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The Bigger Stage w/ Matt Stone is a conversation series about leadership, relationships, and the stories that expand influence.
Matt Stone sits down with CEOs, founders, leaders, and creatives to explore the human moments behind growth—how trust is built, how visibility changes responsibility, and how storytelling becomes a leadership skill as stakes rise.
This show is for entrepreneurs and leaders stepping into bigger roles, bigger audiences, and bigger impact—who want to lead with clarity, credibility, and connection, not performance.
TBS - Bobby Umar
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[00:00:00] I come out and I just stood there and I said, " Slides, please," cause the screen behind me was blank. I just stood there for like a minute. And then the slides came on. They were cut off by like half of it.. And I said, " I'm sorry, they're cut off. Please fix." And this is like, two minutes go by.
[00:00:16] I'm not starting. And I finally said, "Okay, we need to start over. I'm sorry,"
[00:00:21] and I walked off the stage.
[00:00:26] Bobby Umar has stood on the TEDx stage five times. He's coached CEOs, VPs, and business owners and others on how to turn their story into stage-ready authority, and he's built a career on a simple idea.
[00:00:38] People don't remember polished, they remember real. I'd say that's true now more than ever. So today we're gonna go deep on TEDx with Bobby, how to actually get accepted, how to deliver a talk that lands, what to do after you step off the red dot and the applause dies down. Because a talk that doesn't convert into real opportunity just a [00:01:00] nice memory. Bobby's been named one of Inc. Magazine's Top 100 Leadership Speakers alongside Richard Branson, Brene Brown. He's a two-time LinkedIn top voice, and after 25-plus years and 1,000-plus keynotes and workshops, he knows exactly what separates a talk people forget from one that changes the trajectory of your career and your business. you've ever thought about applying for a TEDx talk or any talk like it, or you're wondering why the one you gave didn't do more for you, well, this episode is perfect for you, so keep listening. Answers are coming. Bobby, welcome to The Bigger Stage.
[00:01:37] Hey, happy to be here, Matt
[00:01:38] And thanks for taking time. Uh, I think there's been a lot of interest in Ted- TEDx, and I know that you're a mult- I mean, I watched some clips from some of your talks, and I know you're a multifaceted, multi-interested, multidimensional person, so we could literally talk about almost anything. Um, but today we're gonna focus on
[00:01:59] Anything except for [00:02:00] car, a- anything except for car mechanics. But yeah, yeah, it's good
[00:02:03] and me both, brother.
[00:02:05] Yeah.
[00:02:05] had an uncle who was a mechanic, and he saved us all because, uh, we
[00:02:09] Yeah.
[00:02:10] by what was going on. Always a simple fix, too, almost always, but, you know.
[00:02:14] Yeah
[00:02:15] Cool. Well, let's get into TEDx 'cause, you know, my audience, these are mostly founders, entrepreneurs, visionaries, builders wanna get on a bigger stage and, or, or a better stage, and TEDx is obviously one of those opportunities that a lot of people know about but maybe don't know about.
[00:02:33] They know the name, but they don't really know what it means. So, um, first of all, let's just get a little background on you. How did you end up, you know, kind of getting into the... Well, you can describe what you're doing now, but how did you end up getting into the speaking, leadership, development, personal branding space?
[00:02:52] What, what was your journey like?
[00:02:55] Yeah, I think long story short, I had four different careers: uh, brand marketing, teaching, performing [00:03:00] arts, engineering, and nothing really fit. I then decided I need to figure out what I wanna do with my life, and so I dealt with my personal brand. I found things that made sense to me, Bobby likes people, persuasion influence, performing, presenting, diversity.
[00:03:14] And that's when I decided to become a motivational speaker, uh, over 20 years ago, almost 25 years ago. And since that time, I've done 1,000 keynotes across four continents, and I never looked back. And then during that time, also b- as a speaker, I realized that, well, I'm not just a speaker, I'm an expert in something, and I'm also a content creator.
[00:03:31] So I started, started building a digital presence across Twitter with half a million followers, LinkedIn with 50,000 followers, Instagram, and other places. And so that's kinda how, uh, I started doing that. Now, the TEDx talk, the first time the TEDx talk came my way, I was like... Uh, someone s- actually said to me, "Hey, Bobby, I'd love to have you speak my TEDx event."
[00:03:48] I was like, "TEDx, what's that?" And so then, and so I, and so then I Googled it, looked it up, I was like, wow. I was like, wow, every, like, major celebrity, athlete, scientist, philosopher, business leader [00:04:00] has spoken to this thing. Like, this is, this is a pretty kind of a big deal. And so I said, "Okay, fine, let's do this."
[00:04:05] So then I really prepared hard for that first one too, and I was very nervous. I rehearsed that thing, like, 30 times, which is n- which is abnormal for me 'cause I'm usually pretty rehearsed. I improvise, and I maybe rehearse, like, two or three times. 30 times, I was like, "I gotta get this right." And, uh, yeah, and then after that, like, things just really took off.
[00:04:24] It was, uh... And that was the first of the five, right? After the first TEDx talk, you know, my speaker fee increased by two and a half times. I got 40% more gigs that year. I... People started asking me to do consulting coaching, which I wasn't thinking about doing. I was like, "Oh, okay, let me charge this." And then next thing you know, I'm charging double.
[00:04:39] I'm like, wow, this is great. And so I also was, because I was a social media guy, I knew how to leverage it and build some buzz around it. And so I think that worked really well. And, uh, yeah, so I mean... And now, you know, uh, what I still do the keynotes and workshops at com- at companies, and trainings, and offsites, but then the other thing I do is I help people land a TEDx [00:05:00] talk.
