ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Ric Elias - Entrepreneur
Ric Elias is the CEO of Red Ventures, a marketing services company that grew out of Elias' long experience in business.

Why you should listen

Born in Puerto Rico, Ric Elias came to the United States for college knowing little English, as he writes in his online bio . So what did he do? "I adjusted my schedule and took only classes that dealt with numbers my entire first year," he says. "I'd always been decent at math, and things like calculus and accounting were non-lingual. I was able to buy some time to improve my English skills." His facility with numbers has led to a wide-ranging career in business and finance.

Elias is the CEO and co-founder of Red Ventures, a firm that helps large service companies acquire new customers online. He began his career in General Electric Co.'s Aerospace Division, then worked at the marketing services company CUC International (later known as Cendant). Prior to founding Red Ventures, Ric served as president of Spark Network Services, a promotion and data company held by Cendant.

"I'm a frustrated athlete," says Elias. "To me, business is the Olympics for non-athletes. It comes down to loving competition; figuring out whom we should compete against and how to beat them."

More profile about the speaker
Ric Elias | Speaker | TED.com
TED2011

Ric Elias: 3 things I learned while my plane crashed

ریک ئیلیاس: ٣ شت فێربووم کاتێک فڕۆکەکم کەوتە خوارەوە

Filmed:
7,721,543 views

ریک ئیلیاس لە ڕیزی پێشەوەی گەشتی ئاسمانی ١٥٤٩ دانیشبوو، ئەوەی لە ڕوباری هەدسن نیشتەوە لە نیویۆرک لە کانوونی دووەمی ٢٠٠٩ . چی بە مێشکیدا دەهات کاتی کەوتنە خوارەوەکە؟ لە تێد بۆ یەکەم جار بە ئاشکرا چیرۆکەکەی دەگێڕێتەوە.
- Entrepreneur
Ric Elias is the CEO of Red Ventures, a marketing services company that grew out of Elias' long experience in business. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:15
Imagine a big explosion
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تەقینەوەیەکی گەورە بێنەرە بەرچاوت
کاتێک بەرزدەبیتەوە بۆ بەرزی ٣٠٠٠ پێ.
00:18
as you climb through 3,000 ft.
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00:21
Imagine a plane full of smoke.
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فرۆکەیەک بێنەرە بەرچاوت پڕبێت لە دوکەڵ.
00:25
Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack,
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بزوێنەرێک بێنەرە بەرچاوت
بڵێت کلا، کلا، کلا.
00:27
clack, clack, clack, clack.
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00:29
It sounds scary.
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ترسناک دیارە.
00:31
Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.
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ئێ، من ئەو ڕۆژە جێگەیەکی تایبەتم هەبوو.
لە ١دی دادەنیشتم.
00:34
I was the only one who could talk to the flight attendants.
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من تاکە کەس بووم دەمتوانی قسە لەگەڵ
کارمەندی فڕۆکەکە بکەم.
00:37
So I looked at them right away,
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بۆیە منیش یەکسەر تەماشام کردن،
00:39
and they said, "No problem. We probably hit some birds."
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وە ووتیان "کێشە نییە پێ دەچێت
لە چەند باڵندەیەکمان دابێت."
00:42
The pilot had already turned the plane around,
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فڕۆکەوانەکە فڕۆکەکەی گەڕاندەوە، و
00:44
and we weren't that far.
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زۆر دوور نەبووین.
00:46
You could see Manhattan.
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دەتتوانی مانهاتن ببینیت.
00:48
Two minutes later,
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دوو خولەک دواتر،
00:50
three things happened at the same time.
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سێ شت بەیەکەوە ڕوویاندا.
00:53
The pilot lines up the plane with the Hudson River.
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فڕۆکەوانەکە فڕۆکەکەی لەگەڵ
ڕووباری هەدسن ڕێک کردەوە.
00:57
That's usually not the route.
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ئەوە ڕێگە باوەکە نییە.
00:59
(Laughter)
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(پێکەنین)
01:01
He turns off the engines.
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بزوێنەرەکانی کوژاندەوە.
01:04
Now imagine being in a plane with no sound.
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ئێستا، بیهێنەرە بەرچاوت لەناو
فڕۆکەیەک بیت دەنگی لێوە نەیەت.
01:07
And then he says three words --
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ئینجا سێ ووشەی وت.
01:09
the most unemotional three words I've ever heard.
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سێ بێ سۆزترین ووشە کە
تا ئێستا گوێم لێبووبێت.
01:12
He says, "Brace for impact."
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وتی، "ئامادەبن بۆ بەرکەوتن."
01:16
I didn't have to talk to the flight attendant anymore.
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ئیتر پێویستی نەدەکرد لەگەڵ
کارمەندانی فڕۆکەکە قسە بکەم.
01:18
(Laughter)
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(پێکەنین)
01:21
I could see in her eyes,
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دەمتوانی لە چاوی هەستی پێبکەم،
ترسێکی زۆربوو.
01:23
it was terror. Life was over.
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ژیان کۆتایی هات.
01:26
Now I want to share with you three things I learned about myself that day.
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ئێستاش دەمەوێ ئەو ٣ شتە بۆ ئێوە باس
بکەم کە لەو رۆژەدا فێریان بووم.
ئەوە فێربووم کە هەموو شتێک
لە چرکەیەکدا دەگۆڕێت.
01:31
I learned that it all changes in an instant.
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01:34
We have this bucket list,
