Başarıya Giden Yolda Zihinsel Dönüşüm | Berke Sarpaş | TEDxYouth@NKFLSchool

Berke Sarpaş's Entrepreneurial Journey

• Berke Sarpaş, a young entrepreneur, shares his journey of starting his own business.
• He graduated from Bilkent University and then from the University of Melbourne, Australia.
• After graduation, he decided to focus on building his own business and started by selling organic agricultural products from Turkey to international markets through his own website.
• He faced challenges in setting up his website in 2004, but he persevered and focused on e-commerce and online marketing.
• He created the brand "Organ" and listed his products on various online marketplaces, including Alibaba.
• In 2006, he started teaching a course on how to build an online business and conduct professional e-commerce.
• He later joined Baltaş Consultancy, a leading consulting firm in Turkey, to gain further knowledge and expertise in e-commerce.
• He collaborated with Professor Dr. Baltaş, a psychology professor, to develop and deliver e-commerce training programs.
• In January 2007, they launched their e-commerce training program under the auspices of the Ministry of National Education.
• Berke Sarpaş started a program to help people start their own businesses online.
• The program involved teaching people how to choose products, conduct market research, create websites, find international customers, and sell their products online.
• This program began before the widespread use of smartphones, Facebook, and social media.
• By 2013, the program had helped over 5,000 people start businesses.
• However, Sarpaş noticed a problem: many participants lacked discipline and struggled to complete the program's requirements.
• He realized that many people were looking for quick and easy ways to make money, rather than focusing on building a sustainable business.
• Sarpaş also observed a lack of vision and understanding of the purpose behind starting a business.

The Importance of a Broader Perspective

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the broader context of one's work and its connection to different disciplines. He argues that focusing solely on a specific task without considering its wider implications can limit creativity and innovation.
• The speaker highlights the need for a social shift away from the pursuit of wealth as the primary goal. He believes that this obsession with wealth is detrimental to the environment and society as a whole.
• The speaker stresses the importance of mental well-being and avoiding excuses. He emphasizes that mental health is crucial for success and that individuals should not allow themselves to be bogged down by excuses.
• The speaker advocates for finding a connection between one's work and their life purpose. He believes that this connection fosters passion and creativity, leading to more meaningful and fulfilling work.
• The speaker emphasizes the importance of specialization and interdisciplinary thinking. He argues that by connecting different disciplines and drawing analogies between them, individuals can unlock creativity and generate innovative ideas.
• The speaker highlights the need for collaboration and diverse teams. He believes that working with people from different backgrounds and cultures fosters a more dynamic and innovative environment.
• The speaker emphasizes the importance of having a multi-functional skillset. He argues that individuals need to be able to perform various tasks, including marketing, sales, operations, finance, and more, to succeed in today's world.

Global Challenges and Social Impact

• Social problems are increasing due to population growth: The world population has surpassed 8 billion, with births outpacing deaths significantly. This rapid growth leads to complex and diverse relationships, resulting in increased social problems.
• Kuznets Curve and its limitations: Kuznets Curve suggests that inequality initially rises with economic development but eventually declines. However, this theory has limitations. While inequality may decrease at some point, it rarely returns to its initial level.
• The issue of wealth concentration: Despite economic growth, a significant portion of the world's wealth is concentrated in the hands of a small group. This leads to a situation where a large number of people struggle to survive on less than a dollar a day.
• The role of corporations and corruption: The text criticizes the idea that corporations are inherently good and that corruption is simply a result of government intervention in free markets. It argues that this view is morally problematic and has not led to a better world.
• The text highlights the stark reality of global inequality, stating that 1 billion people live on less than $1.50 per day, which is barely enough to sustain a family of four.
• It emphasizes the unsustainable nature of current consumption patterns, noting that if everyone lived like Australians, Americans, or Europeans, we would need 4.5 Earths.
• The text acknowledges the growing awareness of social problems due to increased access to information through social media.
• It cites research indicating that companies, particularly those in the S&P 500, are increasingly recognizing the need for corporate involvement in addressing social issues, especially when governments fall short.
• The text advocates for integrating social goals, as outlined by the United Nations, into business practices.
• It emphasizes the importance of a "social impact" approach, where companies prioritize social good alongside financial profit, considering factors like fair wages and sustainable practices.
• The text mentions the "Açık Hesap Vakfı" (Open Account Foundation) as an example of an initiative promoting this approach.