[00:05:00] And, uh, because I... It's... From what I've learned as being someone who's building authority and trust and building thought leadership around who I am, there's different ways to do it, right? So there's in your network, there's content strategy, there's paid ads if you can afford it, there's launching a book, launching a program, there's speaking.
[00:05:17] And speaking and content are amplified even more when you have TEDx, which is those things plus the branding. So that's why I say, to me, TEDx is the best way to amplify your authority and trust quicker than everything else, and with a greater amp- amplification than everything else
[00:05:35] And we'll get into, like, the process and what you've learned
[00:05:38] Yeah
[00:05:38] you know, things people can learn to avoid too, mistakes to avoid. Maybe you've learned the hard way, maybe you've seen other people learn the hard way. But before we get into that, I'm just curious, just personally, um, do you remember what your first keynote was? What w- what was the topic of your very first keynote?
[00:05:54] Yeah, I, I remember my first keynote. It was, uh, when I ... It was, so I had created three talks, uh, 'cause [00:06:00] my mentor told me, "Create three talks, then pitch them." Okay. And then I, it was the three Ps of leadership at Queen's University at a conference there. I think the conference was called, was called Q Lead. Uh, and, uh, I, I remember delivering that talk twice, and then I, and then the other two talks, I don't remember what I prepared.
[00:06:18] I, I never did them again. I, I b- I, within a, within a couple of talks, people loved my whole discussion around networking, so I became a networking expert. Uh, but that, that, it was, uh, the three Ps of leadership. I think it was, like, people, passion, and proactiveness is kinda what I talked about.
[00:06:34] Gotcha. Okay. And then you kind of, it's sort of like throwing clay on the wheel, you know? You th- you gotta throw something on the wheel and work it, and then you see what
[00:06:41] Yeah. Yeah
[00:06:42] to, and you go, "Okay, you know, I make, I make mugs that are this high,"
[00:06:46] Yeah, and I, I pivoted multiple times, right? So networking became the big thing, soft skill leadership, then personal branding became big, then digital marketing influence. Pretty soon I talked about authentic connection and culture and community building. But now, like the big [00:07:00] thing I talk about is building authority and trust through thought leadership, through connection, through community, through content.
[00:07:05] Like that's, that's a big thing I talk. And through TEDx
[00:07:07] Got it. Okay, now l- let's just kinda strip it back, 'cause I don't wanna make too many assumptions. Uh, uh, people have heard the name TEDx, they've also heard TED Talk. the distinction between TED and TEDx, if any? What do people... What is TEDx, essentially? Help people understand at a basic level
[00:07:26] Yeah. So, so, so TED started out in California. It was a place for people to gather to share ideas. They kept the talks very, very short, under 18 minutes, and the idea was to sh- to share an idea that could change the world. And TED originally started for, stand, stood for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, although now it's, it's lots of different things.
[00:07:45] And then they launched kind of a franchise piece where, called the TEDx, which are basically local events run by other organizers. And there are, like, thir- th- 3,000-plus TEDx events around the world across major cities, major universities and colleges, neighborhoods, uh, [00:08:00] organizations will do it. And they basically follow the model of TED to try to, you know, have the same branding, and they get, they get affiliated, and they get, you know, a, I guess a license to deliver these events.
[00:08:13] And so that's, that's really the difference. Now, TED is considered, like, the big show, and then TEDx d- I mean, but TEDx also varies. You, you can have small-town markets and big markets. Like, you know, TEDx New York is bigger than, say, TEDx Small Town Ohio, right? But they're all... But again, if you can get a TEDx talk and you get the video, the branding, it's yours.
[00:08:32] You own it, and so I think that's fine. But that's the difference. And, you know, some, most people, for most TEDx t- talks, you have to apply to speak, or you get invited if they know you. So, like, you know, the first four of my five TEDx talks that I did, I was invited to speak because I'd already had a, built a strong brand out there and people knew me, so they wanted me to come over.
[00:08:52] And to, to date, I've been invited to eight TEDx talks. Uh, I rejected four. I did four, and then the fifth [00:09:00] one that I did, I actually pitched it. I was like, "Oh." Someone said, "Hey, Bobby, they're doing... The theme is Power of Connection. You should, you should do one." "Okay, great." So then I went over there, made a quick video, sent it, and fastest ever, 24 hours, they call me back, "We want you."
[00:09:14] Yeah, like that . Well, 'cause I knew what to say, right? And I was like, "Okay." And then that also brought up the fact that, "Hey, Bobby, why don't you..." You know, 'cause I was teaching people how to become paid speakers. And they're like, "Hey, Bobby, why don't you add the TEDx thing?" I'm like, "Yeah, it's very similar. I could probably teach people how to do the same thing."
[00:09:28] And so that's kinda where that was born.
[00:09:30] It, so if somebody has an opportunity to go out and do talks in, you know, little venues here and there, does that substantively help with their application? So if they've done a talk at the Rotary Club or whatever it is, I mean, and they've, they've practiced it, how can they leverage that experience to get accepted into TEDx?
[00:09:50] Yeah, so what I would say is that everything you have is, is an asset, right? So if you've spoken before, asset. If you have a great thought leadership brand out there, asset. If you [00:10:00] have relationships with organizers or people who are, who, you know, are part of the universe, asset. If you, uh, have, have video of you speaking or a reel, that's an asset.
[00:10:10] So yeah, you should... All those things are helpful to you to land the TED Talk, or more importantly, in my case, it helped me to get invited to speak as opposed to having to apply to speak. But the majority of people are applying to speak
[00:10:23] Right. I'm curious though, just to pull one more thread on that before we get into the application. Um, you said you turned down four of them.
[00:10:31] Yes
[00:10:32] pray tell, why did you turn them down, Bobby?
