Blog | Entrepreneurship

Five Must-Watch TED Talks for Women Entrepreneurs

As a woman and an entrepreneur, it can sometimes seem like a lonely existence. While the number of women business owners is growing, there’s still a hint of the Wild West in the endeavor. So, it’s always nice to hear from others who are travelling the same trail as you. Thankfully, the Internet provides tons of opportunity to find co-travelers. One place I love to visit is ted.com, which hosts TED Talks by experts across the globe. The following are five talks I think every female entrepreneur will benefit from.

1. Women entrepreneurs, example not exception

Money quote: “The women in this room and watching in L.A. and all around the world are not exceptions. We are not a special interest group. We are the majority. And for far too long, we have underestimated ourselves and been undervalued by others. It is time for us to aim higher when it comes to women, to invest more and to deploy our dollars to benefit women all around the world.”

2. Five ways to kill your dreams

Money quote: “Life is never about the goals themselves. Life is about the journey. Yes, you should enjoy the goals themselves, but people think that you have dreams, and whenever you get to reaching one of those dreams, it's a magical place where happiness will be all around. But achieving a dream is a momentary sensation, and your life is not. The only way to really achieve all of your dreams is to fully enjoy every step of your journey. That's the best way.”

3. What it takes to be a great leader

Money quote: “Great leaders are not head-down. They see around corners, shaping their future, not just reacting to it.”

4. Dare to disagree

Money quote: “It's a fantastic model of collaboration -- thinking partners who aren't echo chambers. I wonder how many of us have, or dare to have, such collaborators. Alice and George were very good at conflict. They saw it as thinking.”

5. Why do ambitious women have flat heads?

Money quote: “Let me share with you two secrets of success: Surround yourself with first-class people and people that you like; and choose your partner very, very carefully. Because the other day when I said, ‘My husband's an angel,’ a woman complained – ‘You're lucky,’ she said, ‘mine's still alive.’”