This week Harry and I were invited to Melbourne to give a TEDx talk. For those who may not know, TEDx is one of the most prestigious speaking platforms in the world. It brings together experts from across disciplines to share ideas worth spreading, and to be included is an honour we do not take lightly. The theme for this event was Beyond the Horizon ā a call to look further, think bigger and push boundaries.
Harry, my 14-year-old co-founder, and I both stepped out on stage at Federation Square. To stand side by side under the bright lights, facing a packed room of curious minds, was a moment we will never forget. Nerves were there of course, for both of us, but as we always say, fear and hope make for purpose.
Our talk carried a simple but powerful message: The world doesnāt need more ideas. What it needs are more people who have ideas and who are prepared to fail, dust themselves off, and try again until the idea is truly great. This belief comes from our own journey. Good Citizens was not built overnight. It took us 2,503 failed attempts to turn a single discarded plastic bottle into a pair of modular, repairable glasses made in Sydney. That experience taught us that failure is not the end of the road ā it is the beginning of progress.
The event itself was humbling. We shared the stage with incredible thinkers, makers and dreamers. One speaker stunned the audience with a story of growing 800,000 human brain cells, transferring them to a computer chip, and within forty minutes those cells had learned how to play Pong. It was a glimpse into a future few of us had imagined, sitting perfectly within the theme of looking beyond what we know today.
For Harry, the experience of speaking alongside such experts was a reminder that young voices can belong on the same stage as scientists, innovators and global leaders. For me, it was a chance to see just how far our journey has taken us ā from the kitchen table and thousands of failed attempts, to a platform where ideas meet the world. Together, our perspective ā father and son, co-founders who have lived through the frustration of repeated failures ā carried weight and resonated with the audience.
As Harry and I stood backstage afterwards, both of us buzzing with adrenaline and relief, I felt proud not just of what we had said, but of how we had said it. We were vulnerable. We were honest. And we stayed true to our story. TEDx is not about polished perfection. It is about sharing something that could spark a change in someone listening.
The world is filled with ideas born every second. But only a few grow up into something meaningful. That takes persistence, resilience and the courage to keep going when everything seems against you. We hope our talk inspired a few more people to back their ideas long enough to see them shine.
When TED Global release the video we will share it here so you can watch our talk in full.
