Yesterday, the M2 Management team and our Content Strategist attended TEDx Charleston. It was a full day of networking, inspirational talks, stimulating performances, and team building.

From left: Ryan, Jose, Ben, Matt, Andrea, Amanda

From left: Ryan, Jose, Ben, Matt, Andrea, Amanda

TED is all about Ideas worth spreading, so I wanted to share some of the things we learned.

  • Riley Csernica taught us that big things start with an idea and passion.
  • Sundar Balasubramanian married Eastern practices with Western science and gave us the quote, “The mind is a drunken monkey stung by a scorpion.”
  • Donna Hardy made us think about how & where our clothes are made (& more importantly, why it matters).
  • Seth Gilliard made our hearts sing.
  • Steve Stegelin made me want to caption my infamous meeting doodles & reminded us that bravery takes many forms.
  • Nicholas Glover Sr. reminded us that preventative care and personal connection with our medical providers is up to us.
  • The Wonderson Duo awed us with strength and grace.
  • Harold May gave us a serious science lesson and made me wish that I could have a drink of that delicious beer he brought on stage.
  • The New Music Collective left us wondering what just happened. In a good way.
  • Derek Snook taught us that great work comes from people that have drive- no matter their circumstance.
  • Jenny Bevan linked disposable architecture to disposable culture & schooled us on how the past can better inform future decisions.
  • Jeffery Deal made us so grateful for people like him. He also made us want to wash our hands.
  • Earl Hewlette made us want to innovate & then enjoy the fruits of our labor with a smooth bourbon on the rocks.
  • Nancy Simpson had us on our feet and made us examine our stigmas. I kind of want to bring her a casserole.
  • Will Jameson threw his phone across the stage and showed us why the next generation is something to celebrate.
  • Peter Tuerk uses technology as a tool for positive reinforcement in a therapy setting. He taught us that there is a way out of chaos.
  • John Zinsser showed us the error of our ways when we “sacrifice tomorrow to win yesterday.”
  • JamieSue Goodman made me wonder if it’s too early to enroll my daughter in computer science programs (she’ll be born in June).
  • Wona Womalan brought us rhythm and joy.
  • Randy Dobbs had us in tears (ok, it was just me) but closed out the day by telling us to build a great team that works towards the same vision & don’t be afraid to fail.

We walked away from TEDx yesterday with renewed vision & energy to bring something incredible to the work we do every day. Thank you to everyone at TEDx that made the event possible. We can’t wait to #embracechaos.

-Kristin