The Power of Prince: 3 things I learned from Prince that transformed my life and business

One of the most extraordinary experiences of my life was working with the legendary rock star, Prince.

The opportunity came when I received a call from CNN's Van Jones who had just finished a benefit concert series with Prince in Chicago. In an other life, I had had a production company working with an array of Grammy® award winners and Van and I had collaborated on a number of projects in the past to support his philanthropic work. He and Prince wanted me to create a video to showcase their work in Chicago.

The first time I met Prince, he flew me to his Paisley Park compound in Chanhassen, Minnesota. He had liked the piece I did for him and Van and wanted to meet me to talk about other things he wanted to do. We got to know each other better, had dinner and went to rehearsal. All Prince fans refer to him deservedly so as a genius but I quickly learned that Prince's creative genius transcended the world of music and encompassed the world of business as well.

In this piece, I will share Three Power Lessons that I learned directly from Prince himself in one-on-one conversations. These have been guiding principles to me and my hope is that they will have a similarly powerful impact on your world view, business and life.

POWER LESSON #1: Be prepared for Plan A to be outrageously successful

I remember sitting in a business strategy meeting with Prince in his hotel suite in Beverly Hills the night before the Grammys. Prince said to me that everybody creates back up plans for when things don't work, but most people don't plan thoroughly for when things do.

As a contingency planner myself, Prince's words were first puzzling then liberating. We know from life experience that the odds of Plan A working precisely as planned are not high. However, Prince taught me that the mindset of someone preparing for great success differs from someone focusing largely on contingency plans. 

This perspective comes from the only solo artist in history to have the #1 song, the #1 album and the #1 movie in the same week...at the age of 26.

POWER LESSON #2: Opportunity is always where people are afraid to go

I remember being in the middle of directing a scene for a video for Prince's all-woman power rock trio, ThirdEyeGirl and his assistant tapping me on the shoulder. She said the boss wanted to talk to me, guided me behind a curtain next to the sound stage and handed me a phone.

I nervously said "Hello?" and Prince sharply asked, "why are you doing that?" My heart sank. Apparently my directorial choices failed to impress. I sheepishly tried to explain specific camera placements and movements to no avail. He seemed to want to direct the video himself. As he continued with a barrage of critiques and offered ideas to replace mine, I could feel my insecurity evaporate and the confidence in my artistic vision emerge.

After taking a pause from his verbal dart game he asked me, "So what are you going to do?"

I said, "When you asked me to direct the video, you said you wanted to me to be free to create what I saw – what I felt. Now you are telling me what you want. If you want me to create your vision, no problem. But if you want me to create my vision, then you need to let me do that!"

"When you start off in the deep waters, in almost impossible conditions, it forces you to tap into a deep part of yourself – the part where your real power is." ~ Kwame Anku

Much to my surprise, he started chuckling. He said that's what he had been waiting to see. He explained that when he starts working with people, he takes them out to the deepest water, throws them in and sees how they swim. He said he wanted to hear me stand behind my choices. Then he hung up.

When you start off in the deep waters, in almost impossible conditions, it forces you to tap into a deep part of yourself – the part where your real power is.

This is why I'm drawn to working with startup founders. They sign up everyday for what is tantamount to Mission: Impossible believing in their vision against the odds.

Prince was a start up founder who was kicked out of his house at 12 years old, signed his first major record contract at age 17, released over 40 albums, won seven Grammy® awards, won two Academy Awards®, sold over 100M albums and generated billions in sales. His life's work stands a testament to challenge and achievement. Prince taught me that the opportunity is always found where people are afraid to go.

POWER LESSON #3: Tech Comes Second

I remember having dinner with Prince at his home watching the Indiana Pacers game. During a break in the game, Prince shared that he wanted to live stream his performances without the sophisticated mixing equipment getting in the way of his true sound. I asked why someone with a reputation for such high-fidelity recordings would want to risk having low-quality sound online?

After we finished dinner we went upstairs to his office, sat at his computer and began an hour and half soul music history lesson on YouTube. We watched James Brown on The Mike Douglas Show from 1971, Sammy Davis Jr. on Playboy After Dark from 1969, and a lot of Ike & Tina Turner. Prince pointed out that several of the performances had only a couple of microphones but the sound had crystal clarity. He said people hide behind technology instead of using it as a tool. Fifty years ago with dramatically less sophisticated technology, artists created exceptional musical experiences (read as product and user experience). I often think of this when I reflect that Prince's last concert tour was simply him and an acoustic piano...

"I'm drawn to founders and creators of technology that have the deep awareness of what they are putting into the world not just the bottom line value they are extracting out of it." ~ Kwame Anku

When I look at my work as an investor and advisor to startup companies, I'm drawn to tech solutions that enhance the human experience not just replace human function under the pretense of making our lives easier. I'm drawn to founders and creators of technology that have the deep awareness of what they are putting into the world not just the bottom line value they are extracting out of it.

Technology should help us solve problems human can't solve instead of simply making things we already know how to do easier.

"Technology should help us solve problems human can't solve instead of simply making things we already know how to do easier." ~Kwame Anku

As we move fast into an age of AI, Machine Learning and VR/AR - all of which I am actually quite excited about and invested in - I always keep Prince's view in mind. Creativity to serve humanity comes first, tech comes second.

Kwame Anku is the CEO & Chairman of Black Star Fund, an Apsen Ascend Fellow with The Aspen Institute, an international speaker, and one of Prince's biggest fans. Kwame is now booking speaking engagements for 2019 at www.kwameyaoanku.com. Follow him on social @kwameyaoanku.

(NOTE: If you click on the MSNBC graphic at the top of the article, you can watch my segment on "AM Joy with Joy Reid" which aired on April 23, 2016 talking about Prince's work and impact.)