Five Inspiring TED Talks by Female Entrepreneurs for International Women’s Day

Here’s to the women that inspire us.

March 8th is International Women’s Day, and across the globe we are celebrating the powerful women who are shaking the foundations of once patriarchal systems and societies to build a more gender-balanced world. This year, International Women’s Day is taking place under the banner of a new campaign, #BalanceForBetter, and we’re participating by highlighting a few of the women who inspire us. Some of these ladies are founders from within our own Impact Hub Vienna community, some are women who are internationally renowned for achievements in their field, and some simply have a powerful message we think is worth sharing. Enjoy these inspiring talks and help us celebrate women’s achievement on International Women’s Day (and every other day) by sharing this post with the hashtag #BalanceForBetter.

Dr. Brené Brown, The Power of Vulnerability

Being stoic is so 20th century. There is power in opening up to others, asking for help, and sharing experiences–both good and bad. Dr. Brené Brown is a research professor who has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and in this Ted Talk she shares what it really means to be brave in this world.

Perrine Schober, Turning Weaknesses Into Strengths

Perrine Schober is an Impact Hub Vienna member, and founder of SHADES TOURS, an organization that offers tours which shed light on topics like poverty, homelessness, refugees, and integration in Vienna. Her work has inspired people from all over the world to start similar projects in their own cities. In 2017, she gave an inspiring TED talk at TEDxTUWien about social entrepreneurship and what drives her to show up and push forward day in and day out, ignoring external pressures to pursue her own path.

Isabel Allende, Tales of Passion

Isabel Allende is a Chilean author and activist. She is often referred to as the world’s most widely read Spanish-language author, and many of her books highlight powerful stories in the lives of women. In this TED Talk, she discusses women, creativity, the definition of feminism, and passion.

Cecile Richards, The Political Progress Women Have Made and What’s Next

Cecile Richards is a U.S. American leader for women’s rights and author of the bestselling book Make Trouble. In this TED Talk, she challenges women to take part in a global political revolution for women’s equality, and gives some suggestions as to how we can make it happen.

Karin Fleck, Vienna Textile Lab

Karin Fleck is an Impact Hub Vienna program alumni and the Founder of Vienna Textile Lab. She holds a PhD in Chemistry on Organometallics and a Master’s in Analytic Chemistry. In 2018, she gave a talk at TEDxCanggu in Bali, Indonesia about her company which creates organic colors from naturally occurring bacteria in order to provide a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional synthetic colors. While we’re sure that she gave an amazing TED talk, it seems that the video of it has been lost to the sands of time. So, here’s the next best thing: her pitch at ClimateLaunchpad.

We hope you enjoyed this list of inspiring talks by powerful females from across the globe. Be sure to take par in International Women’s Day by raising awareness against bias, celebrating the achievements of women, and strengthening the call for creating a more gender-balanced world. Share our post with the hashtag #BalanceforBetter and better yet, be sure to share your own unique story or the stories of women who inspire you.