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ئەم لیستەمان هەیە،
01:36
we have these things we want to do in life,
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ئەو شتانە هەیە کە دەمانەوێ
لە ژیانماندا بیکەین،
01:38
and I thought about all the people I wanted to reach out to that I didn't,
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بیرم لە هەموو ئەو خەڵکە کردەوە کە
ویستم پێیان بگەم
01:41
all the fences I wanted to mend,
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هەموو ئەو بەربەستانەی
ویستم بیانچەمێنمەوە،
01:44
all the experiences I wanted to have and I never did.
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هەموو ئەو ئەزموونانەی
ویستم بیانکەم و نەمکردنوون.
01:47
As I thought about that later on,
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کاتێک دوایی بیرم لێ کردەوە،
01:50
I came up with a saying,
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دێڕێکم دروست کرد،
01:52
which is, "I collect bad wines."
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ئەویش، "من شەرابی خراپ کۆدەکەمەوە."
01:55
Because if the wine is ready and the person is there, I'm opening it.
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لەبەرئەوەی ئەگەر شەرابەکە ئامادە بێت
و کەسەکەش لەوێ بێت، من دەیکەمەوە.
01:58
I no longer want to postpone anything in life.
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ئیتر نامەوێ هیچ شتێک لە ژیانمدا دوابخەم.
02:01
And that urgency, that purpose,
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ئەو پەلەپەلە، ئەو مەبەستە
بەتەواوی ژیانی گۆڕیم.
02:03
has really changed my life.
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02:06
The second thing I learned that day --
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دووەم شت کە فێربووم لەو ڕۆژەدا --
02:08
and this is as we clear the George Washington Bridge,
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ئەمەش ئەو کاتە بوو کە لە پردی
جۆرج واشنتۆن تێپەڕین،
02:11
which was by not a lot --
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کە زۆر نەبوو--
(پێکەنین)
02:14
I thought about, wow,
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بیرم دەکەمەوە، واو تەنها
بەداخەوەم بۆ شتێک.
02:16
I really feel one real regret.
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02:18
I've lived a good life.
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ژیانێکی خۆشم بەڕێکرد.
02:20
In my own humanity and mistakes,
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بە مرۆڤدۆستی و هەڵەی خۆم،
02:22
I've tried to get better at everything I tried.
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هەوڵم دەدا ئەوەی دەیکەم
باشتر بیکەم.
02:24
But in my humanity,
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بەڵام وەک مرۆڤێک هەندێک
جار ناخم زاڵ بووە.
02:26
I also allow my ego to get in.
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02:28
And I regretted the time I wasted
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وە پەشیمانم لەو کاتانەی کە بەهەدەرمدان
لە شتی نا گرنگ.
02:31
on things that did not matter
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02:33
with people that matter.
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لەگەڵ خەڵکانێکی گرنگدا.
02:35
And I thought about my relationship with my wife,
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بیرم لە پەیوەندییەکەم کردەوە
لەگەڵ هاوسەرەکەم.
02:38
with my friends, with people.
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هاوڕێکانم، و لەگەڵ خەڵکی.
02:40
And after, as I reflected on that,
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دواتر، کاریگەری لەسەرم هەبوو،
02:42
I decided to eliminate negative energy from my life.
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بڕیارمدا کە هەموو ووزە نەرێنیەکەی
ژیانم لابدەم.
02:45
It's not perfect, but it's a lot better.
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تەواو ڕێک نییە، بەڵام زۆر باشترە.
02:47
I've not had a fight with my wife in two years.
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دوو ساڵە لەگەڵ هاوسەرەکەم
دەمەقاڵەیەکم نەبووە.
02:49
It feels great.
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هەستێکی دڵخۆشکەرە.
02:51
I no longer try to be right;
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چیتر هەوڵنادەم ڕاست بم؛
02:53
I choose to be happy.
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دڵخۆشی هەڵدەبژێرم.
02:56
The third thing I learned --
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سێیەم شت کە فێربووم --
02:58
and this is as your mental clock
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ئەمەش ئەو کاتەیە کە کاتژمێرەکەی
مێشکت دەڵێ " ١٥، ١٣،١٤،"
03:00
starts going, "15, 14, 13."
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03:02
You can see the water coming.
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کاتێک ئاوەکە دەبینی کە دێت.
03:04
I'm saying, "Please blow up."
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منیش دەڵێم، " تکایە بتەقێرەوە. "
03:06
I don't want this thing to break in 20 pieces
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نامەوێ ئەم شتە ببێ بە ٢٠ پارچەوە
03:08
like you've seen in those documentaries.
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وەک ئەوەی لە دۆکیومێنتاریەکان دەیبینی.
03:11
And as we're coming down,
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ئەو کاتەی دەهاتینە خوارەوە،
03:13
I had a sense of, wow,
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هەستێکم هەبوو، واو، مردن ترسناک نییە.
03:15
dying is not scary.
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03:18
It's almost like we've been preparing for it our whole lives.
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وەک شتێک وابوو کە هەموو
تەمەنمان خۆمان بۆ ئامادە کردبوو.
03:21
But it was very sad.
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بەڵام زۆر ناخۆش بوو.
