In this episode, I talk with someone who is a very dear, long-running friend of mine - Mark Lovett. He is a speaker coach, was the organizer of TEDxSan Diego for six years, and worked on twenty events over that six-year period. We have a great conversation with a little TEDx ancient history, some very insightful ideas about speaking, storytelling and more. Mark believes that the audience should see the world differently after your talk. He asks, "What does that look like? How is the audience different coming out? What is unique about it/you/the idea?" And, I hope you see the world differently after this conversation! - After the podcast Mark wrote up a great summary, so I'm going to get recursive and include the link, here: https://www.storytellingwithimpact.com/telling-stories-about-storytelling/ This is a fun and very useful conversation!
Mark Lovett's passion is impactful storytelling, from the stage to the boardroom and from universities to prisons. This passion led him to the world of TEDx organizing, and in turn, to storytelling and speaker coaching, which has helped people and organizations tell their stories in a way that impacts the lives of others.
Mark is the founder of Storytelling with Impact, an organization that coaches individuals, teams, and corporations to master the art of storytelling in a way that deeply resonates with their audience.
He was also the organizer and chief architect of TEDxSanDiego, an all-volunteer non-profit organization founded in 2010. Each year bringing dynamic speakers and performers to the stage in the style of the TED Conference. Mark and his team leveraged these performances and talks to inspire and activate the audience, as well as foster new connections within the community and around the world.
In September 2015, Mark had the opportunity to design, organize and execute the first cross-border TEDx event called TEDxMonumento258. Themed “Ideas without borders,” it was a collaboration between TEDxSanDiego and TEDxTijuana. The objective was to highlight the vibrant culture, commerce, and communication between San Diego and Tijuana, despite the political and physical barriers. The event also demonstrated how two cities work through difficulties and challenges, and in doing so, have become a model for people in other parts of the world.
Prior to embarking on his passion for powerful storytelling, Mark spent thirty years in various senior executive positions within the high-tech electronics industry, leading teams across operations, information systems, marketing, and corporate management.
Mark is a faculty member at UCSD Extension, where he teaches a course called Storytelling with Impact, and at The Honor Foundation, where he leads storytelling workshops for Navy SEALs and military special forces who are retiring.
Learn more about Mark at StorytellingWithImpact.com and connect with him on LinkedIn.