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

Ric Elias: 3 veci, ktoré som sa naučil, počas pádu môjho lietadla

Filmed:
7,721,543 views

Ric Elias v januári 2009 sedel v prvom rade na palube letu 1549, ktorý sa zrútil do rieky Hudson v New Yorku. Čo mu prebehlo mysľou, keď sa lietadlo odsúdené k záhube rútilo dolu? Na konferencii TED po prvýkrát rozpráva svoj príbeh verejne.
- 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
ImaginePredstavte si a bigveľký explosionvýbuch
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Predstavte si obrovskú explóziu
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as you climbšplhať throughskrz 3,000 ftft.
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vo výške viac ako 900 m.
00:21
ImaginePredstavte si a planelietadlo fullplne of smokedym.
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Predstavte si lietadlo plné dymu,
00:25
ImaginePredstavte si an enginemotor going clackClack, clackClack, clackClack,
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Predstavte si motor, ktorý robí klak, klak, klak,
00:27
clackClack, clackClack, clackClack, clackClack.
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klak, klak, klak, klak.
00:29
It soundszvuky scarystrašidelný.
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Znie to desivo.
00:31
Well I had a uniquejedinečný seatsedlo that day. I was sittingsediaci in 1D.
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Nuž ja som mal v ten deň špeciálne sedadlo. Sedel som na 1D.
00:34
I was the only one who could talk to the flightlet attendantstelefónny systém.
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Bol som jediný, kto sa mohol rozprávať s letuškami.
00:37
So I lookedpozrel at them right away,
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Takže som sa na nich okamžite pozrel
00:39
and they said, "No problemproblém. We probablypravdepodobne hithit some birdsvtáky."
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a oni povedali, "Žiaden problém. Pravdepodobne sme narazili do nejakých vtákov."
00:42
The pilotpilot had already turnedobrátil the planelietadlo around,
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Pilot vtedy už obrátil lietadlo
00:44
and we weren'tneboli that farďaleko.
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a neboli sme tak ďaleko.
00:46
You could see ManhattanManhattan.
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Bolo vidno na Manhattan.
00:48
Two minutesminúty laterneskôr,
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O dve minúty neskôr
00:50
threetri things happenedStalo at the samerovnaký time.
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sa naraz stali tri veci.
00:53
The pilotpilot linesčiary up the planelietadlo with the HudsonHudson RiverRieka.
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Pilot zarovná lietadlo s riekou Hudson.
00:57
That's usuallyzvyčajne not the routetrasa.
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Tadiaľ zvyčajne trasa nevedie.
00:59
(LaughterSmiech)
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(Smiech)
01:01
He turnszákruty off the enginesmotory.
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Vypne motory.
01:04
Now imaginepredstaviť si beingbytia in a planelietadlo with no soundznieť.
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Teraz si predstavte, aké to je, byť v lietadle bez zvuku.
01:07
And then he sayshovorí threetri wordsslová --
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A potom povie tri slová --
01:09
the mostväčšina unemotionalbez emócií threetri wordsslová I've ever heardpočul.
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tri najchladnejšie slová, aké som kedy počul.
01:12
He sayshovorí, "BraceZložená zátvorka for impactnáraz."
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Hovorí, "Pripraviť na náraz."
01:16
I didn't have to talk to the flightlet attendanttelefónny systém anymore.
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Už som sa ani nemusel rozprávať s letuškami.
01:18
(LaughterSmiech)
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(Smiech)
01:21
I could see in her eyesoči,
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Videl som to v ich očiach,
01:23
it was terrorhrôza. Life was over.
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bolo to zdesenie. Život bol na konci.
01:26
Now I want to sharezdieľam with you threetri things I learnedučený about myselfja sám that day.
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Teraz sa s vami chcem podeliť o tri veci, ktoré som sa v ten deň o sebe naučil.
01:31
I learnedučený that it all changeszmeny in an instantokamžitý.
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Naučil som sa, že všetko sa mení v okamžiku.
01:34
We have this bucketvedierko listzoznam,
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Máme tie svoje zoznamy
01:36
we have these things we want to do in life,
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s vecami, ktoré chceme v živote urobiť
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and I thought about all the people I wanted to reachdosah out to that I didn't,
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a ja som myslel na všetkých tých ľudí, s ktorým som sa chcel stretnúť a nestretol sa,
01:41
all the fencesploty I wanted to mendvzostupe,
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všetky prekážky, ktoré som chcel prekonať,
01:44
all the experiencesskúsenosti I wanted to have and I never did.
