Case Study: From Founder to TED Top 10

When John Mills, founder of wildfire-alerting app Watch Duty, was invited to speak at TED 2025, he had five minutes to tell a story that mattered to millions.

The challenge was immense. Watch Duty's journey opened dozens of doors—administrative failures, funding challenges, the decision to become a non-profit, the role of AI in saving lives. So much could have been said. So much had to be cut.

Working with Palmer E., John spent weeks refining his message down to one central idea: the inefficiency of existing wildfire alert systems. He rehearsed daily—sometimes on a treadmill to build stage fitness. Every word earned its place. Every transition became instinctive.

The result? His talk was selected as one of TED's 10 Essential Talks of 2025.

Five minutes. One idea. Global recognition.

This is what focused preparation makes possible.