TED Talks range from funny to moving; powerful to lighthearted. They’re written to help you walk away with a new perspective on life or to learn something you wouldn’t have otherwise. There are so many great TED talks for business owners – and not just the ones specifically written for business owners. Here are 5 talks we think will provide business owners a new perspective on everyday challenges.

Leticia Gasca: Don’t fail fast – fail mindfully

“Sharing your failures makes you stronger, not weaker.”

[Warning: explicit language]

A lot of entrepreneurs start a lot of businesses, and many of them fail. However, we only hear about the success stories and not the failures. In this talk, Leticia Gasca explains how being open about failures can open you to new growth and embracing the lessons from life.

Celeste Headlee: 10 ways to have a better conversation

“Conversational competence might be the single most overlooked skill we fail to teach.”

It’s harder now than ever before to have a conversation. Celeste Headlee explains that this is because we have stopped listening. Headlee provides 10 useful rules for better conversations based on her career as an interviewer that throw out some of the “rules” you’ve been taught.

Dean Furness: To overcome challenges, stop comparing yourself to others

”The quicker you move onto what’s next, the quicker you can start attacking things”

After an accident, Dean Furness lost the use of his legs. He later became a wheelchair athlete and raced in the Chicago marathon. He discovered that by focusing on redefining his new personal average and by not focusing on other people, he could get better and achieve great things.

Bill Gross: The single biggest reason why startups succeed

“Look at if consumers are really ready for what you have to offer them”

 

Bill Gross has founded and incubated many startups over the years. Some succeeded, some failed. He gathered data from hundreds of companies to rank them on five key factors: ideas, team, business model, funding, timing. Find out why one stands out above the rest.

Regina Hartley: Why the best hire might not have the perfect resume

”Hire the scrapper.”

In her talk, Regina Hartley compares job candidates as “the silver spoon” and “the scrapper.” Commonly, managers and business owners choose the candidate who doesn’t have a patchwork resume and has the better education. She urges you to interview the “underestimated contender” who have the grit to succeed.