Connect with us

People & Blogs

How a Teddy Bear Company Outpaced Tech Giants | Sharon Price John | TED

Everything successful starts with heart — even the most pragmatic business plan, says Sharon Price John, CEO of Build-A-Bear. She shares how she led a purpose-centered approach to save the beloved teddy bear company from bankruptcy and get it back to global profitability, all by asking one powerful question. (Recorded at TED@BCG on October 23,…

Published

on

Everything successful starts with heart — even the most pragmatic business plan, says Sharon Price John, CEO of Build-A-Bear. She shares how she led a purpose-centered approach to save the beloved teddy bear company from bankruptcy and get it back to global profitability, all by asking one powerful question. (Recorded at TED@BCG on October 23, 2025)

Join us in person at a TED conference:
Become a TED Member to support our mission:
Subscribe to a TED newsletter:

Follow TED!
X:
Instagram:
Facebook:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:

The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world’s leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.

Watch more:

TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at

#TED #TEDTalks #Culture

Continue Reading
Advertisement
21 Comments

21 Comments

  1. @Random-potato2

    January 13, 2026 at 11:17 am

    I purchased YT premium but got this 11 minute ad 😀.

    • @naganwhat8364

      January 13, 2026 at 12:36 pm

      Yeah, old TED avoided doing that, it was more about viral, outstanding and booming presentations and ideas, not anymore it seems 😕

    • @LazerJund

      January 13, 2026 at 4:34 pm

      LMAOOOO

    • @humanemaths

      January 14, 2026 at 12:22 am

      I have premium but didn’t get any ads

    • @Random-potato2

      January 14, 2026 at 12:25 am

      @humanemathsthink about it. Sarcasm.

  2. @johnmorris679

    January 13, 2026 at 11:20 am

    A bit too “lovey dovey” for me.

  3. @dbdba

    January 13, 2026 at 11:44 am

    Simon Sinek has a similar talk on the same topic with just a slight change in wording.

    • @humanemaths

      January 14, 2026 at 12:22 am

      Can you give the link?

  4. @benjaminalomatu

    January 13, 2026 at 12:03 pm

    Talking about heart is fantastic. Thank You for making it bear ❤

  5. @antardatta8520

    January 13, 2026 at 12:24 pm

    Hello,guys.

  6. @WanderingWeirdly

    January 13, 2026 at 1:37 pm

    2:02 I usually get charged extra for that…

  7. @DiatomicLion

    January 13, 2026 at 3:05 pm

    I had a stroke saying this title out loud

  8. @acameyyy

    January 13, 2026 at 5:39 pm

    ❤❤

  9. @moka91808

    January 13, 2026 at 6:24 pm

    I know this is a TED talk, so time is limited, but I wish Sharon had taken more time to show examples of how heart-centred actions allowed their organization to defy the odds and come back stronger than ever. That was the missing piece in this talk.

    Lovely Roosevelt quote, I will be using it a lot.

  10. @BlackCatBritt

    January 13, 2026 at 9:31 pm

    the one Build A Bear store in my area recently downsized into a smaller mall location that no longer includes the “Building” step. It’s literally just a small store with overpriced pre-made bears & other licensed stuffed animals you can buy, with a rack or two of extra clothing options (also overpriced). It made me sad to see they are seemingly losing their heart to capitalism; this talk seems a bit ironic given this new development. I’m wondering if it’s just my area (western NY) or if anyone else has had this happen to BAB stores in their area?

  11. @achikaru

    January 14, 2026 at 12:18 am

    is it just me or everyone else think she is all bullshit ?

  12. @humanemaths

    January 14, 2026 at 12:22 am

    Thanks ❤🎉

  13. @awadheshverma6655

    January 14, 2026 at 7:59 am

    Before this video: confusion. After this video: unstoppable.

  14. @조원현-c3g

    January 14, 2026 at 6:29 pm

    Please set up shop in S. Korea!

  15. @lifemotivation6789

    January 15, 2026 at 7:22 am

    A company doesn’t survive because of numbers alone — it survives because of meaning.

  16. @AdityaMehendale

    January 15, 2026 at 6:37 pm

    *technically* there is another organ that comes even before the heart, but you won’t like the answer.
    Killer “know you care/care you know” quote tho..

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

People & Blogs

Your thoughts can stay— you just stop wrestling them. #TEDTalks

When is the last time you did absolutely nothing for 10 whole minutes? Not texting, talking or even thinking? Mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe describes the transformative power of doing just that: Refreshing your mind for 10 minutes a day, simply by being mindful and experiencing the present moment. (No need for incense or sitting in…

Published

on

When is the last time you did absolutely nothing for 10 whole minutes? Not texting, talking or even thinking? Mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe describes the transformative power of doing just that: Refreshing your mind for 10 minutes a day, simply by being mindful and experiencing the present moment. (No need for incense or sitting in uncomfortable positions.)

Continue Reading

People & Blogs

Your body is build for movement — so make it a part of your day #TEDTalks

Can a five-minute walk change how you feel all day? Exercise scientist Keith Diaz shows how your body is built for the kind of movement that modern life has quietly erased — and suggests something refreshingly doable: making time for small doses of movement sprinkled throughout the day, as a way to boost your brain…

Published

on

Can a five-minute walk change how you feel all day? Exercise scientist Keith Diaz shows how your body is built for the kind of movement that modern life has quietly erased — and suggests something refreshingly doable: making time for small doses of movement sprinkled throughout the day, as a way to boost your brain and body.

Continue Reading

People & Blogs

Inside Dubai’s Mission to Build the City of the Future | His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul | TED

What does it look like when a city becomes a laboratory for innovation? His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, explains why Dubai is cutting the bureaucratic red tape to experiment with big ideas in everything from AI and emerging tech to finance and climate solutions. The future, he says, depends on…

Published

on

What does it look like when a city becomes a laboratory for innovation? His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, explains why Dubai is cutting the bureaucratic red tape to experiment with big ideas in everything from AI and emerging tech to finance and climate solutions. The future, he says, depends on those willing to test it. (This conversation is hosted by TED’s Whitney Pennington Rodgers.) (Recorded at TED@BCG on October 23, 2025)

Join us in person at a TED conference:
Become a TED Member to support our mission:
Subscribe to a TED newsletter:

Follow TED!
Instagram:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:
Facebook:
X:

The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less) — plus originals, podcasts and exclusive content. Look for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design as well as science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit for our entire library, transcripts, translations and personalized recommendations.

Watch more:

TED videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with the TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), submit a request at

#TED #TEDTalks #Technology

Continue Reading

Trending