This post has been updated on June 4, 2020.
By now you've probably heard of the TED platform and seen at least one TED Talk. TED has become a phenomenon and through spreading ideas that matter it has become the voice of many educators, entrepreneurs, artists, doctors, etc. With knowledge in mind and a sense of purpose, TED has impacted the lives of many.
Since a lot of entrepreneurs have joined the movement and have shared their experience with the public, you can easily have access to honest, raw, and real talk on what doing business is like, on how to approach a business, what to focus on, and also on failure. Whatever you want to find out, business-related or not, you name it, they have it.
10 TED Talks every online entrepreneur should see
Having access to such a plethora of input such as confessions, statistics, and personal stories related to the business industry, you have the possibility of learning from the best. Here are 10 on point TED Talks that you need to see:
-
Do what you love (no excuses!)
Gary Vaynerchuk is a well-known entrepreneur speaking about not having any excuse when it comes to choosing to do what you love. With everything at your fingertips, you have to go pursue your passion and find a way to see your dream come to life. Put in the work and make no excuses. Life is not supposed to be spent hating what you do. The internet opens for you a whole range of opportunities to do what you like. So don't think twice and act towards your dreams!
-
The nerd's guy to learning everything online
John Green is a writer and a passionate online video maker who shows his take on online learning. Arguing that not everyone can learn in the same way, he emphasizes the benefits of online communities. These can help create a web of learners passionate about the same things who eventually become teachers to the other members of the community, evolving together in a quest for lifelong learning.
Read more: Leveraging online communities to promote your course
-
Let's raise kids to be entrepreneurs
Cameron Herold believes that kids should learn entrepreneurial skills in school and not to expect them to learn the same as older generations had to. That system does not work anymore and parents and teachers alike should recognize it. Students act rebellious, they fail classes, they are at odds with their peers, and yet, the adults surrounding them are not doing what they are supposed to. In today's society having basic knowledge on how to do business is essential. Both parents and teachers should not ignore children's creativity and they should foster an adequate environment for them to thrive.
-
Why some of us don't have one true calling
We were all asked the question What do you want to be when you grow up? repeatedly throughout our early years. Most had a standard answer: a doctor, a police officer, a dancer, a singer, a painter. But our society requires we follow the pack and not step out of the line and eventually become a lawyer, an engineer, a surgeon, etc. Nevertheless, some people just can't decide on one thing only. And why should they?
Writer and artist Emilie Wapnick calls these people "multipotentialites" in an attempt to describe the ones who have multiple interests they pursue, multiple jobs, and many interlocking potentials. Are you one of them?
-
This is the side hustle revolution
Podcaster and marketer Nicaila Matthews Okome is the creator and host of Side Hustle Pro, "the first and only podcast to spotlight bold, black women entrepreneurs who have scaled from side hustle to profitable business".
Back in the day when people got a job, they stuck with it. Having a job in a company meant stability and nobody even dared to take the risk to change jobs or let alone quit to do what made them happy. But today, we rarely stay in the same job or in the same career path. This also implies that we no longer rely on a single income stream. Now we can have our dream job or create one since more and more people are tapping into their entrepreneurial spirit while keeping the traditional job.
-
How I became an entrepreneur at 66
Paul Tasner is the co-founder and CEO of PulpWorks, Inc., designers, and manufacturers of biodegradable packaging for consumer goods, who reinvented himself at the age of 66. Pairing his idea for a business with his experience and passion he created a start-up after more than 40 years of working for others. And he's not alone. Seniors are increasingly "indulging their entrepreneurial instincts" and create successful businesses. Listen to his story and be inspired!
Read more: Debunking 5 myths about being an entrepreneur in 2019
-
On sliced bread
With a surplus of information it has become increasingly hard to decide what products to purchase, so what started to happen was that people chose to ignore most of them. The ones that stand out are the ones that stand a chance. Marketing guru Seth Godin thinks that bad or bizarre ideas are more successful than boring ones in that they manage to shock, to impress, and to trigger the desired action. It only takes one such idea to be the base of a successful entrepreneurial journey.
-
What we're learning from online education
Daphne Koller, co-founder of Coursera, shows how free online courses can be a source of knowledge for learners and scientists alike. Learners study what they want and need for free, at their own pace while scientists gather data from "each keystroke, quiz, peer-to-peer discussion and self-graded assignment". Online education is here to stay.
-
The surprising habits of original thinkers
Organizational psychologist Adam Grant asked himself this question while studying the dynamics of success and productivity in the workplace: How do creative people come up with great ideas? He calls these people "originals" because they are thinkers who dream up new ideas and take action to put them into practice. They are also not afraid of failing. "The greatest originals are the ones who fail the most because they're the ones who try the most," Grant says. "You need a lot of bad ideas to get a few good ones."
Adam Grant also makes an unexpected affirmation that moderate procrastination is the necessary ingredient for creativity.
-
How great leaders inspire action
Simon Sinek, leadership expert, reverses the what, how, why model and asks entrepreneurs to share with their customers why they do what they do, why they produce and sell that product and then focus on what the product is or does and how it does it. The old pattern focused on the plan: create, detail, and then explain. Nevertheless, one of the greatest leaders, Martin Luther King had a "dream", not a plan. "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it and what you do simply proves what you believe" is the core idea of the talk.
Over to you
Over to you now. Which TED Talk struck a chord with you? Is it on our list or would you like to add it? Let us know in the comments.
