Suz Chadwick [00:00:00]:
Welcome to the Brand Builders Lab podcast. I'm your host, Suze Chadwick, certified business and mindset coach, author and speaker. Each week we'll be talking about simple but powerful business and mindset strategies that will help you build a lean, clean and profitable business so you can learn to get out of your own way and pay yourself more for get average. It's time to level up. We are doing a TEDx debrief because as I did my TEDx talk yesterday and so I thought I would share some of the lessons that I've learned, the process that I went through, the interesting things that happened on the day. I have wanted to do a TEDx for a really long time. Obviously the TED stage where we've seen Brene Brown and all of the amazing people that we have loved for years and who have shared incredible ideas, it's always something, especially as a speaker and as a somebody who teaches personal branding. Being on a TEDx stage has been something I've been wanting to do for a while and so I wanted to share some of the lessons that I've learned along the way with it.
Suz Chadwick [00:01:11]:
It's been a few years since I've wanted to do it. I've actually seen other TEDx events and I was like, do I apply? Do I not apply? I wasn't sure like what the process was. So I'm going to share that with you today as well so that I can demystify the process. But I feel like a TEDx stage is really, if you're a speaker, it's just another stage. And whilst it obviously has an incredible brand behind it, and yes, it's amazing to have that on your cv, so to speak. I just really want to let you know that if you have something to share, TEDx Stage is just another stage that you get to do that on. So I almost want to like, you know, make it accessible. It is totally accessible to you if it's something that you want to do.
Suz Chadwick [00:02:03]:
And so I had seen a number of other events that were TEDx and one thing that really threw me were the themes. So a while ago there was a TEDx and the theme was non binary. I'm just going to say what it was and I was like, I have no idea how I would apply personal branding, branding, et cetera, to non binary to the theme, but I just want to let you know, I'm just going to say think the theme really matters. Because when I applied to the TEDx for Bells Beach, I didn't actually know what the theme was. Now I was really fortunate that the theme aligned because their theme was undercurrent, the things that we don't see, and because I was talking about how to find your magnetic magic, which is obviously things that we can't tangibly see. My talk did align with the theme, but it wasn't something that I was consciously aware of. And so the first thing I want to say is that when it comes to a TEDx, it's obviously a local element. It is affiliated with Ted.
Suz Chadwick [00:03:07]:
They do go through a whole process, which I'll share in just a second, but I just kind of want to let you know that the theme had kept me, had held me back for quite a while, and so I hadn't applied because I was like, I don't know how what I talk about applies to that theme. So I just want to let you know that the theme doesn't really matter. I don't think when it comes to TEDx, I guess it just depends on the organizers and whether. How strict they want to be about the theme and how what you talk about aligns to the theme. But the process is basically that I knew that there was a TEDx coming. I had known the person that ran it in Bell's beach two years ago, and so she was telling me that it was coming up. So they didn't widely promote four speakers. It was more through the network, because it was the first time these particular people were running the event.
Suz Chadwick [00:04:04]:
So it's always good to talk about the fact that you want to be a TEDx speaker or that you want to do it, because then other people, if they hear about it, they can let you know, too. So the first thing is that you apply. You say what your talk is going to be, and then you send in like a pitch, basically, and a full application, and then they let you know whether you've been accepted or not. And once you've been accepted, then you go through other processes where you've got to send through, like, final script of what you're going to be talking about, send through final slides, and you do first round and then second round of these things, and then you have to record yourself and send it to them as well. And so there is definitely a process that you have to go through. I don't think it's anything that's too difficult. You know, if you've spoken before, then it's not something that I think you have to worry about. But the point is, don't overthink it.
Suz Chadwick [00:05:01]:
That's, like, one of my main things. I just want to say to you is, if you want to be a TEDx speaker, you can be a TEDx speaker. It's not too big for you. If you. If you're a speaker, you can do it. Number two, don't worry about the theme. Number three, don't overthink it. Yeah.
