The Kurty D Show

045 - Ideas that Spread with Kelly Stoetzel

Episode Summary

I'm excited to share my conversation with Kelly Stoetzel. Kelly spent nearly 18 years at the TED Conference - as their Head of Conferences and Content Director. She was at TED before the online video was a thing and helped grow the organization from an annual Conference to the household brand that most of us know and love today.  After TED she was Clubhouse through the Covid Pandemic as their Head of Thought Leader Partnerships. Now she’s working on a new startup as the M**anaging Director at Edelman Fossil Park & Museum- a remarkable 65-acre treasure in South NJ just outside Philadelphia.** In this interview, you'll hear Kelly share insights into the power of story, big vision, and how to foster and support grassroots initiatives like her amazing work with TEDx and how her work now aligns with her environmental mission. This interview will benefit anyone curious about the magic that happens when mission and story intersect.

Episode Notes

What We Covered:

Tweetable Quotes:

“It’s special to hear people tell stories of the TED talks that were meaningful to them. Talks that help people understand themselves and understand the world better or spur them into action in some way. Anytime you hear like that, I feel so grateful to have been part of the TED journey” — Kelly Stoetzel

“The hard things that you struggle with, even if someone has not experienced the same thing, there are so many people who can relate, and there’s something that is also really useful knowing we’re not alone.”— Kelly Stoetzel

“I would always tell speakers to be as much yourself as possible when you’re standing on stage. It’s like almost being yourself with the volume turned up just 10%.” — Kelly Stoetzel

“As people write their talks—instead of thinking about what’s the thing I have to say, it’s like what is the thing  I have to give to people that they would like to receive from me — that would be useful for them to receive.” — Kelly Stoetzel

“But there is no formula, and the best talks are just like what someone wants to design for themselves. And that’s authentic to how they think, talk, or live. So, I think that’s important.” — Kelly Stoetzel

“As part of my career journey, I got to this point where I just realized I wanted always to do work that makes an impact and purpose for me, and the situation with our planetary health that we face right now is as important as anything can be.” — Kelly Stoetzel

For anybody who may be listening to that is preparing for a talk, no matter what, it is always always always so useful to run it by someone. If you can do it with a speaker, coach, or something. — Kelly Stoetzel

“I used to pray “God, if you give me ears to hear, I’ll do my little part to change the world.” — Kurt

Links Mentioned:

Kurt’s Twitter

Kurt’s Instagram

Kurt’s LinkedIn

Kelly Stoetzel

Adam Grant

Amber Case

Chris Anderson

Duke Stump

Heather Mason

Jack Dangermond

Jason Calacanis

Jim Young

John Calkins

Richard Saul Wurman

Susan Cain

Stephanie Simon

Talia Jacqueline

Tyler Crowley

Z. Hayley

Atomic Maps

City Sourced

Clubhouse

Cochlear

Esri

Edelman Fossil Park

LXD (the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers)

Lululemon

Nike

TEDx