By Nermeen Nabil 
Updated in September, 2024
Launching and scaling an online business in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape can be daunting. With competition intensifying and consumer expectations rising, staying ahead of the curve requires more than just a great product—it demands constant innovation, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of market dynamics. Yet, the journey doesn’t have to be navigated alone.
Bonus: Check out these 14 practical upselling tactics to increase your bottom line in 2024!
In 2024, the world of eCommerce and SaaS is more interconnected than ever, making it essential to learn from those who have successfully walked this path. One of the best ways to gain insights and inspiration is through TED Talks, where thought leaders, industry pioneers, and innovative thinkers share their experiences, lessons, and visionary ideas.
TED Talks provide a unique platform for experts across various fields to distill years of experience and knowledge into powerful, actionable insights. For eCommerce entrepreneurs and SaaS business owners, these talks offer invaluable lessons on everything from growth hacking and customer experience, to leveraging technology and building resilient brands.
Whether you’re in the early stages of building your business venture or managing an already-established business looking for fresh strategies to accelerate growth, the following hand-picked TED Talks are must-watches. Curated specifically for 2024 and onwards, these sessions cover the latest trends, tools, and tactics that will help you stay competitive and thrive in today’s digital economy.
1. The tribes we lead, by Seth Godin
Seth Godin says that the internet has ended mass marketing and has empowered a human social unit from the distant past – tribes. Given that tribes are traditionally founded on shared ideas and values, they give ordinary people the power to lead and create impactful changes. eCommerce managers should keep this in mind if they decide to start selling online, as consumers have a bigger impact on eCommerce business than ever before.
About the speaker
Seth Godin, the Founder of Do You Zoom and The Carbon Almanac, is an entrepreneur and blogger who thinks about the marketing of ideas in the digital age.
Godin is the author of numerous books, such as Free Prize Inside, Purple Cow , The Dip, and Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us.
2. The single biggest reason why start-ups succeed, by Bill Gross
Bill Gross has extensive experience in founding over 150 companies in the last 20 years. His experience in founding and incubating many startups led him to become curious about why some succeed and why some do not and compelled him to gather data from hundreds of companies, his own and others, ranking each on five key factors.
About the speaker
Bill Gross is the Founder and Chairman of Idealab, a business incubator focused on new ideas. He helped create GoTo.com, the first sponsored search company. He also created the Snap! search engine, which allows users to preview hyperlinks.
3. The decline of consumer irrationality, by Itamar Simonson
Itmar Simonson is a Stanford professor who spent much of his career revealing that consumers tend to act irrationally, and that their preferences are highly malleable. That theory changed a few years ago, when Simonson noticed that the internet was changing the customer environment, making consumers less likely to choose irrationally.
About the speaker
Itamar Simonson is coauthor of the book ABSOLUTE VALUE: What Really Influences Customers in the Age of (Nearly) Perfect Information. He is the Sebastian S. Kresge Professor of Marketing at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University. His award-winning work has provided new insights into consumer choice, the factors that drive buyer decisions, the limits of customization, and other central marketing issues.
4. 5 ways to lead in an era of constant change, by Jim Hemerling
Jim Hemerling is an organizational change expert who believes adapting your business in today’s constantly evolving world can be invigorating instead of exhausting. In a fast-changing environment, such as the eCommerce world, it’s crucial to stay up to date and be able to change and adapt quickly and effectively.
About the speaker
Managing Director & Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group, Jim Hemerling is also a BCG fellow with a focus on transforming organizations to deliver and sustain breakthrough performance. He is a leader in BCG’s People & Organization and Transformation practices, as well as the firm’s behavior and culture topic.
5. 404, the story of a page not found, by Renny Gleeson
One of the most troublesome issues, especially in the eCommerce world, is seeing 404: Page Not Found on your computer screen. However, Renny Gleeson takes another approach as he runs through a slideshow of creative and funny 404 pages, showing the audience that every error is really a chance to build a better relationship.
About the speaker
Renny Gleeson, the CSO of SciFuture, is a brand strategy and marketing strategy leader with 25+ years of experience in the interactive and gaming space.
6. Design for all 5 senses, by Jinsop Lee
Product images are a crucial component of your digital store, especially if you are selling physical products and your customers do not have the chance to see or try your products in person. These images can be a big influence on the customer’s decision to buy your product or not. But why not take it a bit further and highlight all the sensory aspects of your product? What does your product taste like? How does it feel when you wear it? Designer Jinsop Lee (a TED Talent Search winner) shares his theory of 5-sense design, with a handy graph and a couple of examples. His hope is to inspire you to notice great multisensory experiences.
About the speaker
Jinsop Lee is the Founder and CEO of AD ANTIC. He is an accomplished public speaker and has given several talks around the world, including a TED talk and a live presentation for Solidworks in front of 5000 people. In 2015 he became a contributor to the Discovery Channel’s show “How Do They Do It?”
7. How giant websites design for you (and a billion others, too), by Margaret Gould Stewart
Facebook’s well-known buttons, such as “like” and “share,” are among the most-viewed design elements ever created, seen daily around 22-billion times. Margaret Gould Steward talks about three rules of design when operating on such a massive scale, where even the tiniest of tweaks can cause a global outrage – but the subtlest of improvements can positively impact the lives of many.
About the speaker
Margaret Gould Steward, VP of Product Design & Responsible Innovation at Meta, is a leader in the field of user experience design, with a focus on ethically responsible design and development of new technologies. She’s spent her 20+ years career building tools that democratize technology at companies such as Google, YouTube and Facebook, where she built the design practice for the Facebook business from a few designers to a global organization of over 400 design and research practitioners.
8. Profit’s not always the point, by Harish Manwani
It’s easier now, more than ever, to create an online business, but the goal should be to stand out from the crowd and prove to your customers that what you are doing goes beyond profit. Harish Manwani makes a passionate argument that including value, purpose, and sustainability in top-level decision-making is not just savvy; it’s the only way to run a 21st-century business responsibly.
About the speaker
Harish Manwani is the Senior Operating Partner at Blackstone. Prior to joining Blackstone in 2015, Harish was the Chief Operating Officer of Unilever and responsible for managing the P&L across all of its global markets. He spent thirty-eight years with Unilever, holding various senior general management positions globally, including overseeing Unilever’s businesses in Latin America, North America, Asia, and Africa.
9. What consumers want, By Joseph Pine
One of the most important aspects of any eCommerce business is getting to know your customers. Who are they, what are their needs, what do they want, and how can your product satisfy those needs?
In a fast-moving, ever-changing market, customers are in search of authenticity and value: they want to feel that what they buy is genuine. Joseph Pine argues that selling authenticity is tough, but he believes there is no such thing. Joseph shares a few experiences that may be artificial but make millions anyway.
About the speaker
Joseph Pine is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and management advisor to Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurial start-ups alike. He is Co-founder of Strategic Horizons LLP, a thinking studio dedicated to helping businesses conceive and design new ways of adding value to their economic offerings.
10. 3 ways to (usefully) lose control of your brand, By Tim Leberecht
Today, it’s almost impossible to control how every aspect of your brand is discussed and represented, especially with the surge of information and the ease that social media platforms bring to global free-form communication. Tim Leberecht shares three great tips about accepting that loss of control over your brand representation – and using it as an impetus to recommit to your values.
About the speaker
Tim is a German-American author, entrepreneur, three-time TED speaker, and a passionate voice for a human future of work. His book, The Business Romantic, was an international bestseller and has been translated into nine languages to date.
11. What can we learn from shortcuts?, By Tom Hulme
One of the most frequently asked questions any eCommerce business owner gets is “how do you build a product that people want?” Tom Hulme states that one fantastic way to do that is to allow consumers to be part of the process.
In this short talk, Hulme lays out three insightful examples of the intersection of design and user experience, where people have developed their own desired paths out of necessity. Once you know how to spot them, you’ll start noticing them everywhere.
About the speaker
Tom Hulme is currently a general partner at Google Ventures where he invests in high growth technology companies; he also occasionally works with GV’s extensive design team to keep his design muscles working.
12. 6 tips on being a successful entrepreneur, By John Mullins
John Mullins shares practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. He emphasizes the importance of finding a real problem to solve, testing ideas quickly with minimal resources, and being resilient in the face of setbacks. Mullins also highlights the significance of customer feedback, building a strong team, and maintaining financial discipline. His talk is geared toward helping entrepreneurs navigate the challenging journey of starting and growing a business.
