Is luck just chance, or can it be created? In this upbeat and insightful TEDx talk, Ruchira Rangaprasad breaks down the myth of “being in the right place at the right time” and reframes luck as something we manufacture through action. As the co-founder of a nutrition startup, she shares how she went from knowing nothing about the field to becoming an expert, all by showing up, again and again. Ruchira offers four powerful principles, hard work, vision, planning, and dedication, to help anyone improve their “luck probability.” Whether your dream is to start a business, sing on stage, or simply do more of what matters, this talk reminds you that change starts with one small action... and a little more time in the right direction. “For me, luck happened because I kept showing up — and it can for you too.” — Ruchira Rangaprasad Ruchira Rangaprasad is a 22-year-old entrepreneur and marketing strategist shaping Northern Ireland’s startup scene. Founder of two growing ventures, she led one from concept to traction in under a year while earning an MSc in Marketing with Distinction. Recognised in Belfast Telegraph’s 30 Under 30 and 22 Under 22 NI, she’s also a nominee for Young Businesswoman and Young Businessperson of the Year.Ruchira serves on the Queen’s Graduate Association Committee, advises the Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship Network, and mentors student-led startups. With a passion for bold ideas and brand building, she redefines what it means to be a young founder today. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

What happens when the walls that divide us aren’t made of bricks, but of screens, silence, and superficial connections? In this powerful TEDx talk, Ciaran May, performance consultant and proud son of West Belfast, walks from his childhood street to the red dot to ask one essential question: What is the cost of winning at all costs? With stories rooted in the shadows of Belfast’s peace walls, Ciaran draws a compelling parallel between physical division and today’s emotional and digital disconnection. From Project Aristotle to our loneliness epidemic, he reveals how real performance, and real wellbeing, begins with one thing: authentic human connection. This talk is a call to leaders, workplaces, and communities: in the race toward innovation, don’t forget your humanity. Because a text will never replace trust, and a hug will always mean more than email.“Choose to be human. Choose wisely. Choose love.” — Ciaran May Ciaran May is the Founder of Natural Resilience, a company that strives to help individuals and teams connect, collaborate and grow. Ciaran, a former International Powerlifter has consulted to some of the biggest companies in the UK and Ireland to help them navigate change while prioritising their most important asset, their people.Ciaran’s person centric approach to business and life has led him to finding his tribe, and today he will show you how to find yours too.. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

What if failure wasn’t the end, but the launch pad? In this inspiring TEDx talk, aerospace engineering student Emily Bond takes us from academic setbacks to the skies of possibility, using rocket design as a powerful metaphor for human growth. Just like a spacecraft must shed layers to break through gravity, we too must let go of limiting beliefs to truly ascend.Emily shares how failing nearly every school exam didn’t stop her from pursuing a dream in aerospace, and how iteration, reflection, and courage shaped her journey more than any perfect launch ever could. Her story reminds us that success isn't linear and failure isn't fatal, it's fuel. If you're standing at the edge of a decision, a dream, or a doubt, this talk will help you take that first step.“Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It’s the courage to continue that counts.” — Emily BondEmily Bond is an aerospace engineer and PhD researcher specialising in the fire performance of materials for the transport industry. From overcoming academic setbacks, personal injuries and unexpected career trajectory changes to pioneering research in aerospace and materials science, she blends technical expertise with deep insight into resilience and human potential. Passionate about engineering outreach,Emily works to make STEM more inclusive and inspire the next generation. She is also the founder of Amarla, a self-care gift box experience business supporting wellbeing through curated, locally sourced, intentional gifts. Whether in the lab, undertaking a swimathon, or building from the ground up, her journey is powered by curiosity, grit, and growth. If you're looking to challenge how we think about failure, resilience, and what it means to rise - start here This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

