Entrepreneur, speaker and philanthropist Mick Ebeling is the founder of Not Impossible Labs, and a believer that nothing is impossible, forever.
In 2009, Mick, who has a background in film and production, met Tempt One, a graffiti artist who had been paralyzed by ALS and could no longer do his art. Mick launched himself headfirst into a project to help Tempt draw and communicate with others again using his eyes, and he launched a project called the Eyewriter, without having any background in ocular technology.
That project helped launched Not Impossible Labs, an award-winning incubator and content studio that develops creative, technology-driven solutions to real-world problems: One problem, one person, one solution at a time.
Mick is exactly the kind of person I love to have on Wild Ideas Worth Living. Mick’s made the impossible possible through perseverance, creativity, fun and teamwork by gathering engineers, hackers, artists, and entrepreneurs that build creative, out-of-the-box solutions to big problems and then shares them with the world.
After founding the Eyewriter, and putting the technology in the world for others to use, Mick’s dove into an array of other “impossible” projects including building more affordable prosthetic limbs using 3-D printers for people in places like Sudan, and helping deaf people experience music. His latest project helps people closer to home get easier access to meals.
In addition to helping so many people, Mick is a fellow surfer, a dad, a family-man and an adventurer. Mick took me surfing in Venice Beach with a few members of his team before sitting down with me to talk about how he got his start, why technology can be used for so much good, his favorite gems of wisdom, and how you can do the impossible.
Listen to this episode if:
- You have a project that seems impossible ahead of you.
- You want to help even a single person.
- You want to hear from an incredibly inspiring speaker.
- You are interested in using technology to improve lives.
- You are passionate about creative ways to help others.
Key takeaways:
- 0:20 – How Mick got into Hollywood, by accident.
- 5:30 – His introduction to Tempt.
- 9:00 – Making a commitment to help Tempt.
- 15:50 – The power of helping an individual.
- 19:25 – The world’s first 3D printing prosthetic lab in Sudan.
- 23:00 – Mick’s attitude toward fear of failure.
- 29:25 – Why we should use technology for good.
- 30:50 – How Not Impossible Labs is helping deaf people experience music.
- 34:25 – The company’s mission to feed homeless.
- 41:05 – Mick’s final advice on how to find your purpose.
Resources:
- Not Impossible Labs
- Tempt One ALS Foundation
- EyeWriter
- Project Daniel
- Music: Not Impossible
- Hunger: Not Impossible
- Eric Weihenmayer
- Safe Place for Youth