All Segments
Simon Cowell Opens Up About His Heartbreaking Loss & His Regrets About One Direction!
32 segments available
Simon Cowell is a world-renowned record producer, talent scout, and music mogul. He is best known for being a judge on some of the world’s most popular TV shows including, ‘The X Factor’, ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, ‘Pop Idol’, and ‘American Idol’. 00:00 Intro 02:16 Early Context 03:17 Your Parents 04:32 Your Work Ethic, Where Does That Come From 07:20 The Importance of Respect 11:02 Making the Decision to Pursue Entertainment 16:24 Working in the Post Room at a Record Label 20:03 Making His Way Up in the Music Industry 24:00 Starting a Record Label with Your Boss 29:19 Creating Your First Smash Hit Record 36:44 Going Broke Right After Creating Your First Smash Hit 43:43 Meeting Pete Waterman, a Moment That Changed Everything 47:41 Being an Early Adopter of TV 56:54 Following Your Gut Regardless of the Criticism 01:03:34 Finding Westlife 01:06:34 Your Father Passing Away 01:14:41 Your Life Changing After Your Son, Eric, Was Born 01:20:13 Loyalty, Why It's So Important to Me 01:22:39 Setting New Work Boundaries in My New Life 01:26:19 Advice for a Young Simon Cowell 01:28:57 The Importance of Hard Work 01:31:34 Your Accident, Breaking Your Back in 3 Places 01:36:43 Going to Therapy 01:43:00 Foundational Advice for Anyone Starting Out in Their Career 01:46:43 The Importance of Legacy 01:50:06 The Rise of Bullying 01:52:06 One Direction 01:55:15 Searching for a New Boy Band 02:00:37 Harry Styles 02:02:58 AI Within the Music Industry 02:06:52 Will One Direction Get Back Together? 02:08:18 The Last Guest's Question Are you ready to think like a CEO? Gain access to the 100 CEOs newsletter here: https://bit.ly/100-ceos-newsletter Follow Simon: Instagram - https://bit.ly/4c5bKK0 Twitter - https://bit.ly/3yKu9xg Simon Cowell Launches Nationwide Hunt For Next UK Boyband Phenomenon Audition, sign up here - https://g2ul0.app.link/WnrZDXcwjKb Watch the episodes on Youtube - https://g2ul0.app.link/3kxINCANKsb My new book! 'The 33 Laws Of Business & Life' is out now - https://smarturl.it/DOACbook Sponsors: Linkedin Jobs: https://www.linkedin.com/doac
Segments Timeline
The Most Devastating Loss
Simon Cowell opens up about the most devastating moment of his life, reflecting on the emotional turmoil he faced and the impact of losing his mother. He shares how this loss shaped his perspective on life and success, revealing the deep bond he had with her and the lessons learned from their relationship.
"it was the most devastating thing that ever happened in my life thinking what have I got to live for and um oh gosh have to give me a minute please welcome Simon cow the scale of his success is stagge..."
Understanding Simon's Early Context
In this segment, Simon discusses his childhood and the early influences that shaped him. He reflects on his boredom in school and his desire for a more exciting life, setting the stage for his future in the entertainment industry. Simon emphasizes the importance of having fun and making money from a young age.
"episode Simon in order to understand the man that sits with me today what is the early context that I must know about that will help me to understand the Simon cow that all of us know so well what is ..."
Lessons from My Parents
Simon shares the profound influence his parents had on him, particularly the lessons instilled by his mother about manners and respect. He recounts a pivotal moment from his childhood that left a lasting impression, highlighting the values of kindness and discipline that guided him throughout his life.
"money um and and one thing my parents did do when we were very very young because in those days you could actually even at the age of about seven or eight you know in our neighborhood is go around to ..."
The Roots of My Work Ethic
In this segment, Simon reflects on the origins of his renowned work ethic. He discusses his father's advice about the pitfalls of working for large corporations and how it motivated him to pursue his own path. Simon's determination to succeed and avoid his father's fate drives his relentless pursuit of success in the music industry.
"remember where I was I was sitting in the car and she said something to me and she said manners maketh the man and I like what does that mean she go manners maketh the mat and then she explained what ..."
The Importance of Respect
Simon emphasizes the significance of respect in both personal and professional relationships. He shares insights from his upbringing that shaped his understanding of teamwork and the importance of recognizing every individual's contribution. This foundational belief has influenced his approach to leadership and collaboration.
"know my dad also you know he knew you know because I I I didn't do very well with my exam results and he did say to me it's quite clear some you're not going to make University um have you made up you..."
