5 Eye-Opening TED Talks Every Budding Investor (or Entrepreneur) Should Watch

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If you’re reading this sentence, odds are you’re the hungry, ambitious type who will see a million dollars in the next few years (if you haven’t already.)

And if you are (you are), then you’ve probably heard of TED Talks, the inspirational—and insanely popular—short-form conference-style videos that range across all sorts of topics and all fall under 18 minutes in length.

Some of the most popular ones of all time span ideas ranging from “how to spot a liar” to David Blaine sharing how he held his breath for 17 minutes.

There aren’t a lot on real estate investing, though. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some that are helpful for budding property moguls. (Like the 40-year rat race veteran who got laid off at 64 only to launch his own business.)

In other words, here are five inspirational TED Talks every budding real estate investor should watch.

5 Eye-Opening TED Talks Every Budding Investor Should Watch

1. How I Became an Entrepreneur at 66 by Paul Tasner

I just spoke about fear of failure and analysis paralysis in a recent post, the crippling emotion that prevents ambitious people from actually going for their dreams.

Imagine being in the workforce for 40 years, then being called into a routine meeting that was “already in progress.”

“That meeting turned out to be my exit interview,” says Paul Tasner. “I was fired, along with several others. I was 64 years old at the time.”

Tasner is the co-founder and CEO of PulpWorks, a company that designs and manufactures “biodegradable packaging for consumer goods.”

To be honest, I have no idea what the hell that means. But what I do know is that this guy took the leap of faith at 66 after being stuck in the rat race for 40 years—and then was given a crushing blow at a time when most would quit.

Moral of the story? For anyone who’s ever said, “Oh, maybe next year” or “I need more money first,” it’s never too late.

Related: 4 Books to Help You Adopt the Entrepreneurial Mindset

2. The Future of Money by Neha Narula

Cryptocurrencies are the trend of the day, with one ICO after the other dominating headlines with surges in value.

As of now, real estate is still transacted the traditional way, but it may not be long before BiggerPockets readers could wholesale with Bitcoin on the contract.

In fact, the first real estate sale using Bitcoin just happened in Texas a few months ago.

“We’re not there yet,” Ted.com writes, “but in this sparky talk, digital currency researcher Neha Narula describes the collective fiction of money—and paints a picture of a very different looking future.

3. A Smart Loan for People With No Credit History (Yet) by Shivani Siroya

Banks use the FICO credit system to determine creditworthiness of borrowers. (It goes without saying that unless you’re a serious bootstrapper, you need credit to get a mortgage to finance your first deal.)

But that credit system could be facing a shakeup. Lenders like unicorn online lender SoFi (click here to learn more about SoFi) —which raised $500 million earlier this year at a $4.3 billion valuation—and Finance of America’s Buy 2 Rent look at other factors, including the cash flow produced by the asset.

In this TED Talk, TED Fellow Shivani Siroya talks about the next wave of financial identities through mobile.

4. The Real Estate Deal That Could Change the Future of Everything by Ben Miller

Fundrise, a real estate crowdfunding platform, made a big splash nearly three years ago when they announced that “small-time investors” could own a piece of the One World Trade Center (the former Freedom Tower) for just $5,000.

Since then, from RealtyMogul to Realtyshares, others have shot up, creating a brand-new market for commercial real estate investors without millions in the bank or the distinguished “accredited investor” tag. 

No matter how you slice it, it’s a new way of making deals—especially for new investors starting out. In this TED Talk, Fundrise founder Ben Miller shares the future of equity investing.

Related: 7 Fiction Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read

5. Why You Should Talk to Strangers by Kio Stark

“When you talk to strangers, you’re making beautiful interruptions into the expected narrative of your daily life—and theirs,” says author Kio Stark.

And it’s true—in real estate (or life, period), the best results come from random interactions, a cold call, or just approaching a “stranger” at a networking event.

Most people reside within the confines of their comfort zones. Sure, you’re safe from rejection and humiliation. But you never know what’s on the other side.

[Featured image source: Clark Murray via Wikicommons]

What are some of your favorite TED Talks, real estate-related or otherwise?

Share below!

Note By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.