[00:10:35] Well, I mean, the lessons learned from the, the five that I did, you know. Like, so for example, the w- the video, like, couple of the places didn't have a video. Like, I really wanted a video. And, and, and so two of them didn't do a good job with the video. They were not very organized. And so what ended up happening was, like, one off- one brought me in, like, two months before it happened, and, you know, that didn't go, it didn't go great, and so I don't have the video, which was...
[00:10:59] If I'd known [00:11:00] better, I would've brought a tripod for the video. I just didn't know back then, 'cause that was, like, you know, that was, like, 15 years ago. But, uh, some of them are disorganized. You know, the first question I ask is, uh, to, "Show me your website." And, you know, they don't have anything. Uh, "What's your video?
[00:11:13] What's your video capacity? What, what do you do for the video?" Uh, "Oh, we don't have a plan." Well, then you don't have a TEDx speaker, 'cause I'm not gonna do it unless you have a good plan. So those are a couple reasons where, uh, you know, I felt so- sometimes it didn't work out timing or some, you know, location.
[00:11:28] I was invited to one in, in India. I was like, "Man," like, "that's really far," so I'm not, not gonna travel that far. I have traveled for TEDx, but that was a bit far for me. So, you know, there, there's different things you have to look at that you would not necessarily want to do the TEDx talk. But also, I, I had the privilege and honor of having already done several, so it wasn't like I, I could be more choosy.
[00:11:47] I accepted the first four just like that, right? So they happened within a period of two years, and so I just, I just said yes. But then after that they started coming in. I was like, "Let me be a little bit more introspective and [00:12:00] reflective of how I choose these."
[00:12:01] surprised that some of them aren't... I thought there was a baseline standard in terms of the video recording, 'cause it's a video-based presentation, right? I mean, you're on a stage, but is that not the case?
[00:12:12] make mistakes. Yeah, so I mean, I, some- the organizers are inexperienced, some of them. Some of them are, you know, some of them are students. Some of them are just people, passionate people or entrepreneurs who wanna do something, but they don't know how to run an event. I think, like, one, one example was, uh, one of the TED Talks I did where there was, there's no video.
[00:12:29] They recorded the video, everything was set up, but then the lighting was actually not that great, and because of that, TED said, "Doesn't meet our standards. You can't post these." Yeah, so I mean, there's no way, there was no way for them to have known this, or they could've done a better job, but that's what happened.
[00:12:48] Or if the branding is off, like, you know, they, they have very s- uh, stipulation, you know. The TEDx logo must be over here, it must be this size, the, the stage must be minimal with this and this, and maybe one table, like, you know, that type of [00:13:00] thing. And so if they do it wrong, then they get in trouble
[00:13:03] so let's talk about the application process, 'cause I do know a little bit about it. I don't know if it's changed, but it's, from my understanding, it's pretty structured. There's certain elements you have to have in it. But walk us through, and if you were not invited, uh, and you're, you're approaching them, what you need to have a successful application and what the elements are
[00:13:24] Well, first off, every single application is different because every org- org- organizer is different. So, you know, some will say, "Just, just, just submit a video for three minutes." Some will say, "Answer these three questions." The more comprehensive ones will say, "Answer these nine questions, and submit a video, and do a series of interviews before you get selected."
[00:13:45] So, you know, it really depends on how they work. Now, that said, at the end of the day, if you wanna get a TEDx Talk, number one, you have to have a really good idea. Number two, you have to have a really, really good pitch. [00:14:00] That's it. Uh, you know, the, the people who don't get TEDx Talks and, you know, they, they come to me, "Hey, Bobby, I have a...
[00:14:05] I've applied to, like, 10 TEDx Talks. Why am I not getting one?" "Well, tell me what your idea is." And I'll say, "Oh, man, that's a... that's not a really good idea. It's not really well-"
[00:14:12] what's a, I mean, without calling any specific person out, but what's an
[00:14:16] Yeah
[00:14:16] of of a bad idea that isn't gonna work for TEDx?
[00:14:21] Sure. I wanna talk about the power of empathy, 'cause empathy's important. Okay. But that's not really good enough. That's too broad, it's too vague, right? Um, I wanna talk about my book and why it's amazing. That's too promotionally. They don't do promotion, they don't like that. Uh, you know, I wanna tell you my entire life story from A to Z, and I'm gonna do it in 18 minutes.
[00:14:44] Nobody wants that. So those are examples of things that, you know, they're... And I understand the desire to pitch the thing that you're passionate about. Like, look, I'm passionate about networking and thought leadership and personal branding, but if I pitch the power of personal branding or power of thought leadership, that's not good enough.[00:15:00]
[00:15:00] It's too, it's too broad, it's too vague. So I think that to me, that's the, the thing that doesn't go well. And then on the application side, when they pitch and they a- answer the questions, they don't answer the questions in a manner that the TEDx organizer will appreciate, or at least, uh, it resonates with them.
[00:15:16] So they have to do that properly too. So that, and that's, that's why I have a job, because people need my help to figure that out. Uh, you know, some people have no ideas, some people have too many ideas, and some people have that kinda one idea that they're, they're stuck on and that they wanna, they wanna pitch.
[00:15:30] And so I have to work with them to hone what makes sense and what doesn't make sense.
[00:15:33] So, uh, and I know you've worked with so many people, you must have seen patterns, but I think the empathy exa- example is, is perfect. Like, uh, it's very relatable. Like, yeah, I wanna talk about empathy and how it's important, especially these days. Maybe it's EQ or whatever, whatever. But like, how would you... how do you get someone from where it's inside of them, but they can't get it out? You know, what's your process for like getting them [00:16:00] to get it more clear, more diamond hard, and more effective as a TEDx strategy?
