A first-timer’s guide to TED
Have you ever watched a TED talk online and wondered what it’s like to be there in person? This one’s for you.
I’ve been an avid viewer of TED talks ever since a college friend introduced me to them in the early days of YouTube, when a delightfully grainy video got us to think about humanity or listen to the latest creative exploits from Imogen Heap. No matter the topic, there was always a TED talk ready to be played. Someone in front of those big red letters ready to teach the world something new with a beautifully crafted story to boot.
Fast forward a decade and a half to 2022, when I decided to level up from casual TED fan to committed TEDster by setting a BHAG (or Big Hairy Audacious Goal) of attending my first TED conference in 2023. This past April, I did just that. The TED2023 conference (or “big TED” as it’s known) was one of the most life-changing events I’ve ever been to, but my year of TED didn’t end there.
Sidenote: Does the ‘hairy’ part of the BHAG acronym make anyone else think of a yeti-esque monster angrily trying to get in the way of our life goals? Anyway…
At TED2023, I met a number of tenured TEDsters including the renowned Pat Mitchell, who encouraged me to keep the TED thing going and apply to TEDWomen2023. Feeling elated at having nailed one BHAG already, I applied and found myself at my second TED conference for the year.
Second sidenote: The yeti clearly was having a day off from getting in the way of my life goals or I need to start setting tougher BHAGs.
After I got back from these two incredible TED conferences, I got quite a few questions from friends and coworkers asking about my experiences. With TED being such an established brand, there’s understandably a lot of curiosity about what happens behind the scenes of the well-curated videos, podcasts, and Instagrammable quotes we consume online.
So, with that, here’s my unofficial guide to attending your first TED event and a short list of my favorite TED talks from 2023.
Step 1: Find the right TED.
When I first started researching what it would take to attend a TED talk live, I was surprised to learn that there are multiple types of TED events. There’s “big TED”, which is the evolution of the original TED conference that started in Monterey, CA, in 1990 and has been hosted in Vancouver, BC, since 2014. There are also a small number of themed TED events (including TEDWomen on gender equality, TED Countdown Summit on the climate crisis, and TED AI on all things AI). And then there are TEDx events (more than 3,000 of which now exist around the world!), which I didn’t realize were actually independently run. I haven’t been to a TEDx event (yet!), so this post focuses on the first two types of TEDs.
Speaking from my experience at big TED and TEDWomen, there are a number of things that you can expect at your first TED:
A single track that keeps everyone focused on the main stage
A diverse range of speakers with well-rehearsed, polished talks (though there are the infrequent “I forgot my next line” missteps that remind the audience that the speakers are human after all)
Beautifully customized conference centers with interactive sponsor displays, art installations, and relaxation stations (massages during conference breaks? Yes, please.)
Well-curated schedules that include a mix of talks, discovery sessions, and dinners (with clear expectations set that you can and should opt out of attending sessions in order to take time for yourself)
You’ll also find some intentional differences between these two types of TED events:
Big TED is pricey, nearly twice the $$ of the themed TED events (granted big TED is a longer conference with more speakers)
The talks at big TED cover a broad range of topics with a focus on the entire TED acronym (technology, entertainment, design), while the talks at a themed TED center much more closely on a specific topic
The big TED schedule is packed tight, while themed events like TEDWomen leave a bit more room for conversation and connection
If I had to reach for a final comparison, I probably learned more from big TED from a professional perspective, whereas I found space for deeper connections and personal insights at TEDWomen.
🪄 A tip for first-timers:
All TED events are beautifully curated and well worth the time, so there’s no right or wrong answer to “Which event is best?”. Pick the TED event that feels right for you. If in doubt, ask someone who’s been before (👋) or get in touch with the TED Conferences team to learn more.
Step 2: Go for it and apply.
When people ask how I got to TED, I think there’s an expectation behind the question that TED is a VIP-only event. The application to attend is actually quite simple! You of course have to be genuinely interested in contributing to the TED community. This is not a conference full of branded sponsor booths, nor is it catered towards self-promotion or industry-specific networking. Those aren’t bad things, they’re just things for a conference that’s not TED.
Now, I have to pause here to talk about the ticket price again, which is definitely prohibitive (and, in my opinion, contributes to TED feeling overly exclusive). Though there are helpful first-timer discounts, this is definitely one of the more expensive conferences out there. Is this a worthy investment in your future? Absolutely. It’s just important to know that if you apply and get accepted, you’re pretty much committing to pay the ticket price then and there.
🪄 A tip for first-timers:
See if your company has a learning budget or policy that will cover some or all of the TED ticket price. If you’re self-employed, start chatting with investors or people who would be willing to sponsor your ticket. And make sure to apply early to take advantage of TED’s Vanguard-level discount.
Step 3: Get to know the TED community.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the TED talks are excellent to watch and there’s a certain connection to the speakers that only comes from watching live. (I’ll share a few of my favorite talks from the year at the end of this post.) But one of the main things that blew me away about both TED conferences I attended was the power and warmth of the TED community.