Suz Chadwick [00:05:16]:
You'll just go through the process like everybody else does. And it's really not a lot for you to be able, like, to worry about. The other thing is that there were a few people there on the day, so everybody memorized their talk. Now, I have to be honest, that is not how I speak. So for me, I know what it is that I want to say. I've prepared for it, I've practiced it, and then I talk. Yeah. I get on a stage and I talk.
Suz Chadwick [00:05:41]:
And so I'll know what each slide is that I want to be going through. But I haven't memorized it word for word. And the reason that I personally don't memorize it is because if I memorized it and then I lost my place, I think that it would stuff me up. So I think the one thing I'd say is that you have to really go with your flow. And I feel like this is just generally, if you want to be a speaker as well, is learn what works for you. Learn how you show up in the best way possible that you feel is like, this is authentically me. This is, like, going to give me the best chance of being in my full energy and being able to present and connect with my audience as well. And so one of the people, one of the speakers there said to me, I didn't know that I couldn't not memorize it.
Suz Chadwick [00:06:29]:
So I think that's the other thing just to be aware of from a more of a functional perspective, is that when I did it, I was just really practicing again and again and again about what it was that I wanted to say. And so the other thing that I think, really, that I caught myself in and that I talk to my clients a lot about as well, is that the day before the event and the morning of the event, sometimes we can build things up in our own mind in such a big way that it can kind of not be a positive thing. And so the night before I did one, I did a couple of practices, and then I just chilled out. And the morning of as well, you know, my brain was like, maybe I should do another practice. Maybe I should practice more. And I just really had to remind myself, I know what it is I'm talking about. I've practiced this a lot of times. I've done this before and I can do it again.
Suz Chadwick [00:07:22]:
Like, just go out and have fun and connect with your audience. Like, really managing my mind through it, that this is going to be such a great day. And I've. I know exactly what it is that I want to share and I want to say, and, and I think just managing your mind through it and as well, like, when we were actually in the event, just waiting for my slot to come up, that was something that I was saying to myself again and again, just be present. Be here for your audience like you always are. Like, when you, you know, I just think that when we focus on ourselves, and I talk about this all the time, when we focus on ourselves, then we can get in our own heads. When we focus on our audience, we can be present for them and connect with them in a better way. And so yesterday, I was just really all about being as present as possible, telling myself I already knew what I wanted to say, telling myself when I get up there, this is going to be so much fun.
Suz Chadwick [00:08:21]:
And that's exactly how it felt. Now, was it flawless? No. Did I? Like, there was one bit that I forgot and I went back to and it was all good. Once again, I just think we put so much pressure on ourselves for things to be perfect and we're not perfect. And so it still went exactly the way that I wanted. I had amazing connection with the audience. The feedback was great. A lot of people came up to me afterwards to connect as well.
Suz Chadwick [00:08:50]:
And I think at the end of the day, any speaking gig, that's basically what you want. You want the connection, you want people to come and talk to you afterwards, et cetera. And so that's what happened. And so it was really, really a great thing to be able to do. And so I just want to let you know that if a TEDX is something that you're wanting to do, then definitely, like, get your feelers out there and start, and start letting people know that that's what you want. And one of the concepts, one of the principles that I shared in my TEDx yesterday was how to, because I talked about finding your magnetic magic and how to magnetize more of the things that you want in your life, your business and your career. And one of the principles is the say, db principle. And it's really how I have magnetized so many amazing opportunities during my life, like whether it was a transfer to London, whether it was speaking opportunities, whether it was like, whatever it was, there's been a lot of it.
Suz Chadwick [00:09:50]:
And I feel like this has been the same. So if you want more of these sorts of opportunities, talk about it. Say that you want it. Be like, one day I'm going to be a TEDx speaker. You know, I want to be on the stage of the huddle. I want to be on the stage of this conference. Like, talk about the fact that one day, like, I would love to be on the south by southwest stage one day. And so even just starting to say what it is that you want, you're starting to get it out there so that when somebody sees something that you may not have seen where they're like, oh, my gosh, I remember Suze said that she wanted to be, like, on a south by southwest stage.
