Wanna come to my TEDx talk?
Yes, I'm serious!
For the last 1.5 years I’ve been quietly promoting myself as a speaker. It turns out being a podcaster makes that an easy transition.
I’ve had a few gigs. I’ve even hosted my own events. But it was time to be more visible. So I asked my speaker & speaking coach friend Sylvia how I should raise my profile. Her answer shocked me.
“Do a TED talk!” she said, like it was the most obvious answer.
Um, I beg your finest pardon?? I thought a TED talk is what you did AFTER you’d established yourself as sought-after speaker.
Turns out you don’t even have to be a speaker to land a TEDx stage!
TED vs TEDx
Let’s back up. TED talks and TEDx talks are NOT the same thing.
TED is the original technology, entertainment, and design organization that you’re invited to present at. TEDx talks are independently licensed events, each with their own organizers. That’s what that X means.
The name of the event usually comes after it. Like TEDxStanford or TEDxLongBeach (that ones in New York, not California).
Anyone can do a TEDx. You just have to apply and dazzle the organizers. So for the last year, that’s been my mission.
The Path to Public Speaking
How did I get here?
I vaguely remember one of my first speaking engagements. I was asked to host my high school’s 1996 senior awards ceremony…about 5 minutes before it started! I didn’t have a script or a clue. I’m assuming whoever was supposed to do the job bailed, so they gave it to the super talkative Ivy-bound kid.
I can’t remember if I even won an award. I must have, otherwise why was I even there, with my parents no less? I barely remember the evening, other than I did make the audience laugh on more than one occasion. It was an easy gig, because all my friends were there too and I didn’t have time to be nervous.
And that’s probably when the speaker seed was planted.
Fast forward 30 years, and here we are. I joined a TEDx coaching program after speaking in Chicago last year. They claim the average number of submissions before landing that first stage is about 82. That’s not discouraging at all!
(Because there’s no sarcastic font let me translate: yes it is most definitely discouraging).
Since then, I’ve only applied to 10 California-based events because you have to pay your own transportation costs. And we have a trip to Kenya planned, so I have to keep budget in mind.
8 of those came with a big fat rejection. Not surprising, but still stung a bit, rejection after rejection.
Until a hyper local event hit my feed at the last possible second (literally 2 days before it was due). In Long Beach! Where I live! I can walk there!
Being budget conscious maybe isn’t a bad idea!
But this wasn’t just any event. This was a pitch contest.
As part of the application process, you’re usually asked you to submit a 1-2 minute video as an audition tape.
But because this Long Beach, CA one is new, they’re having us audition live. And that’s where you can come see me!
The inaugural TEDxShorelineDrive pitch contest will be held on Saturday, February 7 in downtown Long Beach! 16 hopefuls will pitch their “big ideas” in hopes of being selected to the actual TEDx event happening later in the summer.
Like that high school gig, public speaking is exponentially easier when your friends are in the crowd, so if you’re LA-based I’d love to see you there.
But wait. I received 8 rejections, and only told you about one stage. What about the other one?
I’ve moved onto the second round for TEDxInglewood too! Later this week I’ll have an interview with the organizers. So I gotta dazzle them one more time.
The theme for that one is AMPLIFY which is also the name of the podcast program I was in last year. The same one I’m a mentor for this year! It’s like the universe knows what’s up.
So keep your fingers crossed for me. Because if I do dazzle both sets of organizers, there will be TWO different TEDx talks I’ll invite you to this summer.
🤞
Bonus: if I do make it to either stage, expect LVMC episodes about it in the future!