[00:16:05] And before I do that, let me, let me give you an example of one that worked in terms of how you switch it. So for example, the power of sales or the sales are important. Someone did a TEDx talk on the ninjutsu of sales, and what he did was he took ninja philosophy, applied it to sales, and that's what we call a unique slant on an idea.
[00:16:24] See, that's interesting, right? So that, that would work. Now, in terms of how I do it, to me, uh, you know, I've been working with people on personal branding and building their business, building their digital strategy, and, and building their speaking career, and it always comes the same thing, which is tell me your life story.
[00:16:40] Let me look through your entire life story, and from that I'll extract a bunch of really cool ideas that could be content, that could be stories for speaking, but also we will find TEDx talks. A really good example of this is, you know, the, the life s- I mentioned the life story example. Uh, you know, people wanna tell their life story, but honestly, in a TEDx talk, uh, the best one's a snippet.
[00:16:58] So there's a, there was a [00:17:00] movie by, um, with Morgan Freeman where he played Nelson Mandela, and they didn't tell Nelson Mandela's biography life, which I, I would still watch that. But they took a snippet from when he was out, he'd just become president, and he was talking about there was a big rugby match, and they still went through the themes of what was going on in the country at the time.
[00:17:20] TEDx is like that too. You take a snippet of your life and what's that aha moment, and you tell that story and what's the idea behind it. So when we, when we look at your stories, you'll be surprised that there's ones that you hadn't considered. This, this happens all the time. Like, um, someone has a lead idea, they give me their life story, and I'm like, "Okay, here are 10 ideas I think are good and here's two I think are fantastic.
[00:17:40] Have you thought about this for a TEDx talk?" They're like, "Whoa, okay. Really?" Yes, and that's kinda where the magic happens. We find a really amazing story that turns into a really incredible insight, and I'll give an example of my own story for the fifth TEDx talk, which was, uh, the story I tell was I was in university [00:18:00] and my, my best friend, she was across the street and she was waving at me, and I said, "Are you o- hi."
[00:18:04] And she d- she seemed a bit distraught. I, and I, and I, she said, "Come over here." I said, "Fine." So I went across the street, and then she proceeded to hug me, and she was upset, and she held on. You know how they, they hold on, and then all of a sudden they just kinda the, the shoulders, and just she held on for two minutes 'cause she was really, really upset about something And it made me think about, you know, uh, what does it take for someone to just hug you for longer than the, the standard two to three seconds or the, the six-second hug, which is, you know, something people talk about, to 20 seconds or more?
[00:18:36] And so that story led to the idea of my fifth TED Talk, which is could you change a person's life in 20 seconds? And I talk about 20-second hugs, and when does that happen versus with your children or your intimate partner, when does it happen? Normally tragedy or loss or grief when someone really needs it.
[00:18:54] Uh, and so I, I talked about that. And so that story led to the, the TEDx Talk, which is a very unique slant [00:19:00] and, and people really like that idea. There are lots of TED Talks on hugs. My slant was unique specifically around the 20-second hug. So that's the g- lear- learning a story is really the key way to get not just one idea, but several ideas that could be pitched
[00:19:14] Yeah, it seems to me, and, and i- it's sort of obvious but not always easy that, you know, you, you first start off thinking, "Yeah, I wanna talk kind of on this topic." then it's really finding those relatable stories that I think of the Simon Sinek TED, TED... Was it a TED Talk or
[00:19:30] Yeah.
[00:19:31] Where--
[00:19:31] It was a TEDx that went to TED.
[00:19:33] what it was?
[00:19:33] Okay.
[00:19:34] Yeah
[00:19:35] it many times, and I was like, wow, it's just, know, that drawing on the white paper, on the,
[00:19:40] Yeah.
[00:19:40] easel. And it was like,
[00:19:42] The flip chart. Yeah, yeah
[00:19:43] actually a brand-new idea, but the way he framed it made it accessible, memorable, and
[00:19:48] Yes.
[00:19:48] in a way that nobody had done it before, I think. Um
[00:19:52] Yeah. And that's an example of, too, where luckily the video existed, 'cause the video was actually not that great. And, uh, it, it was really... And luckily it [00:20:00] got noticed by the TED people, and they allowed the video to continue, and then they put it on the TED site, and next thing you know, his entire business and brand took off.
[00:20:08] So that was amazing
[00:20:10] later, m- millions and millions, maybe billions of people later, uh, one talk can change everything
[00:20:15] and then, and, and, and again, that, that also goes to another one of the, the benefits or goals of TED. I talked about, you know, you want the video, you want the branding, but if you can get your TEDx Talk on the TED site, this is less than 2% of the talks that get on the site. I was luckily, my fifth talk got on the TED site, which was great.
[00:20:33] Um, so y- you know, you wanna be able to get that. So he was able to get that, and that was great. Same thing happened to Brene Brown. She did a TEDx Talk, got on the TED site, next thing you know, her entire brand took off too
[00:20:41] that's a really great point. Let me ask you strategically, it's pretty clear to me that there's kind of a hierarchy of TEDxs. In the TEDx world, there's like ones that I, I don't wanna put them down, but would might be easier to get into than others is from what, from what you're saying. Does it make sense [00:21:00] if you're struggling to get...
[00:21:01] Like, maybe you're really set on, I wanna be on TEDx in San Francisco, but you're having a hard time, it's too competitive. And do you go to a smaller market where maybe the competition's different and work your way up? Or can you hurt yourself trying to do that? What's... Strategically, what should people keep in mind?