What if the very things that make you different in leadership are the keys to your greatest leadership potential?Michelle Lestas, challenges the traditional mould of “A One Shoe Fits All Approach to Small Business Leadership” and invites the audience to consider: What if entrepreneurial leadership isn’t about fitting in, but about standing out? What if your perspective, shaped by your reasons to lead a particular type of small business- is exactly what shapes and forms its future strategy, its productivity and its profitability?This talk is a call to action for any small business leader and those business Consultants, Mentors, Advisors and Coaches that support them on their journey. It’s a reminder that business leadership and business strategy are completely interlinked and that successful strategy starts with each entrepreneur owning their own story. Michelle is the Executive Chair for MENTupLEADup and an international, award winning, business turnaround specialist with over 25 years’ experience assisting strategic leaders in business-to-reposition, strategise and lead with impact. The published author of “In Business With Yourself”, Orpen Press, 2021 – Michelle provides an insight to 8 different types of entrepreneurial leadership that challenge the “one Shoe Fits All” perspective. She now supports thousands of business leaders as well as those who support them - their business Consultants, Mentors, Advisors and Coaches(CMACs) – to create greater impact, profitability and productivity. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Forget the textbooks. Forget the corporate seminars. In this deeply personal and groundbreaking TEDx talk, Kevin O’Reilly, founder of Thrive Now Group, shares what years of parenting, learning, and growing with his neurodiverse family taught him about communication that no course ever could.Through raw insights and real-life moments, Kevin introduces the world premiere of the ACC Framework, Assume Nothing, Clarify Everything, Confirm Understanding, a radical, first-of-its-kind communication model designed for real life. Whether at home or in the boardroom, this framework works because it was built on truth, empathy, and lived experience.This is more than a talk. It’s an invitation to rethink how we connect, listen, and lead, because the study of successful behaviours to inspire action often begins at home.If you’ve ever felt misunderstood or struggled to truly understand others, this talk will change the way you communicate, forever. Kevin O’Reilly is the founder of Thrive Now Group and a leader in entrepreneurial growth, performance strategy, and business transformation. As Division Director for Toastmasters International, he helps people communicate with clarity and confidence. He hosts the podcast My Worst Interview Ever!, exploring resilience and lessons from failure.A forthcoming author of The Power of Client Questions (July 2025), Kevin reveals how client-led questions can drive breakthrough results. Through coaching, workshops, and speaking, he equips individuals and teams with the tools to improve every day, blending insights from communication, behaviour, and performance into practical, transformative support This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Πού σταματάει, άραγε, το ταξίδι;Ο Νικόλας Παπαχρυσοστόμου, σαν ένας σύγχρονος Φιλέας Φογκ, μας ταξίδεψε μέσα σε 18 λεπτά στον δικό του κόσμο — μια προσωπική διαδρομή προς την εντελέχεια. Μέσα από αφηγήσεις ανθρώπων που αξίζει να ακουστούν, μοιράστηκε μαζί μας στιγμές βαθιά συγκινητικές, κάποιες φορές ακόμη και σκληρές, που όμως φωτίζουν τον πυρήνα της ανθρώπινης εμπειρίας.Το πιο ουσιαστικό δώρο της ομιλίας του ήταν οι σκέψεις ενός αυθεντικού ταξιδιώτη. Μας υπενθύμισε πως αυτό που δίνει νόημα στον προορισμό δεν είναι το τέλος, αλλά η ίδια η διαδρομή. Για τον Νικόλα, το ταξίδι δεν είναι απλώς μετακίνηση — είναι στάση ζωής, είναι το μέσο με το οποίο ο άνθρωπος προσεγγίζει την προσωπική του ολοκλήρωση. Και με αυτή τη φιλοσοφία, μας ευχήθηκε το πιο αληθινό: να συνεχίσουμε να ταξιδεύουμε.Ο Νικόλας Παπαχρυσοστόμου είναι ένας πραγματικός ταξιδιώτης του κόσμου και της ζωής. Αφού ολοκλήρωσε τις σπουδές του στην Οικονομία στον Καναδά και ξεκίνησε μια καριέρα στον χρηματοοικονομικό τομέα στην Αθήνα, επέλεξε να αμφισβητήσει τη σταθερότητα και να κυνηγήσει το όνειρό του: να κάνει τον γύρο του κόσμου. Χωρίς σχέδιο, αλλά με πυξίδα την εσωτερική του ανάγκη, ταξίδεψε για επτά χρόνια.Μετά το πέρας αυτού του μοναδικού ταξιδιού, εντάχθηκε στους Γιατρούς Χωρίς Σύνορα, συμμετέχοντας σε αποστολές έρευνας, διάσωσης και ανθρωπιστικής βοήθειας σε κάθε γωνιά της γης.Where does the journey end, really?Like a modern-day Phileas Fogg, Nicholas Papachrysostomou took us on a personal 18-minute voyage toward entelechy. Through stories from people worth hearing, he shared deeply moving — and sometimes harsh — moments that illuminate the core of the human experience.The most meaningful gift of his talk was the perspective of a true traveler. He reminded us that what gives a destination meaning is not the end, but the journey itself. For Nicholas, travel isn’t just about movement — it's a way of life, the medium through which one approaches personal fulfillment. And with this philosophy, he wished us the truest thing: to keep traveling. Nicholas Papachrysostomou is an individual that stands out. Following his studies in Economics in Canada, he began a promising career with a multinational company in the financial sector of early 2000s Athens. However, he seemed to have other plans; or rather, he had no plan at all when he chose to challenge the predetermined course of his life, in order to pursue his dream: embark on a journey around the world for a full 7 years. Upon completing his odyssey, Nicholas has joined Doctors Without Borders, and has carried out missions with the organization across the globe: from the Mediterranean Sea, Yemen and the Sudan, to Bangladesh and the Peruvian Amazon. At the end of 2023, Nicholas was among the first to enter Gaza as coordinator of the Doctors Without Borders’ emergency response team, while as of recent he has come back from his last mission in the West Bank. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx