The Best Way To Answer “So What Do You Do?” | Clay Hebert | TEDxReno

Do you have an unforgettable answer to that question? We introduce ourselves all the time, and if we’re honest, we usually blow it. Answering this question poorly is the most frequent mistake we make, and the easiest to fix. The Elevator Pitch is dead. Nobody wants your business card...yet. After meeting one of his heroes and blowing his introduction, Clay Hebert has been obsessed with how we introduce ourselves and tell our story. In this short but powerful talk, Clay will share his Perfect Intro framework that has helped thousands of entrepreneurs, leaders, and brands craft better intros, tell compelling stories, and be unforgettable. Clay Hebert wants you to love your story. A speaker and storyteller, he loves words and believes we make marketing harder than it needs to be. Clay helps leaders, executives, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits improve their introductions and tell better stories so they can grow their companies and do work that matters. His work has been profiled in the books Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss, Entrepreneurial You by Dorie Clark, and Deep Work by Cal Newport. Forbes called him “one of the next generations of business and media influencers” and he was recently named one of Entrepreneur Magazine's 50 Most Daring Entrepreneurs...along with Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@ryanckulp]

fantastic talk, Clay. my rough drafts:
1. i encourage soon-to-be entrepreneurs to believe in themselves.
2. i show employees what it's like to be an owner.
3. i build things and give them away. sometimes for $.
4. i help people delete excuses.
5. i convert potential into kinetic energy.

[@Jaggerchick1]

Absolutely enlightening and after a lifetime at work and running my own business since 2009 I always say too much when I introduce myself and my businesses so at my next networking meeting I will try this framework. Thank you Clay!!

[@ovoucard]

This is GOLD and we can't believe why it doesn't have more views! Well done Clay for articulating your message so so well. Very inspiring

[@jramirez1373]

I wish I had seen this story 40 years ago when I first started working. But never too late to try applying the principles!

[@ClayHebert]

It's never too late, Joe! What is your new Perfect Intro?

[@JonVroman1]

Love this. Love Clay. This concept literally changed the way I thought about myself, my place in the world, and how I choose to connect with the people around me.

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks, Jon!

[@angielee1322]

This was INCREDIBLE. So many lightbulb moments! 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌👋

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks! What's YOUR new Perfect Intro? ;)

[@imThomasMorales]

Simple and impactful. Thanks Clay 👏

[@snehamandala]

I was so bummed that I missed your talk live as I had just finished my talk before you! I’m glad I found the video 7 mins after it posted :) great story and message Clay!

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks, Sneha! So great to meet you in Reno!

[@heyLGO]

Love, love, love being able to love my answer to this question, thanks to this brilliant guidance.

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks, Laura! You're so talented, you get a hundred Perfect Intros! :)

[@LoraleiBayette]

This really resonated with me. So powerful. This has been a pain point for me.

[@sashazayed159]

This would be valuable for job seekers who are networking with prospective employers. Lots of great nuggets in here 👌🏼

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks, Sasha! What's YOUR new Perfect Intro? :)

[@EichPhoto]

So bummed I didn’t catch this talk LIVE in Reno! Taylor Thompson (of the Hey TaylorPodcast) introduced me to your formula at a workshop just last week and it’s so brilliant!!!
Love this concept!

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks so much! Taylor is awesome.

[@alisonlutton9378]

I usually just answer, “do you mean what’s my job?” That opens real conversation.

[@charliepage6753]

That’s a great response - just curious, do most people say “yes” or do they ask something more interesting?

[@alisonlutton9378]

@@charliepage6753 sadly, they usually say “yes”. I still avoid a list of jobs (I am now retired from quite a list) or simply naming a profession and instead say something like “I held various positions and was interested early childhood education and child and family development”. Then the discussion might be about one or both of those topics instead instead of my life reduced to jobs or the idea that changing jobs meant “reinventing myself”. Hardly. Changing jobs just meant following a thread of interests, staying curious.

[@VictoriaStrong]

Freaken incredible Ted talk, Clay! So great to hear this and get more clarity for myself as well!

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks, Victoria! What's your new Perfect Intro? :)

[@VictoriaStrong]

@@ClayHebert I help coaches turn copy into clients :)

[@ClayHebert]

@@VictoriaStrong That's SOOOOOOOO good! Nice work! Love it!

[@VictoriaStrong]

@@ClayHebert Thank you Clay! Amazing presentation that brought tons of clarity.

[@robinpzander]

I remember meeting Matt at Tony’s bar during Life is Beautiful 2019, and feeling similarly unable to tell my story succinctly. Thanks for sharing, Clay, and teaching tactics for the perfect intro.

[@meanderingSapien]

This video needs to viewed so much more. Potent stuff packed in 12 mins. Ready application to life

[@iowa_diva]

Had this shared in an IowaWorks maintaining a positive attitude workshop. ❤

[@vinodm11]

a truly refreshers course and appealing one

[@katiedemingmd2226]

I missed hearing your talk live. So happy to see it posted online. It was GREAT! I am excited for my next introduction so I can try out your formula. Well done!

[@ThePrayerwalker]

This is fantastic! I'm sharing it with various writer groups.

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks so much, Janet! What's your new perfect intro?

[@centerfordirectmarketing]

Nuking The Elevator Pitch for the ideal, memorable, confident snippet. I like it. Great suggestions here for how to do it too.

[@sabbaelly]

Outstanding. A treasure.

[@JeffreyShawAuthor]

Fantastic, Clay! Now you got me thinking.....

[@mahoganyhunter8573]

Love! Love! LOVE!!!

[@ScottWeidner-z7t]

Great stuff, Clay!

[@VincentJohnsongaragedoordoctor]

Love this Clay, good job

[@brianmillerspeaks]

Great job, Clay. Loved it.

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks, Brian! What's your new Perfect Intro? (or one of them?)

[@carolthalmann4568]

I'm not longer "just a mom". I'm a mom who's done a damn good job to raise 4 productive adults.

[@nickgray]

THIS is great advice.

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks, Nick. That means a lot coming from The King of Networking.

[@ryanckulp]

bro what's your intro i gotta know

[@davidcaolo2366]

Great if you're an entrepreneur or business owner, but what about us blue-collar folks? I work as a school janitor. Should I say, "I support teachers as they do their important work"?

[@Empressively]

“I maintain/create a clean and inviting environment/space for my employees/a school/my peers/a small or large business” something like that. You can also talk about other things you do outside of work even if it’s not your career or a source of income. 🙂

[@RhondaStoppeNoRegretsWoman]

“I make the world a better place”

[@aspiraification]

Dave - You make sure that young minds and those who are tasked to educate them are provided with an ideal learning environment.
100% true and absolutely an essential part of the learning environment.

[@m_shajan1132]

Wonderful 👍

[@BretSimmons]

Great job, Clay!

[@ClayHebert]

Thank you, Bret...for everything you do and for putting on a world-class event!

[@ColeMarkusen]

How fun! Well done, Clay!

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks, Cole! What's your Perfect Intro? :)

[@ColeMarkusen]

@@ClayHebert I support people across the world to lead their healthiest life

[@ClayHebert]

@@ColeMarkusen Perfect!

[@Viktoriya544]

AMAZING

[@kalpanabalakrishnam5203]

Love it 🥰

[@bellasesta4048]

Brilliant one Clay❤️

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks, Bella! What's your new Perfect Intro?

[@NicholasPool]

Fantastic

[@annarutkowska-mol2843]

I help people find their dream job

[@Squealz_]

Amazing video

[@LoraleiBayette]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@CarlosRosario]

Powerful.

[@AymanAlAbdul]

My name is Ayman and I help 7 figure CEO's become 9 figure CEOs.

[@carloscamperos4839]

good onee

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks, Carlos! What's your Perfect Intro? ;)

[@bennewton]

wow

[@pharma.reference4545]

Good

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks!

[@irinaozeruga3270]

My best … I do my best 😂

[@ClayHebert]

That's all any of us can do! :)

[@Sean-rawlins]

6:00

[@chukwunenye_o]

Who's here in 2024?

[@stevelaw4461]

Way to long! I say, "I teach!" Thet leads others to ask questions!

[@ClayHebert]

Love that, Steve! Short and sweet is always good and leads others to ask follow-up questions!

[@jasonjstdr]

I going do the same. I was saying “I’m a college professor.” Then in reply to what do you teach? I would say sociology and criminal justice. Which was, but I like “I teach” or “I prepare college students for life after college.”

[@ClayHebert]

@@jasonjstdr “I prepare college students for life after college.” is great!

[@sashachip]

This is so pretentious. Works great if you actually have an interesting career. Explain to me how this works for someone who works as a cashier at Target? The stockperson at Walgreens? When people try to make their work sound ‘interesting’ I take it that they’re not fully convinced or confident with their work. Just keep it simple. ‘I’m a cashier at Walgreens!’, said with a confident smile, sounds way more genuine than ‘I help people make purchases that feed their families!’. Keep your words simple but let your body language tell a greater story.

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks, Alessandro. A lot of it comes down to how people feel about the work they do already. There are cashiers at Target who absolutely love their job. And there are cashiers at Target who are looking to do something else. But this is also true of people who sell insurance, hedge funds, authors, speakers and professional athletes. Some people love what they do. Some people wish they were doing something else. If someone doesn't love their career, they can always use a Perfect Intro that talks about some other aspect of their life. Maybe they're a great mom or dad...or maybe they love to grill and host backyard barbecues at their house. I've had many people develop Perfect Intros that aren't about their primary career. I agree with you that simple words and strong body language is key!

[@candice_green]

@@ClayHebert Perfect Intro is not a proper noun.

[@harailious]

you can say 'i am a provider, making needs peopel's fulfilled'

[@noelbourne2215]

Excellent

[@ClayHebert]

Thanks, Noel!

[@Sean-rawlins]

8:00