Deciding to Pursue Entertainment
Simon recounts the moment he decided to pursue a career in entertainment, despite his struggles in school. He reflects on his early aspirations and the challenges he faced, revealing his determination to carve out a niche for himself in the industry. This decision marked the beginning of his journey toward becoming a music mogul.
"something for me later on in life and I've said the same thing uh to my son Eric you know I remember the first time I said to him Eric maners make of the man he was about two he's like look at me and ..."
Starting in the Music Industry
In this segment, Simon shares his experiences working in the post room at a record label. He describes the environment and the lessons learned during this formative period, highlighting the importance of understanding the inner workings of the music business as he began his career.
"on actually I was offered a job as a runner on The Shining they were just making that I saw the hotel being built on the lot when I was a runner um my mom at the same time had made an application for ..."
Climbing the Ranks
Simon discusses his journey of making his way up in the music industry, detailing the challenges and successes he encountered along the way. He reflects on the pivotal moments that helped him establish his reputation and build a successful career in music.
"a lot of jobs right now who might not have understood the importance of being curious even if you're at the very start of your career or the bottom of the proverbial ladder yeah but that seemed to be ..."
Launching My Own Record Label
In this segment, Simon talks about the decision to start his own record label with his boss. He shares the motivations behind this move and the excitement of taking control of his career, setting the stage for future successes in the music industry.
"and uh no one would talk to me for the first 6 months so I'm like terrible so I locked myself into this room and I just thought no one's talking to me I'm just going to listen to every one of these te..."
Creating My First Smash Hit
Simon reflects on the exhilarating experience of creating his first smash hit record. He discusses the challenges faced during this time, including financial struggles, and the bittersweet nature of achieving success while dealing with personal setbacks.
"UK um and I I just had this crazy idea in my head for a title and I said to this uh guy I met he hadn't had a hit before um uh this is Sanita blah blah blah blah blah uh I want a record this is how I ..."
Going Broke After Success
In this candid segment, Simon reveals the harsh reality of going broke right after achieving his first hit. He shares the emotional toll it took on him and the lessons learned about the unpredictability of the music industry.
"really supposed to do that what does that mean uh in other words just say it's out of stock um on the computer but it's not out of stock just don't let them have the record when they order it in other..."
Meeting Pete Waterman
Simon recounts the pivotal moment of meeting Pete Waterman, which changed the trajectory of his career. He discusses the impact of this relationship and how it opened doors for him in the music industry.
"the way the other thing I should mention is I said to Tony um by the way um I don't have any money to pay you um the lawyer the lawyer I said so you know I I'm not sure I can afford you and he said we..."
Embracing Television
In this segment, Simon shares his experiences as an early adopter of television in the music industry. He discusses how embracing this medium transformed his career and allowed him to reach a wider audience.
"because Pete again I mean Pete will pretend unlike me he'll oh of course I know how to produce records blah blah blah he may do but Pete's skill is I've always described Pete as as the best DJ in the ..."
Following Your Gut
Simon emphasizes the importance of following your gut instincts, regardless of criticism. He shares personal anecdotes that illustrate how trusting his intuition has led to significant breakthroughs in his career.
"incredible um and that was probably the thing that really cemented this thing about my my career which was absolutely trust your gut um go completely in an unconventional way and and that more than an..."
Finding Westlife
In this segment, Simon discusses the discovery of the boy band Westlife and the impact they had on his career. He reflects on the process of finding and nurturing talent in the music industry.
"looking in the wrong place so today I'm giving the D CEO Community a free LinkedIn job post head to linkedin.com doac now and let me know how you get on terms and conditions apply I've got another sin..."
Coping with Loss
Simon opens up about the emotional experience of losing his father. He shares how this loss affected him personally and professionally, and the lessons he learned about resilience and legacy.
"of uh for I think it was their first seven singles went to number one and I don't think that's ever happened again you described that moment as as Bittersweet um in your book I I read that you called ..."
Life After Becoming a Father
In this heartfelt segment, Simon reflects on how his life changed after the birth of his son, Eric. He discusses the joys and responsibilities of fatherhood and how it has influenced his perspective on life and work.
"devastation you feel when you lose someone it's there is you know it's it's it's it really is meaningless your life really seemed to change drastically when Eric was born yes I think that's even like ..."
The Value of Loyalty
Simon shares his thoughts on loyalty and why it is crucial in both personal and professional relationships. He reflects on the importance of surrounding himself with loyal individuals throughout his career.
"very thin skinned at times uh uh particularly when someone is disloyal you know that I I take things like that very very badly I noticed this cuz I read it's interesting I I read um I was reading load..."
