First and foremost, EVERYONE is invited and welcome to attend TEDxHilo. This is a public event and the price to attend is the same for everyone. 

We are on a limited budget and also limited to 100 attendees (see below). Our strategy is to work within our limited resources to attract attendees to the event.

Instead of paying service providers, we’re relying on key organizers with the necessary skills and experience to get the jobs done. These folks have dedicated their time and resources to deliver the services required to deliver the event. Some of your event organizers have made promises to other service providers in work trades and other arrangements to make the event possible. This includes the use of personal funds to pay for items in advance of ticket sales including the venue, printing and other related equipment rentals. Part of this strategy relates to certain restrictions on sponsorship and other TED branding restrictions.

So our strategy is to get the folks capable of acting on the ideas presented. In some cases, these folks are investors, policy advocates, decision makers and business leaders and grass roots activists who have demonstrated an ability to create positive change on Hawaii Island in the past. One specific tactic for selling tickets is to request names and email addresses of persons from the presenters themselves that they feel can buy tickets and will directly benefit from seeing their presentation. Not all presenters participate in this tactic and none are required to do so.

Please know that if you receive a flyer with the word, “Invitation” on it, more thought has gone into your receipt of this invitation beyond a email blast or email list rental per se.

Related verbiage from TED.com;

Attendance: Up to 100 individuals may attend your event. (Only individuals who have attended an official TED conference in person may organize an event with more than 100 attendees. I.e., the primary license holder — the individual whose name is on the application form — must have attended a TED conference. Having attended a TEDx event does not qualify you to host an event for more than 100 guests.)

One of the goals of charging for our event is to raise money to attend a TED Conference and bring back the so called, “ideas worth spreading” to our local TEDxHilo organizers.