About the speaker
John Mullins is a best-selling author, thought leader in the global entrepreneurship community and world-renowned “Pied Piper” for everyone and anyone who seeks to grow their business faster. Mullin’s work, targeted at entrepreneurs and early-stage investors, can be found between the covers of his four best-selling books, in his online courses, and in the workshops he delivers around the world to groups of entrepreneurs, including YPO and EO chapters.
13. 3 rules to help you build a successful business, By Julissa Prado
Have an idea you’re yearning to turn into a business? In this TED Talk, Julissa Prado shares key principles that have guided her entrepreneurial journey. Drawing inspiration from her Latina and immigrant upbringing, Prado emphasizes the importance of staying true to your roots and mission, knowing when to say no, and valuing every customer and employee. She highlights the need for resourcefulness and creativity, particularly when working with limited means, and underscores the significance of building a business that aligns with your values rather than merely chasing profit.
About the speaker
Julissa Prado is the Founder and CEO of Rizos Curls, a clean hair care line aimed at embracing and celebrating the beauty of curls, coils, and waves.
14. The art of persuasive storytelling, By Kelly D. Parker
“Storytelling is one of the most powerful marketing and leadership tools there is,” says communications expert Kelly D. Parker.
In this talk, Parker explores the powerful role storytelling plays in marketing, leadership, and communication. She explains how well-crafted stories can effectively connect with audiences, persuade them, and drive meaningful action. Parker emphasizes the importance of understanding your audience’s problems and desired outcomes to create relatable and memorable narratives. By embedding your message within a compelling story, she shares, you can make your proposals more engaging and increase their impact.
About the speaker
Kelly D. Parker, Senior Market Insights Analyst at Avery Dennison, is a seasoned storyteller and marketing professional who believes in the transformative power of narratives.
15. Why you should invest in AI, By Sarah Guo
Sarah Guo argues that artificial intelligence is a pivotal technology that will shape the future, making it crucial for everyone to consider investing in it. She explains that investing in AI doesn’t just mean financial investment, but also dedicating time, attention, and resources. Guo provides a framework to identify opportunities in AI, emphasizing its potential to drive innovation across various industries and improve everyday life.
About the speaker
Sarah Guo is the Founder of Conviction, a modern, early-stage venture capital firm, purpose-built for Software 3.0. Guo is a venture capitalist partnering with entrepreneurs from idea to IPO. She is interested in technology companies that improve the way we work, create, transact, and collaborate. Her mission is to back extraordinary teams with purpose and velocity and be their best business partner.
16. The power of unconventional thinking, By David McWilliams
Economist David McWilliams challenges traditional economic viewpoints and advocates for embracing perspectives from unconventional thinkers like poets, artists, and musicians. He argues that relying solely on conventional economic wisdom has led to significant global oversights, such as the 2008 financial crisis. By incorporating diverse perspectives and reducing confirmation bias, McWilliams suggests we can better understand complex issues and create innovative solutions for the future.
About the speaker
David McWilliams is a prominent economic commentator in Ireland and was the first economist to recognize that the Irish boom was merely a credit bubble, foreseeing its collapse and the resulting impact on the country. His goal is to make economics accessible and easy to understand across various platforms. In 2008, he was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in Davos.
17. How AI could empower any business, By Andrew Ng
In his TED Talk, Andrew Ng discusses the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) for small businesses and individuals. He compares the democratization of AI to the spread of literacy, suggesting that just as widespread literacy empowered more people to read and write, making AI accessible to non-experts can revolutionize industries beyond tech. Ng points out that while AI development is currently dominated by large tech companies, new platforms that focus on data input rather than coding can enable small businesses, like local pizzerias and t-shirt makers, to build custom AI solutions tailored to their needs. This approach could help small businesses leverage AI for tasks like demand forecasting, product placement, and quality control, thereby fostering more inclusive economic growth and ensuring the benefits of AI are widely shared across society.
About the speaker
Andrew Ng is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Landing AI, a company that enables organizations with limited data to leverage advanced technologies like computer vision and deep learning.