Setting Work Boundaries
In this segment, Simon discusses the importance of setting new work boundaries in his life. He reflects on the changes he made to prioritize his well-being and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
"previously it's like well that that's your destiny you know uh if if the lights had been red instead of green on a certain day Eric may not have been conceeded that's how I look at life you know you y..."
Advice for a Young Simon Cowell
Simon offers valuable advice he would give to his younger self, reflecting on the lessons learned throughout his career. He emphasizes the importance of perseverance and staying true to oneself.
"partner um I have friends um how does she get hold of you uh she calls me at home and I mean driv are crazy but uh what what would you say to the work holics out there including me that haven't quite ..."
The Importance of Hard Work
In this segment, Simon discusses the critical role of hard work in achieving success. He shares personal anecdotes that highlight the dedication required to excel in the competitive music industry.
"thinking about how you now interact with the people you work with if back then you working till 8:00 a.m. in the morning I imagine you're dragging a lot of people with you yes I was love so fun yeah I..."
Overcoming Adversity
Simon opens up about his accident and the challenges he faced after breaking his back in three places. He shares how this experience shaped his outlook on life and resilience.
"really important imagine if old Simon had you say that he'd be like yeah [Laughter] right you said don't kill yourself in the process but 2020 you had a very very serious accident yeah which was unfor..."
The Journey to Therapy
In this candid segment, Simon discusses his journey to therapy and the importance of mental health. He reflects on the stigma surrounding therapy and how seeking help has positively impacted his life.
"put the steps in and getting up to 20 30,000 steps a day without my feet falling apart it was like actually it was worth it genuinely worth it is this when you first went to therapy around this time i..."
Foundational Career Advice
Simon shares foundational advice for anyone starting out in their career. He emphasizes the importance of hard work, patience, and learning from failures as essential components of success.
"opinion do need help full stop at some point in their lives and it is nothing to be embarrassed about it isn't Eric comes to you and says Dad you've built an incredible business you've been incredibly..."
The Legacy We Leave Behind
In this reflective segment, Simon discusses the importance of legacy and what it means to him. He shares insights on how he hopes to be remembered and the impact he wants to have on future generations.
"uh I would say to anyone I like uh or didn't like uh you know find your passion and then try and be the best of it Legacy Legacy yeah that's been front of mine a few recently hasn't it yeah yeah it is..."
Addressing Bullying
Simon opens up about the rise of bullying in society and its impact on individuals. He shares his thoughts on how to combat bullying and promote kindness and respect in all areas of life.
"and I've treated people well I I that's what I would like to think I'll hand over to Eric both of those things although you have changed your life in many ways Prett extreme extreme ways very extreme ..."
The One Direction Phenomenon
In this segment, Simon reflects on the phenomenon of One Direction and the impact they had on the music industry. He shares behind-the-scenes stories and insights into their success.
"got a more flashier job and blah blah blah but if you if you it for the long Hall you're going to be better off at the end you know it's trying to get that message to people you know I was just thinki..."
Searching for the Next Boy Band
Simon discusses his ongoing search for the next boy band sensation, sharing his thoughts on what makes a successful group. He reflects on the lessons learned from One Direction and how they inform his current endeavors.
"particular if you like your band mates um it's a brilliant way to get noticed if you want to become uh a successful solo artist like they've all become and being in the band was the Catalyst to that y..."
The Rise of Harry Styles
In this segment, Simon talks about Harry Styles and his journey from One Direction to solo stardom. He shares insights into Harry's talent and the factors that contributed to his success.
"be days where you're going to go oh God I'm really tired I don't like this and you know no one will leave me alone and then in 10 years time you're going to look back on this and go wow we had a blast..."
AI in the Music Industry
Simon discusses the role of artificial intelligence in the music industry and its potential impact on the future of music creation and production. He shares his thoughts on the balance between technology and artistry.
"can't think of three well can so um is AI a concern an opportunity does it cross your mind uh I think both uh I don't think you'll ever beat the real thing yeah having said that um it'll happen I mean..."
Will One Direction Reunite?
In this closing segment, Simon addresses the question of whether One Direction will get back together. He shares his thoughts on the band's legacy and the possibility of a reunion in the future.
"means you got to have about 10 hit singles um uh because that's what people want to hear they want to hear the hits um and you know if they ever did reform that's exactly what would happen are they go..."
A Simple Decision for a Healthier Life
In a light-hearted conclusion, Simon Cowell answers a question left by the previous guest about making a positive life decision. He humorously suggests that avoiding sugar could have a significant impact on one's health. This segment highlights Cowell's candidness and offers a relatable takeaway for viewers about making simple yet effective lifestyle changes.
"money but I need to earn the name we have a closing tradition on this podcast where the last guest leaves a question for the next guest not knowing who they're going to be leaving it for oh so the que..."