What pig farming taught me about business | Mike Merrill | TEDxPlano

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. The TEDxPlano 2014 theme was "On The Verge" and Mike Merrill is On The Verge of figuring out a way to turn pig manure into money.

Mike grew up on a farm with 10,000 pigs in Chaparral, New Mexico, then pursued his MBA at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. Today, he is best known as a digital marketing strategist, the founder of the Social Media Club of Dallas, and a fond lover of bacon.

Most recently he joined Salesforce.com ExactTarget Marketing Cloud to help evangelize digital marketing solutions in North Texas.Recognized by Fortune as a self-made social media master, Mike's marketing expertise makes him much in demand as a speaker at industry conferences such as SXSW, Dallas Digital Summit, and as an expert on Dallas television news programs. Past companies he's worked at include ReachLocal, NetApp, Dell, Intel and two venture-backed startups and attained degrees in Finance and Accounting from New Mexico State University. Mike resides in Plano with his wife, Theresa and two daughters, Chloe and Madison.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)