Hustle Island
Interview: Derick Jones

Hustle Island's questions, answered by Derick Jones.

Q: What is your name?

A:

Derick Jones

Q: Where are you from?

A:

Columbus, GA

Q: What was your earliest influence to becoming an entrepreneur or hustler?

A:

My first hustle was back in high school. I'd search the internet for unreleased music from popular artists and make compilations. Being that these songs were never heard by my target audience, I was able to sell the cds for $15 a pop. Things went well until the school placed a ban on CD players.

Q: What is a favorite quote or first hustle?

A:

"If you ever want to succeed, get off your butt, stop talking about it, and do it. Nothing in life is ever given." My dad told me these words years ago, and these words are the driving force behind my motivation whenever I'm ready to give up.

Q: What's your favorite story of overcoming adversity or a seemingly impossible situation?

A:

As of right now, I've gained the recognition of my city for my music. It took me leaving, moving across the country and over 10 years, but I'm finally getting the recognition that I've awaited for so long.

Q: Who is your favorite hustler or entrepreneur of all time and why?

A:

My favorite entrepreneur of all time is Andrew Carnegie. From working in factories as a child to to becoming a superintendent for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and then creating several of his own businesses, his hard work and ethics allowed him to become one of the richest Americans of all time.

Q: What was your biggest failure and what did you learn from it?

A:

My biggest failure would be my first live show for a music festival. Everything that could go wrong did. My laptop crashed, my cables shorted out, and my hard drive got fried. I learned then that I need to always be prepared for the unknown. Pack extra cables, check equipment multiple times before showtime and always have a backup plan.

Q: What are you working on now?

A:

I'm currently working on a compilation album of dance music.