) [Darius Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-rucker/) > [My record label is treating me like I'm a new artist, which is exciting after all this time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosanne-cash/my-record-label-is-treating-me-like-i-m-a-new-artist-which-is/) [Rosanne Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosanne-cash/) > [It's not that I don't want to, it's just that there's no money in it. By that I mean the way the video business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis/it-s-not-that-i-don-t-want-to-it-s-just-that-there-s-no-money-in-it/) [John Landis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis/) > [Kaputt was just a record that did really well for us, and therefore our record label and our booking agent said that we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bejar/kaputt-was-just-a-record-that-did-really-well-for-us-and-therefore/) [Dan Bejar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bejar/) > [In theory, when you're working with a record label, you're just borrowing their money. And that's basically how the record industry works, right? It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-carney/in-theory-when-you-re-working-with-a-record-label-you-re-just/) [Patrick Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-carney/) > [You can now be a master of your own destiny. I'm not sure why you would sign up with a record label.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-parker/you-can-now-be-a-master-of-your-own-destiny-i-m-not-sure-why-you/) [Sean Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-parker/) > [I entered a songwriting competition, I didn't win, and one of the judges on the panel was an A&R man at a record label…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana-del-rey/i-entered-a-songwriting-competition-i-didn-t-win-and-one-of-the/) [Lana Del Rey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana-del-rey/) > [When I first started out in the music industry and went to Elektra Records, I didn't go to be an artist, I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-first-started-out-in-the-music-industry-and-went-to-elektra/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Derek Sivers > [It's only a little difficult to say no. You've got to believe that the work you're doing is ultimately more useful to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/it-s-only-a-little-difficult-to-say-no-you-ve-got-to-believe-that-the/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [Whatever excites you, go do it. Whatever drains you, stop doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/whatever-excites-you-go-do-it-whatever-drains-you-stop-doing-it/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [“Never forget that absolutely everything you do is for your customers. Make every decision—even decisions about whether to expand the business, raise money, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/never-forget-that-absolutely-everything-you-do-is-for-your-customers/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [Let’s never forget that whatever brilliant ideas you have or hear, that the opposite may also be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/let-s-never-forget-that-whatever-brilliant-ideas-you-have-or-hear/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [Making a company is a great way to improve the world while improving yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/making-a-company-is-a-great-way-to-improve-the-world-while-improving/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [I love that sometimes we need to go to the opposite side of the world to realize assumptions that we didn't even know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/i-love-that-sometimes-we-need-to-go-to-the-opposite-side-of-the-world/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [I realized why I need to start a new company. Not for the money. Not because I'm 'bored'. But because a company is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/i-realized-why-i-need-to-start-a-new-company-not-for-the-money-not/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [The first follower is actually an underestimated form of leadership in itself. … The first follower is what transforms a lone nut into a leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/the-first-follower-is-actually-an-underestimated-form-of-leadership/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [Pay close attention to when you're being the real you & when you're trying to impress an invisible jury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/pay-close-attention-to-when-you-re-being-the-real-you-when-you-re/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [Five years after I started CD Baby, when it was a big success, the media said I had revolutionized the music business. But 'revolution'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/five-years-after-i-started-cd-baby-when-it-was-a-big-success-the/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [Every time you're making a choice, one choice is the safe/comfortable choice - and one choice is the risky/uncomfortable choice. the risky/uncomfortable choice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/every-time-you-re-making-a-choice-one-choice-is-the-safe-comfortable/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [Business is not about money. It's about making dreams come true for others and for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/business-is-not-about-money-it-s-about-making-dreams-come-true-for/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [Everyone who became great at something has a similar story: For years, they worked on their craft every day, even if they weren’t in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/everyone-who-became-great-at-something-has-a-similar-story-for-years/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [Don't be on your deathbed someday, having squandered your one chance at life, full of regret because you pursued little distractions instead of big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/don-t-be-on-your-deathbed-someday-having-squandered-your-one-chance/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [Make every decision—even decisions about whether to expand the business, raise money, or promote someone—according to what's best for your customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/make-every-decision-even-decisions-about-whether-to-expand-the/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) [Explore all 69 Derek Sivers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) ## More Add quotes > [Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/most-marriages-don-t-add-two-people-together-they-subtract-one-from/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [A 'modern' man has nothing to add to modernism, if only because he has nothing to oppose it with. The well-adapted drop off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/a-modern-man-has-nothing-to-add-to-modernism-if-only-because-he-has/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [Observation and theory get on best when they are mixed together, both helping one another in the pursuit of truth. It is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/observation-and-theory-get-on-best-when-they-are-mixed-together-both/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [I may add that we have more than once stated our willingness to conclude nonaggression pacts with the states neighboring our own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-may-add-that-we-have-more-than-once-stated-our-willingness-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Thirty days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit or subtract a habit - like watching the news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cutts/thirty-days-is-just-about-the-right-amount-of-time-to-add-a-new-habit/) [Matt Cutts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cutts/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The Greeks said grandly in their tragic phrase, 'Let no one be called happy till his death;' to which I would add, 'Let no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-greeks-said-grandly-in-their-tragic-phrase-let-no-one-be-called/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Mostly we just add to the piles of rainbow glass that's been blown off the exteriors of the cany-colored buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/mostly-we-just-add-to-the-piles-of-rainbow-glass-that-s-been-blown/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Global is a unifying bond for people. Once they get outside their own heads and their own communities and see themselves in a broader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-calvin/global-is-a-unifying-bond-for-people-once-they-get-outside-their-own/) [Kathy Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-calvin/) Browse all 2,710 Add quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Steve Jobs gave a small private presentation about the iTunes Music Store to some independent record label people. My favorite line of the day was when people kept raising their hand saying, \"Does it do [x]?\", \"Do you plan to add [y]?\". Finally Jobs said, \"Wait wait — put your hands down. Listen: I know you have a thousand ideas for all the cool features iTunes could have. So do we. But we don't want a thousand features. That would be ugly. Innovation is not about saying yes to everything. 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