Suz Chadwick [00:10:27]:
Suze, did you know that applications are open? So when you start to talk about more of the things that you're wanting to magnetize and attract for yourself, the more you're kind of recruiting an army of people who are going to help you to be able to achieve that and going to help you to be able to actually go and do that. And so talk about it. Like, if you want to do these things, talk about it on the regular. The second thing is to do. Yeah. So I was saying that when I first started my business, and I had been speaking in corporate, obviously, I'd been a debater from when I was 16 years old. But when I came into the entrepreneurial space, I really wanted to be a speaker, but I didn't have the network, I didn't have the community. I didn't have the personal brand.
Suz Chadwick [00:11:08]:
And so why would somebody ask me to be a speaker when I didn't have that personal brand as a speaker? And so then I just started my running my own workshops. Run my own workshops, had four people, had five people, had ten people, until I was, like, running breakfast with anything from 40 to 60 people, and then conferences with, like, two to 300 people. Yeah. And so by doing it, by me being the person that ran the event, that spoke at the event, that built the audience, that built the community, once I did that, yeah, by doing it, then other people started to invite me to be on their stages, and I'd get paid to be a speaker. And by doing the podcast every single week, which is like a keynote, basically, it's like a half an hour to an hour that I speak on my podcast every single week. I started getting speaking gigs from that as well. Why? Because I said that I was a speaker, and then I was doing the action of somebody who actually is one. I was showing what I was capable of.
Suz Chadwick [00:12:12]:
I was showing and sharing what it is that I want to be known for, which is all about personal branding and brand. And the third thing, so the say do and be is being in the energy of somebody who knows that this is what you want and showing up in that energy as well. Why? Because you know that I always say, your energy is your invitation. Your energy is your invitation to the things that you want. Yeah. Your energy is the invitation to opportunities coming to you and you magnetizing what it is that you want as well. And so I feel like this TEDx opportunity was basically that I had talked about it a lot. I had looked at other events, I had told people that this is what I wanted.
Suz Chadwick [00:12:54]:
And when the opportunity came up, because I've been speaking for a long time, it was just something that I was able to actually do. And then being in the energy yesterday was pretty amazing. And so I just really want you to know, I think the reason that I wanted to not only do a little bit of a debrief from yesterday's TEDx talk with you here on Instagram as well as on the podcast, is that I kind of want to demystify it for you. Like, if you want to do it, you can do it if you are a speaker or if you're wanting to be a speaker. And can I say, there were one or two people there yesterday that had never spoken at, like, a big event before. So this was like their first time. This is like their first time speaking, too. So if that's something you want to do, then start to talk about it and start to take a look at when the next ones are coming up, wherever it is that you are, because obviously the TEDXs are local.
Suz Chadwick [00:13:50]:
And then think about how can I start to become really good, do the work, be in the energy of a speaker where it feels like a bit of a no brainer that this is something that I would do as well. And so have a think about some of those things. And if it is something you want to do, then absolutely do it. It was great. I'm like, can I do it again? Can we do it again today? This was so fun. I met amazing people. There were like 100 plus people in the room yesterday. The organizers did an amazing job.
Suz Chadwick [00:14:25]:
They're going to be running it again next year as well. But there are TEDxs everywhere. And so I think apparently there is a Facebook page for TEDXs. And so I think if you go on there, you might be able to see what TEDxs are coming up in your area as well. But I would absolutely say do it. It's such a great opportunity. And I do think that TEDx as a speaking platform obviously holds a lot of kudos. And so if you're wanting to be a speaker, if you're wanting to build your personal brand, I think that a TEDx stage is a great place to do it.
Suz Chadwick [00:15:00]:
Yeah. Awesome. Well, I just wanted to jump on quick and say hi and debrief a little bit about yesterday and encourage you that if it's something you want to do, then definitely get on and do it. But otherwise, have an amazing rest of your day, and I'll speak to you later.