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všetky zážitky, ktoré som chcel mať a nikdy nemal.
01:47
As I thought about that laterneskôr on,
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Ako som nad tým neskôr rozmýšľal,
01:50
I cameprišiel up with a sayingpríslovie,
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vymyslel som také motto,
01:52
whichktorý is, "I collectzbierať badzlý winesvína."
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ktoré je, "Zbieram zle vína."
01:55
Because if the winevíno is readypripravený and the persončlovek is there, I'm openingotváracia it.
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Pretože, ak je víno pripravené a mám spoločnosť, otváram ho.
01:58
I no longerdlhšie want to postponeodložiť anything in life.
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Už viac nechcem v živote nič odkladať.
02:01
And that urgencynaliehavosť, that purposeúčel,
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A tá naliehavosť, tento zámer,
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has really changedzmenený my life.
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skutočne zmenili môj život.
02:06
The seconddruhý thing I learnedučený that day --
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Druhá vec, ktorú som sa v ten deň naučil --
02:08
and this is as we clearjasný the GeorgeGeorge WashingtonWashington BridgeMost,
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a to bolo, keď sme minuli most Georga Washingtona
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whichktorý was by not a lot --
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a to dosť tesne --
02:14
I thought about, wowWow,
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pomyslel som si, wow,
02:16
I really feel one realskutočný regretľutovať.
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jednu vec fakt ľutujem.
02:18
I've livedžíl a good life.
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Žil som dobrý život.
02:20
In my ownvlastný humanityľudskosť and mistakeschyby,
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V mojej vlastnej ľudskosti a omyloch,
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I've triedskúšal to get better at everything I triedskúšal.
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snažil som sa zlepšiť vo všetkom, čo som skúsil.
02:24
But in my humanityľudskosť,
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Ale v mojej ľudskosti
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I alsotaktiež allowdovoliť my egoego to get in.
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som taktiež dovolil, aby sa ozvalo moje ego.
02:28
And I regrettedľutoval the time I wastedzbytočne
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A ľutoval som čas, ktorý som premárnil
02:31
on things that did not matterzáležitosť
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na veci, na ktorých nezáležalo
02:33
with people that matterzáležitosť.
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s ľuďmi, na ktorých mi záležalo.
02:35
And I thought about my relationshipsúvislosť with my wifežena,
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A myslel som na môj vzťah s manželkou,
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with my friendspriatelia, with people.
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s mojimi priateľmi, s ľuďmi.
02:40
And after, as I reflectedodráža on that,
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A potom, keď som nad tým rozmýšľal,
02:42
I decidedrozhodol to eliminateodpratať negativenegatívny energyenergie from my life.
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rozhodol som sa odstrániť zo svojho života negatívnu energiu.
02:45
It's not perfectperfektný, but it's a lot better.
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Nie je dokonalý, ale je omnoho lepší.
02:47
I've not had a fightboj with my wifežena in two yearsleta.
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Už dva roky som sa s manželkou nepohádal.
02:49
It feelscíti great.
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Je to skvelý pocit.
02:51
I no longerdlhšie try to be right;
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Už sa viac nesnažím mať stále pravdu;
02:53
I choosezvoliť to be happyšťastný.
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rozhodol som sa byť šťastný.
02:56
The thirdtretina thing I learnedučený --
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Tretia vec, ktorú som sa naučil --
02:58
and this is as your mentalduševné clockhodiny
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a to popri tom, ako vaše vnútorné hodiny
03:00
startszačína going, "15, 14, 13."
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začínajú odbíjať, "15, 14, 13."
03:02
You can see the watervoda comingPrichádza.
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Vidíte ako sa približuje voda.
03:04
I'm sayingpríslovie, "Please blowúder up."
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Hovorím, "Prosím vybuchni."
03:06
I don't want this thing to breakprestávka in 20 pieceskúsky
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Nechcem, aby sa táto vec rozlámala na 20 kúskov,
03:08
like you've seenvidieť in those documentariesdokumentárne.
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ako to vidíte v dokumentoch.
