TED is so much more than just an events company. 

Globally, their audience trusts them to spread big ideas, spark important conversations, and create meaningful experiences. In this episode, Rachel Andrews sits down with Monique Ruff-Bell, Chief Program and Strategy Officer at TED Conferences.

Monique takes us behind the curtain of their global ecosystem and world-class event strategy. She discusses their human-centered approach, their dedication to long-term speaker development, and their strategy for building loyalty among younger audiences.

What you’ll learn:

• How to design experiences that build real emotional connection
• The importance of speaker curation, topic development, and script refinement
• Why you need to serve audience segments through different stages of life

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Monique Ruff-Bell from TED Conferences

(05:37) The framework behind TED's event design

(09:02) How to create content around hope and optimism

(10:47) TED's three flagship events

(16:28) How TED filters 22,000 speaker recommendations

(18:36) How AI helps content curation and event strategy

(23:08) Using events for a year-round digital and community strategy

(27:17) Where to draw inspiration from as event planners