Don Smith
ABOUT DON:
After a twenty-five-year career as an award winning Creative Director in advertising, marketing and digital design, Don began a new career as an Inventor in 2016. His first invention, the 1nhaler, is a revolutionary, single dose, respiratory inhaler, designed to help millions of people globally to receive the medication and vaccinations they need, cheaply, conveniently and sustainably.
What 3 words would you use to describe your TEDx talk?
Inspiring, unconventional, entertaining.
What was the main motivation for you to do a TEDx talk?
My brother spoke at TEDxRoyalTunbridgeWells in 2016 and I wanted to follow on his theme of ‘creativity’ and move it onto ‘Invention’.
What do you hope the audience will feel after your TEDx talk?
That they too can be inventors, and find the value in their own ideas.
Were there any challenges in the preparation of your TEDx talk?
Just the challenge of conforming a lifetime of understanding into a short talk.
Do you have any goals for your TEDx talk?
Simply that others find value in my approach to life.
What is your favourite TED talk and why?
Adam Grant on the surprising habits of original thinkers. Like my brother’s talk, it points out how creativity is misunderstood.
Why do you think Tunbridge Wells has proven to be such a welcoming and receptive audience for stories like yours?
Perhaps the town has an interested and interesting populous, who are open to new ideas.
What advice would you give to other people considering giving a TEDx talk?
I think it’s about knowing you have value, or values that are worth sharing.
Finally, what’s the one change you’d like to see in the lives of our audience this year, following your talk?
That more people believe in their great ideas, and execute them to improve the world around us.
