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Talking To Strangers
Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Mark Des Cotes, I’ve been to the USA three times in the past week, and I believe if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I talk about saying hi to someone you don’t know.
Today’s Fun Fact of the Day: Did you know that about 8,000 Americans are injured by musical instruments each year. That’s kind of a painful melody don’t you think.
Here’s What I leaned yesterday.
Now before I get into today’s story, I know there are some of you that listen to SILY with your kids, so I want to first tell the young ones out there to listen to your parents when they tell you not to talk to strangers. It’s different when you’re an adult.
So unless you are new to Stuff I Learned Yesterday, you know that I was in Texas last week for Podcast Movement. What an amazing time I had. The conference was so much better than I anticipated. So much so in fact, that even though I had told my wife prior to the going that due to the cost involved I would only attend every second year. Well, that thought went right out the window and I’ve already purchased my ticket for next year’s Podcast Movement taking place in Chicago.
I had a great time. I enjoyed the keynote speakers, the information sessions, Darrell did a phenomenal job BTW, and visiting all the vendor booths. I even found a great deal on a new mic to complete my podcast setup. I’ve been building up my equipment slowly over the last couple of years and this mic, the same mic Darrell and so many other professional podcasters use, is the last piece I’ve been wanting. I’m hoping to receive it before next week’s episode.
All of this alone made Podcast Movement a great conference. But the best part of the weekend was meeting my fellow podcasters, most notably Darrell, who I met for lunch at In and Out Burger the day prior to the conference. In case you’re curious, we hugged like long lost brothers when we first saw each other.
It was amazing to finally stand face to face with him and all the other podcasters I’ve become good online friends with. Wayne Henderson, The Real Brian a.k.a The Shadow, Jason Griffin and many more.
Hanging out with those guys was a blast.
But the real value for me came from talking to the people I didn’t know. Some were known by my friends and introduced to me while others were strangers I just started talking to.
Some were long time podcasters, big names in the business, and others were there to learn before starting their own show. Every one of them had a fascinating story to share.
I met a woman with a daily meditation podcast. A wedding photographer that wants to start a podcast about anything not involving photography but he doesn’t know what yet. A man with a real estate investing podcast geared specifically towards cops. A couple that want to start a podcast to help car salespeople in Detroit. And a man with a network of over a dozen podcasts all about horses. This is just the tip of the iceberg of all the fascinating people I met.
I’m not a shy person, I’ve never had problems striking up conversations with perfect strangers as my wife can attest to. It was no different in Texas. I talked to people in the elevator, in line at the hotel’s Starbucks, those sitting next to me at sessions, and those walking around the concourse where the conference took place.
An amazing thing happens at conferences like these when you start talking to random strangers. You become familiar with each other. Throughout the weekend I found myself reconnecting with these people over and over. Forming bonds. Getting updates on what they’ve seen and learned.
I had lunch or dinner with some of them and struck up long conversations in the hotel lobby with others. I learned about their passions and their reasons for attending Podcast Movement. I learned things from those more experienced than me and I offered encouragement to those just starting out.
By the end of the weekend I knew a couple dozen people that I hope to keep in contact with at some level. And others that I hope to see at next year’s conference so that I can find out how their progress is going.
So even though the conference organizers did an amazing job with decorating the hotel, building a fantastic stage, setting up wonder full sessions and events, not to mention coordinating a concourse full of vendors. The most valuable thing I got out of the weekend was the connections I made with my fellow podcasters.
Here’s what I learned.
Don’t be afraid to talk to strangers. There are so many fascinating people out there with stories you can learn from.
In the past year I’ve attended conferences for graphic and web design, entrepreneurial meet ups, comic and pop cons, and now Podcast Movement. At each one of them I received the most benefit just by talking to random strangers. I usually open with a question or a comment and then see where it goes.
You may be saying to yourself, that’s easy for you Mark, you love talking to people, after all, that’s why you podcast. But if truth be told, I wasn’t always like this. I used to be a very shy person. But then a friend of mine, Mike, probably the most extroverted person I know, inadvertently taught me something. That is, most people like to talk. They’re just afraid to start the conversation.
When Mike would start talking to someone more often than naught that person would open up and get into a full conversation with him. Not always, and those that didn’t Mike would just wish them well and move on. But I learned by hanging out with him that the majority of people are more than willing.
Human beings are social beings by nature. We want to share. Most of us are just looking for permission to do so. By starting the discussion yourself you alleviate the fear others may have. And who knows where that conversation will lead you. After all didn’t every relationship in your life, other than family, start with a conversation?
Think about that. Other than your relatives, every person you know was once a stranger to you. So who will be next?
In honour of my trip to Podcast Movement and all the wonderful people I met there. As well as my visit to the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth Texas, I’ll end this episode with a quote by Will Rogers himself. “A stranger is just a friend I haven’t met yet.”
I’m Mark Des Cotes and this has been Stuff I Learned Yesterday.
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