I strike up conversations with strangers all the time. Maybe it’s because I changed schools often as a child and had to keep making new friends. Waiting for someone to approach me was never an option.

This habit has led to some incredible conversations. One that my family—especially my daughter—will never forget was when I walked up to Dr. S. Somnath, the ex-ISRO chairman, while we were traveling to a Kerala Startup Mission event. My daughter still recalls it as her most inspiring two minutes. How often does a kid get dedicated time with someone of that stature?

But some of the most meaningful conversations happen at the other end of the spectrum. Last week, I had two such interactions—one with a Swiggy delivery partner and another with my Urban Company hairstylist.

📍 The first happened at 1 AM as I was heading home from a trip. He was in the lift, delivering food at that late hour. I greeted him—something he clearly didn’t expect. We had barely a minute to talk, but his response stayed with me. He told me he worked as an electrician during the day and took up food delivery after 9 PM, earning an extra ₹500 per night. That additional ₹15K a month had helped him finally enroll in a gym he had wanted to join for years. The rest, he had started investing. I shook his hand and told him to keep going—we need more youngsters with his kind of hustle.

📍 The second was with my Urban Company hairstylist. This time, we had plenty of time to chat. Midway through, he got a call from a customer who wanted to reschedule their appointment hours earlier. He politely declined, explaining that he wouldn’t be able to make it. Curious, I asked if he had back-to-back appointments. He smiled and said, “Oh no, sir. I don’t work from 10 AM to 12 noon because I have to drop my elder son at college.” His two sons aspire to be an engineer and a doctor, and he has structured his workday around supporting them. We spoke about the rising costs of education, the struggle to pay for competitive exam coaching, and how AI tools could help his kids learn better. Before he left, he hesitated for a moment and then asked, “Would you mind sharing your number? Just in case my son needs some guidance?” I didn’t think twice.

These are just two examples of hardworking people striving to change their lives and secure a better future for their children. Sometimes, what seems insignificant to us—a quick conversation, a small piece of advice—can mean a great deal to someone else.

👉 Try striking up these conversations. You never know—you might just change someone’s future.