[00:21:18] Well, at the end of the day, what's your objective, right? What is your objective? I want to land a TED Talk. Why? Because I want to, uh, grow my business, do more speaking, build my authority and trust, or do I just wanna give back to the community? Do I want to have a message that's important for the world?
[00:21:32] Maybe I wanna talk about climate change, or something that's really important to me. What's your objective? For the most part... And the other thing is, you know, where, where you're at, where you're trying to go. Like, if you're a first-timer, never been on TEDx, then, you know, maybe the smaller market one is the way to go.
[00:21:45] I, I tell my clients to pitch to all of them. And look, if you luck out and get TEDx New York City, great. But if you get small town, then again, do they have a good video ? Like, you know, what, what, who's, who's speaking there? Uh, you know, you talked, we talked [00:22:00] earlier about why you rejected one. I also rejected a TEDx Talk because the caliber of speakers that I saw at the event were not what I wanted to be, 'cause either you're the star, which can be good, or you're among a lot of really amazing people, which is also great, too.
[00:22:14] But s- something to consider. So, you know, but I would say that you should look, like, here's the thing. You should pitch, and then if you get accepted, then have a conversation. You know, and decide i- if you want to say you wanna go for it or you don't wanna go for it. But I think it's to your advantage to get the TEDx Talk, because that's proof of concept.
[00:22:33] It validates what you're doing. Once you are a TEDx speaker, a one-time TEDx speaker, you can easily become a two-times TEDx speaker, because they know what they're getting
[00:22:41] Right. A- as with lots of things, once you've proven th- th- they can rely on your quality, just like being a keynote speaker, once they've
[00:22:49] Yeah
[00:22:50] like it's so easy to invite you back or recommend you to other places, yeah?
[00:22:54] Yeah, exactly
[00:22:55] And your s- and as you said, I mean, the benefits are many. exposure, but your fees go up, [00:23:00] et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
[00:23:01] Yep
[00:23:02] someone who hasn't yet written a book? I, I remember talking to, um, people at a now-defunct organization called Impact Eleven, and we were going back and forth about whether do you write the book before you speak? Do you speak before you write the book? Do you have an opinion on this, uh, at all?
[00:23:19] Sure. Absolutely. I mean, I mean, I did a whole post on, uh, books versus TEDx Talks. I mean, look, at the end of the day, every single one of these things, speaking, a media appearance on Good Morning America, writing a book, launching a program, doing a TEDx Talk, these are all amazing things for you to do, so do them all.
[00:23:38] And whichever one you get first, then do it. I mean, like book before TEDx, TEDx before a book, like just get it and make it happen. I mean, the, the reason I like TEDx first versus anything is because if you do TEDx, the authority and the impressions you get will definitely feed into your book. A book is a much [00:24:00] longer process, so you're talking like 12 to 18 months, and then publish it, and, you know, leveraging it.
[00:24:06] And for sure it's, it's, it's a harder thing. And that, that book is not going to... I don't think your book's going to impact your TEDx Talk. It may lead to a TEDx Talk because you have a book, and there's branding around that, but you can also do it without a book. Uh, to me, again, at the end of the day, TEDx is not about success or achievement or status.
[00:24:23] There are 10-year-olds who've done TEDx Talks. There are 18-year-olds who've done four TEDx Talks. It's about your idea, the story, and the pitch. And if you have an amazing one, you can get a TEDx Talk. And so, you know, I would say... And, and also, look, the, the preparation is the same. The, the work you do in the book can easily...
[00:24:41] Like, you take the book work, take a snippet of it, turn that into a TEDx application pitch, and send it out. If that happens before the book launches, I think that's really great for you
[00:24:51] Also, it occurs to me, and I'm wondering what you think of this, anytime you can have a feedback loop, you know, it's gonna help you with the book because y- need to [00:25:00] kind of test the ideas too and see what, how people receive them. They, they may not receive... What you originally thought was the brilliant idea may not be the brilliant idea.
[00:25:08] It may be the, the secondary thing that you threw in there that you, that everyone's like, "Oh my goodness, that's it," and you d- you didn't realize that was your crown jewel. So having an audience is just such a leg up to get to know what, how people are receiving, you know, what you're, what
[00:25:23] Yeah, and, and I think to that point, uh, you know, whether you're launching a book or doing a TEDx Talk, if you put your stories and ideas out there, they, this helps with validation, this helps with awareness building, this helps with getting feedback to adjust and evolve what you're doing. I... And it also builds the buzz for ultimately leveraging the TEDx Talk, which is actually the most important thing.
[00:25:46] There are people out there who have landed TEDx Talks and then did a poor TEDx Talk. There are people who don't- who've landed a TEDx Talk, did a great TEDx Talk, but didn't leverage the TEDx Talk. You want to land the TEDx Talk, do a great TEDx Talk, and then [00:26:00] leverage the TEDx Talk. That's the, the, the triple thing you gotta be able to do, and a lot of people do not do that
[00:26:06] You might-- Getting one out of three right, it ain't enough. So let's
[00:26:09] Right
[00:26:10] Uh, let's get into a few things, and then we'll get into, like, how to leverage it after. But tell us what you need to do to make sure your time on the red dot in front of the screen is successful delivering it. What are the keys to success?
[00:26:26] Uh, I mean, every, every good TEDx talk has a certain structure, and the, the immersing them into the story is the mo- I think the most... You have to immerse them into the story. That's the most important thing. So most TED talks start with a story or some sort of opening, you know, line to get people into it and everything.
[00:26:43] But immersing them in the story a- and the idea is very, very important. Explaining everything very, very simply, like everyone's a 10-year-old, is incredibly important. Uh, you know, especially when you do a very complicated te- let's say, a technology or, you know, uh, a high tech or a, let's say a climate one, [00:27:00] a- and it's complicated.
