Updated 11/6/22
There are lots of great reasons to do a TEDx talk: It’s instant cred, a powerful thought leadership platform, a public speaker’s calling card, a way to reach and inspire millions. All great reasons.
But what really comes about as a result? There is no direct TEDx-to-sales conversion, nor is that the reason to do one (actually, that’s the worst reason). And yet, if you’re going to invest your effort into doing something, you should know if it’s worth it.
Fact is, if it’s an idea worth spreading and a talk worth sharing (and it must be both those things), pretty amazing things can transpire as a result.
Here’s what happened to me since giving my first TEDx talk in 2015. It didn’t happen magically, of course, and not overnight. But it 100 percent has changed my life.
#1 | I started commanding a 5-figure speaking fee.
I mean, let’s get down to brass tacks, right? No one gets paid to do TEDx…but the right talk can put you in high demand. I used to charge between $2500 and $5000. Not anymore. And it’s not just the speaker’s fee, either. In the past three years I’ve upleveled my business in a big way. High-level clients pay a premium to work with me. That is a serious game changer.
#2 | I’ve gained recognition as a top-notch speaker.
I was named rated the #1 speaker by attendees my first year at How Design Live (and have been invited back every year), and at the Barron’s Top Independent Women Advisors Summit, and then was invited to present a keynote at their flagship event for the nation’s Top Advisors.
Could I have done those talks without having done a TEDx talk? Sure. Maybe. But that talk put me on the map. It’s what made it an easier decision to hire me. Speaking begets more speaking. The more you do, the more you get to do. I went from 1-3 events a year to dozens.
#3 | I had lunch with Seth Godin. (This should probably be #1.)
Now, to be fair, Seth had not seen my TEDx talk before we met. Here’s what happened: After my TEDx talk, I was invited to speak on a panel at a corporate event. Seth Godin was backstage, too, about to give his keynote. I fumbled through a hello, feeling like an ass in front of this famous man. Then I went out to do my panel.
Afterwards, he approached me and said—and I will never forget it—“You are a rockstar. Would you like to keep in touch? I’d really like to know what you’re up to.” Mic. Drop. A month later, I kid you not, Seth Godin made me gluten-free samosas in his kitchen, and it might very well be one of the best days of my life.
#4 | I was invited to do a second TEDx talk.
When TEDxStLouisWomen saw my original TEDx talk from TEDxKansasCity, they said, “Hey, come speak at our event.” So I did! I spoke about what I wish all women knew: That just because a relationship ends and you happen to be single does not mean something is wrong with you. (Watch that TEDx talk here.)
#5 | I wrote and published a book.
A publisher from the UK saw my bio in a program for an event, looked up the TEDx talk on passion, and seems to think the talk would make a great book. I happen to agree. Now, that particular interest didn’t take root, but I did start writing a book soon after. And I took my time writing it over the years to figure out what it was. In 2020, at the height of lockdown, I signed with an agent, who submitted my proposal to a few publishers, and one bit.
In 2021, I published that book, Unfollow Your Passion: How to Create a Life that Matters to You (Atria/Simon & Schuster), that picks up where the TEDx talk leaves off. And I know damn well that part of the reason I was able to sell this book was because of that talk.
#6 | Hubspot named me one of the “Top 18 Female Motivational Speakers Who Are Killing It.”
It’s true. I came in #2…and Oprah is #8. I’ll take it. And a real shout-out to HubSpot’s post on that…I thought it was just a cool thing at the time, but that post has gotten so much traffic that a good chunk of the people who hire me to speak found me on that list. Obviously, that’s not something I or you can control, as they didn’t take submissions for it, but you never know who’s in the audience, and whom you may impress.
#7 | I was cited as one of the world’s leading creatives by Creative Boom magazine.
This list includes Elizabeth Gilbert and David Kelley of IDEO. I don’t even know what to say to that, except…thanks TEDx! The piece is called “The Secrets to Success: Incredible Career Advice from Some of the World’s Leading Creatives.”
#8 | I’ve been featured as an expert on on Business Insider and an expert on Inc.com.
I contributed a piece on the biggest public speaking mistakes. That article has also gotten a ton of traffic. Then, Alison Davis interviewed me for Inc.com column for a piece called “Best Presentation Ever: How to Elevate Any Talk to Make it Motivating, Meaningful, and Memorable.” Having TEDx cred means getting cited and interviewed in media, too, and there have been lots of these kinds of opportunities—including podcasts, tons of them.
#9 | I’ve grown my list exponentially.
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#10 | I do this for a living now.
Speaking makes up a good portion of my income today (around a third, alongside my consulting work and program offerings), and it has grown my business and email list exponentially. The more you speak, the more opportunities to speak emerge. And not only get paid to speak all over the place, but I also coach other speakers, corporate teams, and organizations on presenting meaningful content. I’ve worked with environmental scientists at Columbia, engineers in Amsterdam, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and financial advisors all over the country.
I’ve also worked as a TEDx coach, an emcee/host, a workshop leader, and keynote speaker many times over.
I’ve also helped other people land and shape their talks, for TEDx and elsewhere. Based on my standing as one of the top-rated speakers at How Design Live, where I’ve had a recurring speaker spot for years, I now function as a programming partner and get to book speakers myself!
No one can promise that any one talk, TEDx or otherwise, can change your life, but the cumulative effort of doing it over and over means giving yourself ongoing opportunities to be heard. I know of few other things that can change the tenor of a career like speaking.
I have since launched a program called the Speaker Intensive in which I help speakers craft and deliver their 10-minute signature talks in less than a month. Learn more at territrespicio.com/speakerintensive .
REGISTRATION CLOSES 11/10/22!