Self-Discovery and Personal Values
- When considering the concept of self-discovery, it's essential to ask oneself who they are, which is a question that might not be frequently pondered until someone else asks 24s.
- The importance of knowing oneself varies from person to person, but it's crucial for those who want to achieve something or make a change in life 39s.
- Born in Carmel, America, and having lived in various countries, including Turkey and France, has led to multiple identities, including being an American, Turkish, and French citizen 1m34s.
- Growing up in Paris from the age of 4 to 19 has instilled a strong French influence, making it challenging to define a single identity 1m59s.
- The journey of self-discovery began with a professional career and was influenced by reading an article about a successful businesswoman who wrote a letter of advice to her grandchildren 2m38s.
- Inspired by this, a personal letter of advice to grandchildren would include the importance of being curious, exploring the world, and learning throughout life 3m4s.
- Other essential values to pass on include being a reliable friend, keeping one's word, listening more than speaking, being honest, and maintaining personal values 3m15s.
- Additionally, it's vital to be kind, humble, and compassionate, while also recognizing the privileges in life and appreciating the differences between individuals 3m34s.
- Ultimately, self-discovery is about finding meaningful things that bring excitement and purpose to life 3m47s.
Career in Advertising and Events
- A career in advertising began due to curiosity, starting with a job at a reklam ajansı, which was affiliated with Yapı Kredi Bankası in Istanbul, specifically in the Beyoğlu area 4m3s.
- The first event was organized, despite not knowing the term "etkinlik" at the time, and it involved projections and shows, similar to what was seen in Europe, particularly in France 4m24s.
- The event was a success, and it marked the beginning of a journey in organizing events, with the first visual-based event taking place in 1981 5m1s.
- Over time, the events grew in number, and everyone wanted to participate, with a total of 40 events organized during this period 5m26s.
- However, the desire to take the events to the next level led to a decision to leave the current agency, Man Ajans, which did not want to expand, and a new company, TKİ, was established on April 1, 1987 5m49s.
- The new company led to working with large institutions, including Garanti Bankası, where 14 years were spent organizing events, and collaborating with CEO Ergun Özen 6m12s.
- The collaboration with Garanti Bankası involved annual meetings with top-level executives to discuss and decide on the events and how to motivate managers and employees 6m34s.
- A 10-12 year collaboration with Denizbank also took place, during which time coaching and curation skills were developed, including learning how to coach individuals to give effective speeches within a limited time frame 7m9s.
- The importance of curation and creating a smooth flow of events was also learned, including the order of speakers and the timing of breaks 7m38s.
Pursuit of Knowledge and Innovation
- The flow of conversations can prepare the ground for the next speaker, and technology needs to be developed, including sound and Linear technologies, which were unfamiliar at the time 7m55s.
- To learn more, a trip was made to America, and later to England to learn about theater design, where it was discovered that Italy has double-sided theaters, and the goal was to learn about design since no one in Turkey was teaching it 8m17s.
- To satisfy curiosity, education was pursued in unrelated fields, such as microphones, and training was received, but it was found that there were many types of microphones, and Slide projectors were used for shows 8m45s.
- Being a pioneer in a field without realizing it can happen when no one acknowledges the work, and it was not until later that the value of being a pioneer was understood 9m8s.
Journey with TED and TEDx
- The journey with TED began when the acronym was discovered online one night in 2000 or 2001, and after researching, it was found that TED was packaging speakers and presenting them in a unique way 10m3s.
- The TEDx brand was created in March 1999, with Lara Stein as its head, and the first TEDx meeting was attended by 45 people, including the speaker, who was one of the three remaining from the original group 10m47s.
- The goal was to bring TED to Turkey, but it was not an easy task, and the journey to make it happen began 11m8s.
- The TEDx brand was created after the first TEDx event in Turkey was held in 2010, and now there are around 30-40 TEDx events organized in Turkey every year, with millions of views worldwide 11m18s.
Work with NGOs and Social Causes
- The speaker has worked with various institutions and NGOs, including those focused on social causes, such as the Turkish Education Volunteers Foundation (TEGEV) and the Tohum Autism Foundation 12m1s.
- The speaker worked with Türkan Saylan, a well-known Turkish doctor and educator, at a leprosy hospital, where they took photos of patients with leprosy for two weeks 12m8s.
- The speaker helped establish the TEMA Foundation, which aims to prevent soil erosion in Turkey, after meeting with its founder Hayrettin Karaca 13m7s.
- The speaker was invited to the Koç Holding headquarters by Suna Kıraç, where they discussed the Turkish Education Volunteers Foundation (TEGEV) and its projects 13m36s.
- The speaker became involved with the Tohum Autism Foundation and helped with their promotional efforts, learning about autism and its effects on children in the process 14m20s.
- The speaker worked on a film project with autistic children, which required them to understand and respect the children's routines to avoid triggering any negative reactions 14m39s.
- A film was made about a child from İzmit who wanted to be a police officer, and the filmmakers brought the child to Istanbul, provided a police uniform, and even arranged for a helicopter ride over the Bosphorus to make the child's dream come true 15m55s.
Reflections on Motivation and Values
- The experience led to self-reflection about the motivations behind such acts of kindness, and it is believed that the influence of the speaker's father, who worked for NATO and the US and was involved in development programs, played a role in shaping these values 16m28s.
- Through various projects, the speaker has been able to convert professional experience into valuable contributions, and these experiences have given life a sense of meaning and purpose 16m49s.
- Despite limited financial resources, the speaker has been able to make a difference by sharing knowledge, expertise, and time, and by volunteering and donating to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) 16m59s.
- The speaker believes that NGOs in Turkey have made significant progress over the years but still have some shortcomings and need to become stronger 17m16s.
- Through these experiences, personal growth and self-discovery have occurred, allowing the speaker to become their authentic self 17m33s.
Life Lessons and Advice
- A key lesson learned is the importance of not neglecting family, friends, and partners in pursuit of work, as they provide meaning and joy in life 17m55s.
- The speaker emphasizes the value of time, encourages people to pursue activities that bring happiness and fulfillment, and advises trusting in one's own abilities and working to improve the surroundings 18m22s.
- The speaker's efforts have led to the creation of a strong network and the opportunity to positively impact the lives of thousands of people through various endeavors, including TED talks and work with NGOs and companies like Garanti Bank 18m50s.
- Curiosity is key to a fulfilling life, and one should not be afraid to explore and learn new things, as it will prevent boredom and make life more enjoyable 19m5s.
- Spending time talking to people is more valuable than wasting time on social media, and it will make one's time more enjoyable and worthwhile 19m23s.
- Having clear and specific goals is essential, but it requires self-awareness and understanding of what one wants to achieve in life 19m38s.
- Knowing what one wants to achieve in life and setting clear goals makes it easier to work towards them and achieve success 19m53s.
- Helping others is one of the most fulfilling things in life, and one should be willing to go out of their way to make a positive impact 20m2s.
- Before taking action or speaking, one should take a moment to think and reflect on their decisions 20m13s.
- It's essential to remember that days may be long, but years are short, and one should make the most of their time 20m20s.
- Ultimately, the key to happiness lies within oneself, and one must understand who they are and what they want in life to achieve true fulfillment 20m38s.