[00:27:01] You have to find a way to make it simple. I remember watching a TEDx talk, uh, this guy who was talking about f- finances, fi- financial stuff, which is not my forte, but he, he did such a good job. It was at the one of the ones I went to, and I was like, "Man, that was amazing, dude." Like, I... You, you explained it to me in a way that I understood, and I'm, I'm a knob when it comes to the fi- the financial stuff.
[00:27:19] That was great. And so that simplification, I think, goes very well. The interact- interaction, the engagement. And ultimately, again, keep it simple. It's under 18 minutes. You want people to walk away saying, "This is the thing I remember from Bobby's talk. This is the one thing that I remember him, he asking us to do, and man, I really, really wanna talk to him afterwards."
[00:27:41] If you can create that kind of magic with your talk, that's a win
[00:27:46] Biggest mistake you've seen somebody make, you know, on the stage itself?
[00:27:54] Uh, biggest mistake. Um, hmm, on the stage itself. Well, I think that the, the worst one [00:28:00] that I've seen is just the total unpreparedness of the talk. You know, I'm somebody, I'm an improv guy. I riff. I... You know, when I, when I put together a keynote or a presentation, I, I actually never rehearse anything. I, 'cause I know, I know what I'm doing.
[00:28:12] I've been doing it for a long time, so I can just do it. But for TEDx Talks, no, I rehearse them, uh, several times. I'm not a big, uh, I'm not a big, uh, uh, memorizer, uh, per se. Some people memorize it. But I think the unrehearsed thing really throws you off. Uh, and you know, I'm all for self-deprecating humor, but d- don't ever, don't ever like, you know, make yourself look bad by calling out something you've made a mistake on, on stage, especially if you're trying to be seen as an authority figure.
[00:28:39] Um, I think those things are, are quite important. And you have to think about the video coming out. Like, you know, they're gonna see you. So if you're not polished, if you don't look good, like all those things matter because the video is going to be the best marketing branding tool you'll ever have
[00:28:53] Good point. Okay, now let's get into...
[00:28:56] Actually, actually, let me share another story if
[00:28:57] Of
[00:28:57] I can. So another story is like, look, [00:29:00] if you know that you, you're trying to do this TED Talk for yourself, for your brand, so don't try to always do it the way they want you to do it. Do it for your brand. One of my clients, you know, he was trying to adhere to their, their stuff, and I was like, "Look, you have a brand, dude.
[00:29:11] Like you... Like, you're, you're already a TED speaker now. Do it the way you want for your brand because that's important." He's like, "Yeah, yeah, let me change this." So we changed it. But what my fifth TEDx Talk story is I came out and I had slides. Now they didn't, now one thing they didn't have, um, they didn't have like the, the comfort screen in front, which is norm- normal for me.
[00:29:29] It's standard. Didn't have one. So I got a guy with a laptop, but it was too small for me to look at. So I had to look back at the screen, which I didn't wanna do, but okay, fine. 'Cause, you know, my goal was after four TED Talks for va- variety of reasons, I didn't get a TEDx Talk on the ted.com site. So I really made sure this one had no, no co- no copyrighted images.
[00:29:47] I really planned it out. I come out and I just stood there and I said, "Slides, please," 'cause the screen behind me was blank. I just stood there for like a minute. And then the slides came on. They were cut off by like half of it.. [00:30:00] And I said, "I'm sorry, they're cut off. Please fix." And this is like, two minutes go by.
[00:30:05] I'm not starting. And I finally said, "Okay, we need to start over. I'm sorry," and I walked off the stage. And because I was like, "Look, guys, get your shit together," pardon my language, "and fix the tech." Because listen, I'm, this is better for you, it's better for the audience, it's better for me, so I'm not gonna do this talk until you fix the slides.
[00:30:25] Now, they actually didn't fix them completely. They only fixed it to like maybe, it was still cut off like a little bit, but I decided to go for it. But what's interesting is after I did that, the entire morning speakers all came to me, "Oh my God, I can't believe you had the courage to stop the talk." I'm like, "Well, well, why?"
[00:30:40] 'Cause it happened to all of them. They didn't say anything. It was like, "Well, look, I'm an experienced speaker." I was like, "Look, I know why I'm here." It's important to know why you're there and make the most of the event for everybody, including your s- your own brand. And so I stopped it, and then I delivered the talk, and that was the talk that was, you know, did really well
[00:30:55] Gotcha. Okay. Wow, they didn't get the aspect ratio right on the slides or
[00:30:59] [00:31:00] Yeah. Yeah.
[00:31:01] All
[00:31:01] I know
[00:31:02] Bobby, let's get into, like, y- you know, you've applied, you've succeeded, you did a, a
[00:31:07] Yeah.
[00:31:08] maybe even
[00:31:09] Yeah
[00:31:09] excellent or great talk,
[00:31:11] Yeah
[00:31:12] but it goes into nowhere if you don't know how to use it afterwards.
[00:31:16] So help people understand what do you need to know make that talk last and help you really get the benefit of it?
[00:31:25] So it's a lot like, um, relationship building, networking. They always say the best time to cultivate a relationship and plant that tree or plant that seed was 20 years ago, and the second best time is currently right now. Same thing applies to TEDx. Uh, you know, don't wait until your TEDx video is launched before you talk about the TEDx talk.
[00:31:42] You should be talking about it all throughout. So you take people on that journey with you from the beginning, and you build that buzz up, and that, that to me is incredible. If you wanna leverage it, that, that's what you gotta do. People don't do that. They wait. "Oh, okay, the video is out and, uh, now I can talk."
