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Mahoning Valley turns out for TEDx
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
Successful entrepreneurs aren’t smarter than the rest of us; they’re the people who act on an idea rather than just talking and thinking about it, according to Jeff Hoffman, founder of Priceline.com and other businesses.
Hoffman was a featured speaker Friday at TEDx Youngstown, a daylong gathering of speakers with innovation as the overriding theme. TED — Technology, Entertainment and Design — started in the 1980s and continues with conferences around the world. The “x” means Friday’s event at Youngstown State University’s Williamson College of Business Administration was independently organized, although it had to be approved and licensed by the TED organization.
Entrepreneurs are idea farmers, Hoffman said.
“The reason we have some ideas work is because we plant lots of them,” he said.
Ideas don’t know where they come from. They don’t know your race or your age, Hoffman said.
“A good idea is a good idea,” he said.
He quoted the Dalai Lama, whom he recently met: “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”
The self-described serial entrepreneur encourages people to practice the power of wonder — stop and see everything like it was the first time. He said he spends 15 minutes every morning learning something completely outside of his interests or business. He reads an article he wouldn’t normally be interested in or learns something without knowing why. And he takes notes.
He also pays attention to what’s trending on Internet sites.
“Priceline.com was a startup like any other,” Hoffman said. “It was the confluence of four or five different concepts.”
Now it’s used in 180 countries with a $62 billion market value.
Other speakers talked about civic engagement, making a living as an artist in the Rust Belt, music in video games, communication, rethinking our food and thinking positively — all with innovation as the backdrop.
Attendance was limited to 100 by TED organization rules, and the event sold out, but Lorilyn Shandor, event curator, said the event’s live stream realized at least 200 viewers.
Tabathia Murphy and Eric Baker, both of Warren, were among the attendees. Thursday was Baker’s birthday and Murphy bought tickets for his gift. She had to tell him ahead of time, though, to ensure he got the day off from work.
“I really like it,” Murphy said, adding that the couple has been watching TED Talks online for about two years.
Baker said he liked the presentations pertaining to technology and business innovation, but he appreciates that the committee arranged speakers from many fields to appeal to people of varied professionals and interests.
“I think they nailed it on the head with that,” he said.
The plan is to make TEDx Youngstown an annual event.