03:11
And as we're comingPrichádza down,
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A ako sa rútime dolu,
03:13
I had a sensezmysel of, wowWow,
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tak som si uvedomil, wow,
03:15
dyingumierajúci is not scarystrašidelný.
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umieranie nie je strašidelné.
03:18
It's almosttakmer like we'vemy máme been preparingpríprava for it our wholecelý livesživoty.
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Je to skoro ako keby sme sa naňho boli pripravovali celé naše životy.
03:21
But it was very sadsmutný.
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Ale bolo to veľmi smutné.
03:23
I didn't want to go; I love my life.
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Nechcel som ísť; Milujem svoj život.
03:26
And that sadnesssmútok
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A ten smútok
03:28
really framedrámovanie in one thought,
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sa sformoval do jednej myšlienky,
03:30
whichktorý is, I only wishpriať for one thing.
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a to, že si prajem len jednu vec.
03:33
I only wishpriať I could see my kidsdeti growrásť, pestovať up.
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Prajem si len to, aby som mohol vidieť vyrastať moje deti.
03:37
About a monthmesiac laterneskôr, I was at a performancevýkon by my daughterdcéra --
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Asi o mesiac neskôr som bol na vystúpení mojej dcéry --
03:40
first-graderFirst-zrovnávače, not much artisticumelecký talenttalent ...
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je prváčka, nie je veľmi umelecky talentovaná ...
03:43
... yetešte.
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... zatiaľ.
03:45
(LaughterSmiech)
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(Smiech)
03:47
And I'm bawlingkřičící, I'm cryingplač,
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A ja roním slzy, plačem,
03:49
like a little kiddieťa.
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ako malé decko.
03:52
And it madevyrobený all the sensezmysel in the worldsvet to me.
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A mne to dávalo všetok zmysel na svete.
03:55
I realizedsi uvedomil, at that pointbod,
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Vtedy som si uvedomil,
03:57
by connectingspojovacie those two dotsbodky,
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tým, že som si dal dokopy tie dve situácie,
03:59
that the only thing that matterszáležitosti in my life
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že jediná vec, na ktorej v mojom živote záleží,
04:01
is beingbytia a great dadocko.
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je byť dobrým otcom.
04:03
AboveVyššie all, abovevyššie all,
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Nadovšetko, nadovšetko,
04:06
the only goalcieľ I have in life
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jediný cieľ, ktorý v živote mám,
04:08
is to be a good dadocko.
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je byť dobrým otcom.
04:10
I was givendaný the giftdarček of a miraclezázrak,
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Dostal som do daru zázrak,
04:12
of not dyingumierajúci that day.
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to že som v ten deň neumrel.
04:14
I was givendaný anotherďalší giftdarček,
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Dostal som ešte jeden dar,
04:16
whichktorý was to be ableschopný to see into the futurebudúcnosť
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schopnosť vidieť do budúcnosti
04:18
and come back
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a vrátiť sa späť
04:20
and livežiť differentlyodlišne.
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a žiť inak.
04:22
I challengevýzva you guys that are flyinglietanie todaydnes,
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Vyzývam vás, tí ktorí dnes budete letieť,
04:25
imaginepredstaviť si the samerovnaký thing happensdeje on your planelietadlo --
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predstavte si, že sa to isté stane vo vašom lietadle --
04:28
and please don't --
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a dúfam, že sa nestane --
04:30
but imaginepredstaviť si, and how would you changezmena?
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ale predstavte si to, ako by ste sa zmenili?
04:32
What would you get donehotový that you're waitingčakania to get donehotový
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Čo by ste urobili z toho, čo odkladáte,
04:35
because you think you'llbudete be here forevernavždy?
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pretože si myslíte, že tu budete navždy?
04:37
How would you changezmena your relationshipsvzťahy
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Ako by ste zmenili svoje vzťahy
04:39
and the negativenegatívny energyenergie in them?
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a negatívnu energiu v nich?
04:41
And more than anything, are you beingbytia the bestnajlepší parentrodič you can?
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A hlavne, ste tým najlepším rodičom, akým môžete byť?
04:44
Thank you.
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Ďakujem.
04:46
(ApplausePotlesk)
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(Potlesk)
Translated by Erika Vojtkova
Reviewed by Ivana Hezelyova

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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