Why I Wasn’t Invited to Speak at TEDx Tampa Bay
I'm Not
I’m not a player. I’m not a sought-after speaker. My blog doesn’t draw thousands of visitors each day (maybe in a month it does).
So why wasn’t I invited to share my wisdom at the 2011 TEDx Tampa Bay?
The A-Crowd
In high school I wasn’t in the A-Crowd. Heck when I got there I wasn’t even in the C-Crowd. But I wanted more. More friends like any teenager. I wanted people to want to be with me.That hasn’t changed has it? I want to be popular. Have people listen to me speak. Pay me money to speak. I want TEDx to want me.I wanted the invite.
Yearbook Photographer
In high school I wasn’t a jock. So I took my photography skill and became the yearbook and newspaper photographer. Bingo. It was admission to the A-Crowd. It was an identity. People knew my name.
At the 10 and 20 year reunions, they knew my name.I have something to say. But I haven’t found an audience. That’s OK, I’ll keep talking. Everyone says I need to speak to my audience about them and not be about me. But that’s all I know. Me. Not them. I can only tell my story and hope that it will connect with someone.
Backstage Pass
Today I still want to be in that A-Crowd even if it means I have to work my way in. I’m headed to the invite-only Mashable Connect in May. Not as Mark Regan, but as Mark Regan an the Internet Marketing guy at Coast Dental. My application as Mark Regan was denied. So I reapplied as Coast Dental and BAM, I’m in.
Did they want titles? Did they want to make sure there were no salesmen, scammers or affiliate kings? I don’t know, but I’m in. Again everyone will know my name.Maybe I can back-door TEDx the same way. Do you guys want me to speak as Coast Dental? Maybe as a great husband or Gator fan? Maybe I can connect you with someone important or in some way make you important.
Kingmaker
That’s what I did in high school without knowing it. I was a kingmaker in my own right. I held the keys to yearbook immortality. Do I need to find a 2011 equivalent before I can be invited to speak at TEDx?Maybe I’ll try to find it.Maybe I’ll just continue to be me and one day a TEDx by a different name will recognize me, care what I have say and invite me to speak at their event.
I Invited Me
I’m not waiting for them. I’m not waiting to be picked. I’ve picked myself and moved on to my next great masterpiece.It’s me. Want to know more?