If your career path feels like a loop instead of a launchpad, this candid convo is your blueprint for building something smarter on purpose. Jay Schwedelson and Monique Ruff-Bell - Chief Program & Strategy Officer, TED - get into how to stop waiting for permission, add new lanes to your skill set, and turn curiosity, courage, and "how can I help?" into real leadership opportunities.ㅤConnect with Monique on LinkedIn and use her Linktree to dig into her talks, leadership insights, and ways to learn from her work.ㅤBest Moments:(01:09) Monique traces a 25 year journey across events, media, and fintech into a TED leadership role created specifically for how she operates.(02:57) The lightbulb moment where she rejects a single lane career and starts intentionally stacking cross functional skills to become executive ready.(06:09) A playbook for embedding with sales, joining calls, shaping packages, and becoming the revenue partner everyone wants on their side.(09:01) How offering help first naturally turns senior relationships into real mentorship and sponsorship without the cringey formal ask.(14:30) The story of jumping too fast for a new role, why it backfired, and how it reshaped how she evaluates growth and red flags.(16:32) Behind the scenes at TED on why powerful talks are built around one sharp idea, supported by story, rigor, and serious coaching.ㅤCheck out Jay’s YOUTUBE Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelsonCheck out Jay’s TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@schwedelsonCheck Out Jay's INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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