I walked into TED2023 not knowing a single soul. Through the TEDConnect app (and the LinkedIn connections and WhatsApp groups that emerged from there), I was able to make a few conference friends ahead of time. The conference organizers also host welcome events for first-time attendees, which massively decreases the nerves of attending a week-long conference on your own. Take advantage of these introductions to the TED community as much as you can. You won’t regret it.
I also have to give a shout-out here to the Braindate platform at TEDWomen. Through Braindate, attendees could sign up to host or participate in 1:1 or small group sessions outside of the main-stage talks. I joined an amazing 1:1 coaching session with Braindater Jillian Cardinal on how to unleash one’s inner sparkle ✨. I also used Braindate to find other techies at TED and host a conversation about the rapid changes to tech company culture that we’ve faced in the last year.
On a much more personal note, the timing of TEDWomen2023 coincided with a shocking family loss. When I was struggling to hold it together, I met TEDsters who lifted me up with quiet hugs, meaningful conversations, and little moments of joy. This support truly meant the world to me. 🤍
On a lighter note, since the conferences, I’ve kept in touch with TEDsters near and far. There’s definitely something in the air at these events that helps people form lasting connections and make the TED community just as memorable as the talks themselves.
🪄 A tip for first-timers:
Before the conference, you’ll be asked to create a TED profile that will be used on the TEDConnect app and for your conference badge. This info helps you connect with people in your industry, from your area, or with similar interests. Use the app (and any LinkedIn or WhatsApp groups you get invited to) to make at least 1–2 connections before the conference. Your community will expand from there.
Step 4: Set clear intentions.
At the first-timers welcome reception at TED2023, Esther Perel spoke to us about the importance of coming into the week with an open mind and a few well-intentioned questions in our back pocket. She made that happen literally by handing out cards from her “Where should we begin” game.
While these questions got us to share everything from small mistakes we’ve made to the people we most appreciate in our lives, they also helped us practice how to meet people throughout the week. The idea here isn’t to be inauthentic or overly rehearsed. It’s more about making first impressions count (and reducing those first-timer jitters).
This tip came in handy when I went to meet with speakers right after they gave their talks (one of the cool things about seeing them live) and when I ran into a few industry folks that I’d long wanted to meet. With the help of my new conference friends, I practiced a few talking points to make these introductions go more smoothly. And, for the most part, they did!
The other intentions I set for the week were all about making the TED memories last. In between talks, I journaled in the handy TED notebooks about all the things that caught my eye, quotes that stuck from conversations in passing, and reflections on what I’d want to carry with me after the conference. A few months later, I still find myself revisiting these notebooks for inspiration.
🪄 The first-timer tip:
The advice you’ll hear throughout the conference will be to get off your phone and say hi to that person behind you in the coffee line. I recommend doing just that! Just make sure to balance this with time for yourself. Review the conference schedule ahead of time and figure out which sessions you don’t want to attend. All sessions are recorded and taking the time for yourself will prevent you from ending the week totally wiped out.
Bonus step: Watch 10 talks from TED & TEDWomen.
Speaking of recorded sessions, the great thing about TED is the free access to all the talks online. But this can be a blessing and a curse because there are a lot of talks to parse through. I wrote about my favorite AI and creativity-related TED2023 talks here. There were so many more great talks from TEDWomen and it’s incredibly hard to pick just 10 faves.
Consider this my must-watch list to close out the year with a focus on life lessons with beautiful storytelling, heartbreakingly powerful activism, and inspiring new ideas:
For life lessons with beautiful storytelling:
Life Lessons from Beethoven’s Symphony №9 by Benjamin Zander at TED2023
Why thinking about death helps you live a better life by Alua Arthur at TED2023
Why change is so scary and how to unlock its potential by Maya Shankar at TED2023
Laurel Braitman’s talk isn’t yet published (I’ll add it here when it is) but check out her past talks in the meantime
You cannot have joy without pain, resilience without challenges, happiness without sadness, bravery without fear.
— Laurel Braitman
For inspiring new ideas
Why AI is incredibly smart and shockingly stupid by Yejin Choi at TED2023
It’s time to rethink the role of First Lady by Irina Karamanos Adrian at TEDWomen2023
Ava DuVernay’s conversation with Pat Mitchell isn’t yet published (I’ll add it here when it is) but you can check out the trailer for her beautiful film Origin in the meantime
We need to embrace the commonalities of our challenges.
— Ava DuVernay
For heartbreakingly powerful activism:
“Woman, Life, Freedom” in Iran by Golshifteh Farahani at TED2023
My quest to end the horror of gun violence in the US by Lucy McBath at TEDWomen2023
The ordinary people doing extraordinary things in Ukraine by Oleksandra Matviichuk at TEDWomen2023
These traumatic times give us an opportunity to be our best selves.
— Oleksandra Matviichuk
So, there you have it. An unofficial first-timer’s guide to TED. There’s still so much more I could cover, from the things I learned about compassionate activism to the tips for facilitating healthy discourse. I’ll share more TED learnings (and other BHAG conquering tips) in the future but for now, I encourage you to kickstart your own journey to TED (or whatever BHAG you’ve got simmering for next year).
Such vibrant, insightful perspectives on the many aspects of TED!! Thanks for pulling back the curtain for those of us who have not yet joined a TED conference.