[00:31:57] No. Like, share the stories. Share a snippet. [00:32:00] Share an idea. "Hey, here's a slide from my TEDx Talk that's coming up in two months. What do you guys think?" Get people to interact and vote on it. "Hey, guys, here's th..." Like, I did, uh, for my fifth TEDx Talk, I did, like, several polls on the title of my talk, uh, like, you know, and to get people engaged before it even came out.
[00:32:15] And, and you do that because you're trying to build that buzz so that when it does launch, you get more views and more hits, and people see it. And th- And then after it's out, you keep talking about it. You keep bringing it up. Uh, talk about the experience, talk about the journey, talk about the ideas there because that, to me, is one of the best ways to leverage.
[00:32:32] And then the other part of leveraging it is, you know, incorporating it in everything that's in your marketing materials. Like, you know, put in, uh, put it in your LinkedIn profile, you know, TEDx speaker. Uh, have the, have the branding. Have the picture of you on stage. Make sure you get a really good picture of you on stage, you know, doing the TEDx Talk because that's great branding for, you know, your email signature or whatever you wanna do.
[00:32:53] So all that stuff really matters to then leverage it 'cause a lot of people, again, they, they, they do the TEDx Talk, but they don't leverage it. So I think [00:33:00] that, to me, the building of buzz and putting your branding materials everywhere because what happens is, uh, let's say I send a DM to someone on Instagram or on LinkedIn and say, "Hey, uh, you know, I think your story would be a great TEDx Talk."
[00:33:13] The first thing they see is this, they see a snippet of my headline. It says, it says five-time TEDx speaker, you know, two-time LinkedIn top voice. That branding makes them want to read the email, makes them want to even reply, and when they get on the call, they're more likely to listen to what I have to say.
[00:33:30] So that branding is incredibly important
[00:33:32] Yeah, it certainly is. Now, l- let's just veer for a few minutes before we close on there's TEDx. What other stages do you think are important, uh, for people to pay attention to, especially in 2026 and beyond as, know, we've got AI going nuts and, uh, you know. But more people are able to put out more stuff, it may not be good, out into the ether, but how to break through.
[00:33:56] Where, what stages should people be paying attention to?[00:34:00]
[00:34:00] Well, I think you can't ignore social media. Like, you know, if you want to build on something like Substack, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, like pick one and make it work. If you're really good at video content and you're a great speaker, then TikTok and Instagram, you know, Reels are, and YouTube are the way to go.
[00:34:18] If you're more of a writer, Substack, LinkedIn newsletters can work well for you, right? But I think that that's something you have to think about. Um, this is something that, you know, I, I haven't done much of, but you know, I know some people doing a really good job of media. Like they- they're really good at creating a media pitch strategy to get on the local news and the larger news.
[00:34:38] Like one of my closest friends, you know, she goes on Good Morning America, and it's great 'cause it's huge for business, huge for impressions. Other people do the podcast route. Uh, you know, I've done over 300 podcasts myself and, uh, and so there's different angles you can use. You just wanna... But you know, it's, it's hard for us to be everywhere all at once.
[00:34:55] So you pick kinda one and kinda grow that. So if you're gonna grow your podcast, great. If you're gonna grow [00:35:00] the TikTok, great. But, you know, pick that and kinda roll with it. I think that, I think that's the way to go. And look, there are big stages out there, but you know, TEDx has the best branding in the world.
[00:35:10] So, you know, I, I wouldn't say there's another speaking event that's like, whoa, that's the one. But listen, I mean there are, there are branded locations. Like if you spoke at the United Nations, like that's a pretty big deal, right? If you spoke at the starting of the Olympic ceremonies, that's a pretty big deal, big deal, right?
[00:35:26] Or, or if you're singing the national anthem. I mean that, that... Like, uh, I've always wanted to do that. I've always wanted to sing the national anthem at the, at a Blue Jays game, uh, you know, in, in front of, you know. Like that'd be cool. I, I, it's, that, that, that's a great platform. But generally speaking, again, um, you know, you have to pick.
[00:35:42] Uh, there's, there's different ways you can build, but pick the one and kinda go for it
[00:35:45] Man, that's a dangerous one, man, because when you s- when you screw up a national anthem, you know, I mean, not that you would, but, um, you've got a whole nation, you know, going, "Oh!" You know? Or if it goes really well, it's great. But yeah, it's, uh, the, the... I love, I love that. Um, [00:36:00] so, uh, you know, I, and I think you're pointing out something really important, which is that the TEDx brand that's been built over, I guess, decades now, um, even if someone doesn't watch your TEDx, the fact that you've done it is doing a lot of work for you, it's, it's, it seems like.
[00:36:18] So just
[00:36:20] Correct
[00:36:20] with TEDx, if they see you've done it, they may or may not watch it, but because they're such an established brand, it's just so helpful even, even if they haven't watched it.
[00:36:29] Yeah, absolutely. Like the, the branding piece, and look, one-time TEDx speaker is great, five-time TEDx speaker even, even better. And, and some of my videos are not, not available, uh, because the, the TEDx organizer didn't create one or they screwed up or something. So like it doesn't really matter, like no one's...
[00:36:43] There's the odd person that wants to see the TED Talk. Yeah, here's, here's a playlist that's on those snippets. But like for the most part, it's the branding. And it's, and obviously, you know, you can't lie. You can't say, "I've done, I'm a 11-time TEDx speaker." No, you can't do that. But you know, like, uh, it's the honest truth of branding.
[00:36:57] I did this. I have this. I'll always have it. [00:37:00] And yeah, I think that if you can get that, it's going to help everything. It's gonna help with the branding. It's gonna help with the outreach. It's gonna help with the call. It's gonna help with the, the fees. Um, it's gonna help with everything. It just makes everything easier, and that's why I tell particularly for business owners, uh, and C-suite leaders, this is a way to really elevate your status.
