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The World is More Accessible Than You Think
How to make friends and build connections in unexpected places
Rebecca Salamone
March 28, 2025
Make Friends and Build Relationships in Unexpected Places
A few years ago, I walked away from my morning commute with a date.
It happened on the T during grad school. I was balancing a coffee in one hand and a stack of notes in the other when the train lurched forward (anyone in Boston knows this feeling all too well), and I nearly dropped everything.
The guy next to me caught my notes just in time. We started talking. It turns out we actually had mutual friends— Boston is like one small town after all. One week later, we were sitting across from each other at a bar, and had a good laugh about the story of how we met.
It didn’t turn into a love story, but it did remind me of something: the world is as open as you make it.
People are good. They’re looking for friendships and meaningful connections—more than ever, actually.
But you have to be open to it— you have to smile, shake someone’s hand, and ask for their name.
This week, I met a young, ambitious entrepreneur in the sauna.
I love saunas—not just for the ridiculous heat, but because they force you into a tech-free space with strangers. No distractions, just people profusely sweating through the same challenge together. It’s the perfect setup for cultivating conversation with new people.
I started chatting with a group of college students and quickly learned that one of them was building an incredible business in the gut-health space. I was so intrigued that we’re now in follow-up mentorship conversations.
Who knows where this opportunity will lead? But it’s a reminder: at any given moment, someone around you is working on something exciting—you just have to be open to the conversation.
A year ago, I unknowingly sat next to a prominent surgeon on a plane—an encounter that completely changed our business.
We were both exhausted, immersed in our reading—him with academic papers, me with the latest Malcolm Gladwell book. I glanced at his JAMA article and commented, “Biofilm is a pretty controversial topic in wound care right now.”
He looked up, surprised I even knew about it. That single remark sparked a conversation—one that led to a deep dive into his work, our business, and the projects we were tackling. By the time we landed, we had exchanged contact information.
Weeks later, that chance encounter turned into a clinical collaboration, new opportunities, and a publication featuring our technology.
Talk to strangers on airplanes—you never know where it might lead.
Here’s what I’ve learned about making friends and building relationships in unexpected places:
Be just 10% more open. Instead of burying yourself in your phone, look up. Smile. Make a comment. Ask a question. Introduce yourself with your name. Most people want to connect; they just need an opening.
Assume people are open to friendship. We live in a time where meaningful connection is more sought after than ever. A lot of people are just waiting for someone to break the silence.
Embrace the randomness. Not every conversation will lead to a lifelong friendship or a business deal, but every single one makes life more interesting. And sometimes, they lead to something that changes your path forever.
The world is full of opportunities to connect. Your next friend, mentor, business partner, or even future spouse could be sitting right next to you—you just have to notice them.
Have you ever made an unexpected connection in a weird place? Reply and tell me—I’d love to hear your story.
With you in the Journey,
Rebecca
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