The Power of Connection

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You have thousands of stories in you. The problem is nobody ever taught you how to find the one that matters.

This episode is a live session I ran on exactly that: how to locate your real story out of a lifetime of material, and then turn it into a personal video story that actually sounds like you.

I get into my own version of it too. There were years when work felt hollow, my career felt frozen, and my health was somewhere near the bottom of the list. What I landed on is the line I still give people: feeling that way is allowed, staying there isn't.

In this episode:

(01:30) What we're doing today: finding your story, then putting it on video

(04:00) You have thousands of stories, and they all merge into one

(06:30) My own story: lost, stuck, and what I did about it

(09:30) Structure first: building the outline of your story

(12:00) The consequences of transparency, and who you attract

(18:30) Finding the one, two or three top lessons of your life

(21:00) The umbrella brand that covers career, family and health

(24:30) How to storyboard your video, piece by piece

If this one lands, the next step is simple: write down the three lessons of your life that keep showing up. That's where your story starts.

Find more at bobbyumar.substack.com, or connect with me on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/bobbyumar) and share your story.

The Power of Connection is conversations on leadership, storytelling, and staying human in a noisy world, from Bobby Umar: 5x TEDx speaker, Inc Magazine Top 100 Leadership Speaker, and 2x LinkedIn Top Voice.

The Power of Connection is hosted by Bobby Umar, 5x TEDx speaker and Inc Magazine Top 100 Leadership Speaker. For weekly insights on personal branding and thought leadership, join his newsletter: https://bobbyumar.substack.com

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Everyone asks me the same question: "Bobby, how do I actually land a TEDx talk?" So this episode is the full answer, a complete session I taught live on exactly that.

I've delivered five TEDx talks and coached clients from around the world onto that stage, and this is the process behind all of it: why TEDx is the single best authority builder for your brand (hello, branding by association with the most famous stage in the world), the mistake that cost me a ted.com feature, what organizers actually want from you, and the step-by-step path from "I have a story" to "I have a talk."

In this episode:
(02:00) Who this session is for
(05:30) My story: losing my job, my wife's illness, and the reinvention that made me a speaker
(08:30) Why TEDx: authority, reach, and branding by association
(12:15) The copyrighted-image mistake that cost me a ted.com feature
(15:30) The #1 thing people get wrong: the idea
(18:00) The three criteria of thought leadership
(24:30) The mentoring path most people never think of
(30:30) Take your audience on the journey (before AND after the talk)
(33:00) How to research events and find YOUR fit
(36:30) What TEDx organizers actually want
(39:30) The follow-up habits that landed me talk #4
(42:00) My five essentials of thought leadership

Grab my free TEDx Idea Template and more at bobbyumar.substack.com, and if you want help landing your own talk, connect with me on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/bobbyumar). Tag me when you take action, I'll cheer you on.

The Power of Connection is conversations on leadership, storytelling, and staying human in a noisy world, from Bobby Umar: 5x TEDx speaker, Inc Magazine Top 100 Leadership Speaker, and 2x LinkedIn Top Voice.

The Power of Connection is hosted by Bobby Umar, 5x TEDx speaker and Inc Magazine Top 100 Leadership Speaker. For weekly insights on personal branding and thought leadership, join his newsletter: https://bobbyumar.substack.com

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There is no single path to authority. Bobby lays out seven ways to build it, and tells you which one to start with.

Thought leadership is not one-size-fits-all. In this masterclass Bobby walks through the different ways to build authority and how to choose the blend that fits your strengths and goals. The throughline: every strategy comes back to people and relationships.

In this episode:
00:00 Building an audience you actually own
12:00 Positioning as a speaker and founder
19:34 Why relationships drive all growth
31:04 How speaking amplifies everything
42:29 Why signature programs take time
50:31 Why TEDx is the highest-leverage authority move
55:26 Using AI to turn ideas into content
01:03:25 Know your customer's pains and desires

The Power of Connection is hosted by Bobby Umar, 5x TEDx speaker and Inc Magazine Top 100 Leadership Speaker. For weekly insights on personal branding and thought leadership, join his newsletter: https://bobbyumar.substack.com

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Facts inform. Stories move. Here's how to use story to sell, lead, and be remembered.

Stories are the most powerful tool you have to build trust and drive action, and most professionals waste them. Bobby shares how to use storytelling for business and growth: where stories belong, how to structure one that lands, and why the human brain is wired to remember them long after the data is forgotten. Practical and immediately usable.

The Power of Connection is hosted by Bobby Umar, 5x TEDx speaker and Inc Magazine Top 100 Leadership Speaker. For weekly insights on personal branding and thought leadership, join his newsletter: https://bobbyumar.substack.com

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The moment you let people see the real you is the moment they start to trust you.

The show opens where Bobby's whole philosophy begins: vulnerability. In this short, honest session he unpacks why the polished version of you keeps people at a distance, and why the willingness to be seen is what actually builds trust, connection, and influence. A tight, powerful start to the show.

The Power of Connection is hosted by Bobby Umar, 5x TEDx speaker and Inc Magazine Top 100 Leadership Speaker. For weekly insights on personal branding and thought leadership, join his newsletter: https://bobbyumar.substack.com