TED Talks are pretty well-know for their quality.  So, I was understandably excited (nervous, even) about presenting at the TEDx Plano Conference this past weekend.

It was fun (in the way that preparing for a marathon is "fun").

For example, in the days leading up to the event, I would give it to the unsuspecting people who chose to use the StairMaster next to me. It seemed like a good way to practice with my heart rate up.

I also gave it one-on-one to employees.  Why? Because it gave me extra practice runs, and I got to experiment with different variations to gauge responses.

How did it go?  The speech, itself, went pretty well … Though it is hard to believe how much work goes into something so fleeting.  I guess that is why they have video.

They filmed it with a professional multi-camera crew. At this point, I still have no idea how long it takes for them to edit it and then put it online. I will let you know when I get the link.

By the way, my topic was "The Time Value of a Life Worth Living — An entrepreneur's reflections on not letting life get in the way." It is about a year that brought my Dad's death, the forced sale of my company by venture capitalists, and a divorce (in that order).  Sometimes, life's darkest days bring the greatest gifts … if you are willing to look for them.

 

Next week, I'll write about what it is like to prepare for a TED Talk, and what I believe are some of the key differences from traditional presentations.

 

EDIT: Here's the video: