A look behind the scenes at TEDx Zurich or how to create unexpected opportunities

When something is important to me, I can't give up - but let's start from the beginning.

TED.

Magic of knowledge.

Endless knowledge.

Fascinating.

Exciting.

Applicable.?

Just a few terms that clearly show how much this knowledge means to me. I have learned from countless TED and TEDx talks, applied methods in my life, wondered, been amazed, put something new into practice.?

I can give you a pragmatic example of how powerful the positive impact of TED is in my life ?? Do you also have some tasks in your life that you don't like but still have to do? That's right, so do I. I used to hate it and would procrastinate until I couldn't help it any longer. Today I associate it with listening to TED talks and since then I even love those tasks and don't feel it's a waste of my precious life time.

But now back to the here and now. This week on Tuesday evening TEDx Zurich Women event took place and I was the host and led the great audience through the program. It was a lot of fun and it was over way too fast. Waaay too fast! It was so amazing to get so much behind the scenes as well. Besides the time on stage, my highlights were watching the three great TEDx speakers rehearse in the previous weeks. I knew these processes from theory. Now I got to experience them firsthand in practice. It's fascinating what goes into the process of a successful TED Talk!

The live speakers of the evening were absolutely top, each in their own way. You could read Liliane Ableitner 's vision for her startup in her eyes. Raquel Herzog fascinated with her strength of character and emotional fearlessness and made me feel her talk emotionally, even though it was the second time I heard this talk. Pure goosebumps! And Barbara Miller had a brilliant, noble, mature and naturally confident way of leading the audience through even a very difficult topic. Extremely good presentation style!

And then the unofficial highlight of the program - the appreciation of the volunteers who are behind the TEDx Zurich Women event and without whom this event would not exist. Yes, you read it right. This event is organized only by volunteers who are doing their other jobs full time. I have met extremely exciting people behind the scenes of TEDx Zurich Women event who are extremely good at storytelling, presentation, technology, project management and communication. Moreover, they are people with extreme warmth - Julia Sharonova , Sahar El Khoury , Marko Panjek , Georgia Tagara , Dana Steger , Amanda Wee - thank you for the brilliant collaboration ??????

And now about the chances ?? How do you think I got this moderation of the TEDx Zurich Women event? Was I asked to do it? Was it offered to me? By chance? By luck?

I'll tell and you decide ???

Well, I knew that on November 29 TEDx Zurich Women event would take place. But when the tickets went on sale, we at Elite Experts Conferences had an important deadline with a client and I was so busy that I forgot to take care of the tickets in time.?On top of that, they were completely sold out in less than 48 hours. Oh no!

So I started to activate my TEDx community and asked everywhere if there are still possibilities to get tickets. No - was the answer everywhere. I activated more and more people from the TEDx Zurich community and just didn't want to give up. Then I got the message from Hannah Wise - Moderator , who moderated the previous event, that she would not be moderating this time and that I should ask another colleague of hers - Tanya K?nig . I did and found out from her that she just had to turn down the invitation of the TEDx Zurich Women team because she had other plans.?

That was my cue ?? - the TEDx Zurich women team was missing a moderator. A moderator! Well, I know someone who constantly moderates technical premium panels at technical conferences or in the Elite Experts Conferences technology podcast and you could say she specializes in introducing inspiring guests and guiding the audience through the program. You guessed it correctly - it’s me ?? After all, in every moderation , in every interview I always stay true to my motto "educate, entertain and inspire". This motto is not far away from TED spirit, isn't it?

So practically, I get the contacts from the organizing team, offer my help as a moderator and ... I get this exciting job, which turns out to be a brilliantly beautiful experience!

What do we learn from it?

1. Straight path is not always better: if I had gotten the tickets in time, I would never have known about the option with moderation.?Sometimes you get a no as a redirection to the right path, at TEDx but also in your job and in your life.
2. A no is only a no if you give up and accept it. If something is important to me, if I'm on fire for something, then I can't give up. And neither should you!
3. Network is everything - without all the little hints, information, connections - I would never have made it. No matter what it is about, none of us can do anything alone - together we are strong, together we make dreams tangible.
4. Furthermore, it showed me personally what great, warm, kind supportive people I have around me. Some of my private friends were in the audience and the feedback after the event was overwhelming and so kind - you are fantastic cheerleaders for all my projects - I am glad to have you in my life! A very special thanks go to you, Mimoza A. , dear Mimi, no one can outperform you in kindness!
5. Time is very crucial, but for that you have to read my PS below ??

On to new tasks ??

By the fact that I have now learned best practice on how to best place exciting ideas for TEDx talks, I will be suggesting some cool inspiring people in my network for the next events. There are always so many ideas in my network that are worth spreading. Long live TED spirit!

See you very soon ??

Ludmilla

PS: You know what's funny? A little more than a week after I already knew that I will be hosting TEDx Zurich Women event, 40 remaining tickets went on sale. So, as the saying goes "Life writes the best stories" and indeed it does. ALWAYS - thank you universe ??????

#DERRtobedifferent

#TEDxZurich #technology #inspiration