03:23
I didn't want to go; I love my life.
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نەمئەویست بڕۆم؛ من ژیانم خۆش دەوێ.
03:26
And that sadness
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ئەو ناخۆشیەش هەمووی لە یەک
بیرۆکەیا کۆبووەوە.
03:28
really framed in one thought,
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03:30
which is, I only wish for one thing.
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کە ئەوە بوو، هیوای یەک شتم دەخواست.
03:33
I only wish I could see my kids grow up.
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هیوام ئەوە بوو منداڵەکانم ببینم گەورە ببن.
03:37
About a month later, I was at a performance by my daughter --
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دوای مانگێک، لە نواندنێکی کچەکەم بووم--
03:40
first-grader, not much artistic talent ...
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پۆلی یەک، شتێکی زۆر هونەریانە نەبوو--
03:43
... yet.
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(پێکەنین)
تا ئێستا!
03:45
(Laughter)
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(پێکەنین)
03:47
And I'm bawling, I'm crying,
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وەکو مناڵێکی بچووک
شیوەن دەکەم ، دەگریم. و
03:49
like a little kid.
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03:52
And it made all the sense in the world to me.
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گەورەترین واتای هەبوو بۆم
لەم جیهانەدا.
03:55
I realized at that point,
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بۆم دەرکەوت لە چرکەیەدا ،
بە پێکەوەنانی ئەو دوو خاڵە،
03:57
by connecting those two dots,
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03:59
that the only thing that matters in my life
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کە تاکە شت کە گرنگ بێت لە ژیانمدا
04:01
is being a great dad.
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ئەوەیە باوکێکی چاک بم.
04:03
Above all, above all,
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لەسەروو هەموو شتێکەوە،
04:06
the only goal I have in life
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تاکە ئامانجێکم هەیە لە ژیاندا
باوکێکی باش بم.
04:08
is to be a good dad.
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04:10
I was given the gift of a miracle,
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من موعجیزە کراوە بە دیاریم،
04:12
of not dying that day.
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کە نەمردم ئەو رۆژە.
04:14
I was given another gift,
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دیاریەکی دیکەشم وەرگرت،
04:16
which was to be able to see into the future
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ئەوە بوو دەمتوانی داهاتوو ببینم
04:18
and come back
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و بگەڕێمەوە
04:20
and live differently.
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بە جیاوازی بژیم.
04:22
I challenge you guys that are flying today,
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من پێتان دەڵێم ئەوانەی کە ئەمڕۆ دەفڕن.
04:25
imagine the same thing happens on your plane --
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بیهێنەرە بەرچاوت کە هەمان شت
بەسەر فڕۆکەکەی تۆدا بێت--
04:28
and please don't --
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وە تکایە مەیکە--
04:30
but imagine, and how would you change?
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بەڵام بیهێنەرە بەرچاوت، چی دەگۆڕیت؟
04:32
What would you get done that you're waiting to get done
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چی تەواو دەکەی
کە چاوەڕێت کردووە بیکەیت
چونکە وات زانیووە هەتا هەتایە لێرە دەبێت؟
04:35
because you think you'll be here forever?
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04:37
How would you change your relationships
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چۆن پەیوەندیەکانت دەگۆڕیت
04:39
and the negative energy in them?
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هەروەها ئەو ووزە نەرێنیانەی
کە تیایاندایە؟
04:41
And more than anything, are you being the best parent you can?
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لە هەمووشی گرنگتر ئایا باشترین
باوانیت بەلای خۆتەوە؟
04:44
Thank you.
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سوپاس.
(چەپڵە)
04:46
(Applause)
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Translated by Hiwa Foundation
Reviewed by Hiwa Foundation 3

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Ric Elias - Entrepreneur
Ric Elias is the CEO of Red Ventures, a marketing services company that grew out of Elias' long experience in business.

Why you should listen

Born in Puerto Rico, Ric Elias came to the United States for college knowing little English, as he writes in his online bio . So what did he do? "I adjusted my schedule and took only classes that dealt with numbers my entire first year," he says. "I'd always been decent at math, and things like calculus and accounting were non-lingual. I was able to buy some time to improve my English skills." His facility with numbers has led to a wide-ranging career in business and finance.

Elias is the CEO and co-founder of Red Ventures, a firm that helps large service companies acquire new customers online. He began his career in General Electric Co.'s Aerospace Division, then worked at the marketing services company CUC International (later known as Cendant). Prior to founding Red Ventures, Ric served as president of Spark Network Services, a promotion and data company held by Cendant.

"I'm a frustrated athlete," says Elias. "To me, business is the Olympics for non-athletes. It comes down to loving competition; figuring out whom we should compete against and how to beat them."

More profile about the speaker
Ric Elias | Speaker | TED.com