A trailblazing computer scientist, Ng co-founded and led Google Brain and served as chief scientist at Baidu. He is also an adjunct professor at Stanford University and a strong advocate for accessible education. He spearheaded the development of Stanford’s massive open online course (MOOC) platform and taught a widely popular online machine learning course that reached over 100,000 students. This initiative led him to co-found Coursera, the world’s leading MOOC platform, and establish the DeepLearning.AI education platform.
18. Why businesses need a dreamer’s magic and a doer’s realism, By Beth Viner
Beth Viner discusses the critical balance between visionary “dreamers” and pragmatic “doers” in successful organizations. Viner explains that dreamers are essential for their ability to think creatively and push boundaries, envisioning new possibilities. In contrast, doers are needed to turn these ideas into reality through careful planning and execution. She emphasizes that businesses must create environments where both types of individuals can work together harmoniously, bridging the tension between creativity and practicality. By doing so, organizations can foster innovation, achieve sustainable growth, and drive significant breakthroughs.
About the speaker
Beth Viner is a member of BCG X, Boston Consulting Group’s tech, design and business build unit, specifically leading the team dedicated to end-to-end corporate business building. She is the global leader of BCG X’s Venture and Business Builds team and previously led BCG Digital Ventures, the predecessor to BCG X, in North America. She is also a member of the firm’s financial institutions and consumer practices team, and she chairs DEI efforts for BCG X globally.
19. Why the secret to success is setting the right goals, by John Doerr
John Doerr emphasizes the importance of setting the right objectives and key results (OKRs) to achieve success in business and beyond. He introduces the OKR framework, which focuses on setting clear, measurable, and ambitious goals that are tied to a compelling purpose or “why.” He highlights the need for both ambitious yet realistic objectives and specific, time-bound key results to ensure effective execution and growth. This talk provides practical insights for individuals and organizations looking to improve their goal-setting processes to drive meaningful success and growth.
About the speaker
John Doerr is an engineer, venture capitalist, the Chair of Kleiner Perkins, and the author of the #1 bestseller Measure What Matters and the newly released Speed and Scale, an action plan to solve the global climate crisis. Doerr was an original investor and board member at Amazon and Google and has helped create more than a million jobs and some of the world’s most valuable companies.
20. Business model innovation: beating yourself at your own game, By Stefan Gross-Selbeck
In this talk, Stefan Gross-Selbeck discusses how companies can reinvent themselves by embracing the principles of disruptive innovation typically seen in startups. He explains that businesses often fail when they cling to outdated models and resist change. Gross-Selbeck argues that companies should focus on disrupting their own business models before competitors do, by fostering a culture of experimentation and being willing to challenge existing practices. He uses examples of successful startups and highlights how legacy companies can replicate these innovative approaches to remain competitive and thrive in a rapidly changing market.
About the speaker
Stefan Gross-Selbeck is Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Woltair. He has 20 years of experience as an operator and a consultant in the digital industry. Stefan served as the Chief Executive Officer of XING AG for four years, driving the expansion of the XING network. From 2002 until 2007 he was an executive for eBay in roles including COO of the China operation and Managing Director of eBay Germany.
21. Where are our digital ads really going? By Kristi Knapp
In this TED session, Kristi Knapp explores the inefficiencies and challenges in the digital advertising industry. She argues that despite the vast amount of data available, many ads are still irrelevant and fail to connect with consumers. Knapp suggests that by leveraging advanced mathematics and data-driven strategies, the industry can significantly improve ad relevance and effectiveness.
About the speaker
Kristi Knapp is a Managing Director and Partner with The Boston Consulting Group based in London, United Kingdom, serving clients globally. As a member of its Telco Media and Technology Practice, she primarily focuses on the Media (B2B and B2C) and Technology industries – with a keen interest in topics related to growth strategy, marketing, and consumer insights.
Do you have any TED Talks that have inspired you during your eCommerce career? Please share them with us in the comments below; we are eager to find out more.
If you are looking for strategies to scale your eCommerce business this year, we’ve put together a complete guide that we believe you will find useful. This resource will provide everything you need to know on how to grow and optimize your eCommerce business as well as actionable tips and best practices that will help you achieve success and expand globally. Check it out!
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Nermeen Nabil Khear