How I Lost a Once-in-a-Lifetime Deal with Stevie Wonder

Negotiate Anything

American Negotiation Institute

Business, Education, Self-improvement

4.7 • 748 Ratings

🗓️ 24 December 2025

⏱️ 26 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

One mistake. One moment of faking expertise. And it cost him a deal with Stevie Wonder. ⁠Order NOW The Book: EVOLVE or Be Slaughtered: Negotiation For The 21st Century (Beyond Negotiating) by Derrick (The Van Gogh of Negotiation) Chevalier⁠ In this unforgettable episode, Kwame Christian sits down with Derrick Chevalier — bestselling author of Evolve or Be Slaughtered and executive VP at Harrison Chevalier — to unpack the painful but powerful story that changed his life. From a failed negotiation with Stevie Wonder to creating a framework that helps leaders master their craft, Derrick shares how true confidence is built through competence — not performance. What you'll learn: Why pretending to know something can ruin your credibility — permanently. The ICSEAR framework: a step-by-step model for mastering any skill, including negotiation. How to move beyond balance and embrace harmony in high-pressure conversations. Why great negotiators must learn to flow like jazz — and how to get there Connect with Derrick ⁠https://h-c.com/⁠ ⁠Follow Derrick on LinkedIn⁠ If you’ve ever walked out of a meeting thinking, “I should’ve done better,” this episode will show you how to make sure that never happens again. Contact ANI ⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠ ⁠Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn⁠ ⁠The Ultimate Negotiation Guide⁠ ⁠Click here to buy your copy of How To Have Difficult Conversations About Race!⁠ ⁠Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!

Transcript

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0:00.0	Most small business owners only think about insurance after something gets wrong.
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0:17.2	You know you want to start a business.
0:18.9	What you may not know is how to make it a reality.
0:21.8	Just visit goaddy.com to get started.
0:24.6	That's goaddy.com.
0:26.9	Premium features require paid subscription.
0:28.9	See terms on site.
0:30.4	Okay, imagine this situation.
0:32.2	You're in a room with Stevie Wonder
0:34.1	and he is about to buy thousands of dollars worth of audio equipment from you.
0:38.9	You think you've got the deal. But what if in trying to make the sale, you lose his trust in the
0:44.9	process, and it costs you not just the sale, but the chance of ever working with him again.
0:51.5	That is exactly what happened to today's guest, but what he learned
0:55.0	from that moment of failure became the foundation of an entirely new way to negotiate.
1:01.5	Today's guest is Derek Chevalier, executive VP of Harrison Chevalier, bestselling author of
1:07.8	Evolve or Be Slaughtered, and one of the most compelling thinkers I have
1:11.5	ever met on what it means to negotiate with mastery in the 21st century. In the first part of our
1:17.5	conversation, Derek takes us on a journey from studying law and theater to training under the
	...

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