The Importance of Mental Strength and Continuous Improvement

• The Importance of Mental Strength: Berke Sarpaş emphasizes the need for mental strength in today's rapidly changing world. He argues that we are constantly bombarded with information, and we need to be mentally prepared to handle this influx.
• The Need for Continuous Improvement: Sarpaş compares mental growth to physical training. Just as an athlete needs to train consistently to improve, we need to challenge ourselves mentally every day. This means pushing ourselves to learn new things, solve problems, and think critically.
• The Power of Asking Unique Questions: Sarpaş highlights the importance of asking unique questions. He believes that by asking questions that challenge conventional thinking, we can unlock new insights and create a unique perspective.
• Everyone is an Artist: Sarpaş connects the concept of being an artist to the ability to express one's unique perspective. He argues that everyone has the potential to be an artist, regardless of their profession, by bringing their own unique vision to their work.
• To become an artist, one must learn to express themselves uniquely, not just imitate others.
• Self-discovery is crucial, requiring introspection and understanding one's purpose and philosophy of life.
• Specialization is essential for success. This involves focusing on specific areas of interest and delving into their details.
• Online platforms offer opportunities for specialized learning through "no degree" programs, allowing individuals to focus on specific sub-topics.
• The text emphasizes the importance of narrowing down one's focus. For example, instead of saying "I work with flying devices," one should specify "I work with drones" or even "I develop unique liquid lenses for cameras."
• Discipline is key to success. The text highlights the example of Leonardo da Vinci, who meticulously studied human anatomy and facial expressions to understand emotions.
• Da Vinci's dedication to observation and analysis allowed him to decipher human emotions and even predict people's social status based on their behavior.

The Power of Interdisciplinary Thinking

• Interdisciplinary thinking is crucial for innovation. The example of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa is used to illustrate this point. Da Vinci's mastery of various disciplines, including art, science, and engineering, allowed him to create a masterpiece that transcends traditional boundaries.
• Atatürk's success was also rooted in interdisciplinary thinking. He drew upon knowledge from various fields to create innovative solutions and models.
• The development of drones and liquid lenses for cameras is another example of interdisciplinary innovation. By combining knowledge from different disciplines, engineers were able to create new technologies that address real-world problems.
• The need for interdisciplinary thinking is particularly important in addressing global challenges. The text highlights the example of Australia, which was initially established as a penal colony but has become a desirable place to live. This transformation required interdisciplinary solutions to address various challenges, including infrastructure, social development, and environmental sustainability.
• Other examples of successful interdisciplinary solutions include the development of Singapore, Dubai, and Canada. These countries have all achieved significant progress by drawing upon knowledge from various fields to address their unique challenges.

The Importance of Diversity and Collaboration

• Diversity is crucial for success: The speaker emphasizes the importance of diverse teams in business and projects. They cite examples like Silicon Valley, where a significant portion of successful companies are founded by immigrants.
• Key elements for successful entrepreneurs: The speaker highlights four essential elements for successful entrepreneurs: a strong network, mental resilience, interdisciplinary skills, and market understanding.
• The role of value proposition and marketing: The speaker emphasizes the importance of a clear value proposition and effective marketing strategies for any successful venture.

The "Girişim Savaşı" Program and Social Impact Initiatives

• The "Girişim Savaşı" program: The speaker introduces the "Girişim Savaşı" program, which aims to cultivate individuals with social impact, resilience, and leadership skills. The program has been running for over 10 years, with over 22,000 participants and 467 social impact startups created.
• Social impact initiatives: The speaker mentions the program's involvement in social impact initiatives, including projects addressing global and local challenges. They highlight the rapid response to the 2023 earthquake in Turkey, with the creation of "enkazbildirim.org" within 38 hours to help locate people trapped in rubble.
• The speaker mentions a call center team of 50 graduates who were tasked with contacting people in a specific region.
• The speaker emphasizes the difficulty of these phone calls, as the people being contacted were likely very busy.
• The speaker highlights the success of the team, stating that they managed to coordinate the removal of 3,760 pieces of debris and the completion of over 600 tasks within 12 days.
• The speaker mentions a book titled "Savaşçısı" (Warrior) which is about to enter its third edition.
• The speaker notes that the book was a finalist in a book competition and that it contains details about the call center project.