How to connect with strangers | Lucy Chioma Aniagolu | TEDxKigali

We are all made by strangers, and our success often comes from them. The speaker's journey began on a fish farm with an idea for an online agri-business school, but lacked the knowledge to build it. A stranger provided a $30,000 scholarship, introducing him to technology, entrepreneurship, and design, leading to his startup's existence. Despite being told not to talk to strangers, our future opportunities often stem from them. The speaker's first trip and initial business funding came from a stranger. This "stranger activation principle" operates consciously and unconsciously in our lives. From the phone in our pocket to the food we eat, strangers are integral. The crucial question is: do we build for strangers? Do we consider them in our daily lives and increase our access to them? To achieve success, we must embrace strangers. To activate strangers, the speaker proposes the "OPEN" framework: - **Output:** Define how you present yourself (content, smile, etc.). - **Personality:** Cultivate a distinct persona (jovial, intelligent, beautiful). - **Environment:** Be present in relevant spaces (conferences, meetings, online groups). - **Network:** Actively reach out to strangers; even with great output and persona, they won't know you exist unless you connect. To immediately increase your stranger network, speak to someone new today. Strangers are critical for our success. We are made by them, should build for them, and expand our networks to them.