[00:37:18] And the last thing I'll say too is that i- in this age of AI and technology, you know, we, we always, we've been talking about building thought leadership or what we call authority for many, many years. That's what I've been talking about a lot. But now the, the, the other piece is authority and trust, because trust now is the thing that gets you through all the AI slop and the clutter to then stand out because you're a really human being, and that to me is also incredibly important.
[00:37:44] So building authority and trust, TEDx definitely can do that for you.
[00:37:48] absolutely. I'm curious because you're a curious person and you're always evolving. What are you most curious about these days?
[00:37:57] Uh, hmm, good question. I mean, [00:38:00] AI is definitely something that I'm involved, putting a lot of time and energy into and getting to know. But I, I think the part that I'm most curious about is I'm a huge advocate for, um, childhood safety with social media technology and things like that, and I'm... You know, the companies don't...
[00:38:18] I, I, I worry about them. I worry about the kids. My kids are teenagers now. They're growing up with this stuff. I didn't let my kids have a smartphone till grade 12, which is, puts me in the 0.001% of parents. My daughter's in grade, going to grade 11. She has a flip phone. You know, like, and she hates it, but she knows why, uh, she has one.
[00:38:35] And I- I'm worried about what's gonna happen to them because you t- you take, you take the, the onslaught of s- of social media and how it's 24/7, how, uh, how... A- and also AI showing up. You know, my, my daughter got in a conversation with someone. I went, "Hey, that's AI, honey. You need to be careful." I'm worried about how it's gonna affect us, us and them in 10 years because the people our [00:39:00] age are going to be, not be able to differentiate between...
[00:39:03] The technology's moving faster than we can keep up, and I'm doing my, my best to keep up, but most of us are not keeping up the way I am. And so people like our age are going to be struggling in 10 years with what's out there, and they can't get through the clutter. And then the young people, I'm curious how their sleep and their mental state and their, you know, um, attention spans are going to be impacted by what's happening.
[00:39:26] I think that's the thing that's really getting to me in trying to figure out what we c- as people can do to counter this massive tech bro, uber billionaire control and influence on everything. Uh, that, that, that's, that, that's what I'm con- concerned most about. That was a, that was a long meta answer, but there you go
[00:39:48] Uh, no, I think, I think you're spot on with that. And, um, you know, it just wouldn't surprise me if we get a bigger trend in things like communal living, you know, farm communities where a few people decide, "Look, I'm [00:40:00] gonna give up all this and just go back to, you know, planting, planting, uh, plants in the soil," and, and kind of de...
[00:40:06] What do you, what do you call it? Go off grid. Like, I think there's gonna be more and
[00:40:09] Right
[00:40:09] that. I'm not saying that's gonna be the dominant, but I think we're gonna have all kinds of little things that are sprouting up because of a... You know, there's something inhuman about it if you let it take over.
[00:40:19] And so, um, uh, it, it, it'll be, it'll be fascinating to see the fight for humanity moving forward, and I think there is a lot
[00:40:28] Agre-
[00:40:28] fight for it 'cause I think we desire it greatly. All right,
[00:40:31] Agreed
[00:40:31] um, how... If someone's watching this and they're like, "Hey, I wanna work on a TEDx or on my communication and personal branding," how do they find you?
[00:40:41] How can they work with you?
[00:40:43] Yeah, so I am everywhere, but, uh, you know, the, my website raeallan.com. There's also, uh, LinkedIn, Substack, Instagram. Those are probably the three biggest places to find me and reach out to me, uh, by website as well, but that's really the, the best way to see what I'm [00:41:00] up to. I'm on other channels too. I'm on, I'm on TikTok, uh, you know, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter.
[00:41:06] I'm on the other ones as well, but I think the big three are Substack, Instagram, and, uh, LinkedIn
[00:41:10] Uh, so what's your Substack, uh, the name of your Substack?
[00:41:14] The name of my Substack is The 1% Brand Brilliance, but it's under my name
[00:41:18] 1% Brandability, or look up Bobby Umar. LinkedIn, you're easy to find on LinkedIn. That's n-
[00:41:23] Y- yeah.
[00:41:24] um,
[00:41:25] Yeah
[00:41:25] other platforms as well. Uh, let's leave our audience with one nugget of wisdom as someone sitting there going, "Is now the right time to, to pursue that stage?" What do you have to say to them, Bobby?
[00:41:41] Yeah, so I'll say this. Every single one of you has a story, something that's going to inspire someone or teach someone or be a lesson. And even if you reach one person as opposed to 10 or 20 or, or 1,000, it's worth it. And if you understand that and you're willing to do the effort, you're gonna also land...
[00:41:59] Anyone can land a [00:42:00] TEDx Talk. You can- anyone can leverage the TEDx Talk, and it's going to enhance your life, your opportunities, your brand. So I'd say invest in that story, invest in yourself, put it out there, and do the work. Because the TEDx is the best way because it's the shortest amount of time invested, uh, over the shortest timeline for the greatest amplitude, uh, amplification of your trust and authority, whether you're building a business or building a corporate career, or just trying to get a message out there for your nonprofit or the thing you care about, that's the way to do it
[00:42:31] TEDx is the best ROI is what you're saying. Get to it
[00:42:34] Yes
[00:42:35] do that. Bobby, it's been an absolute pleasure. Follow Bobby on social wherever you are, we really appreciate you sharing your wisdom and experience with the audience.
[00:42:44] Thanks, Matt
[00:42:45] we'll put everything in the show notes, so if you wanna know where to get Bobby, we'll put it in the show notes as well.
[00:42:49] We'll see you around the bend.
[00:42:50] Great.