How to Magically Connect with Anyone
Brian Miller's talk at TEDxManchesterHighSchool that started the human connection revolution in 20153.5 Million Views Worldwide
On June 1, 2015 Brian delivered a 14-minute talk to 80 high school students at a small conference held in Manchester, Connecticut, USA. For years it was in the top 100 of hundreds of thousands of TEDx talks uploaded to YouTube.
In “How to Magically Connect with Anyone,” Brian takes the audience on a journey to discover how he learned to make meaningful connections with the people in his life. He captivated the attendees with stories from his career in magic, and delighted them with live magic tricks to demonstrate his point.
Brian’s TEDx talk has since been named one of:
- 5 TED Talks to Watch Before an Interview (Kaplan Test Prep)
- 7 Lifechanging TED Talks (The Odyssey Online)
- 5 Must Watch TED Talks for College Students (Kitabitukda)
- 10 Powerful TED Talks to Spark PPC Creativity (Shape Blog)
- 5 Greatest TED Talks for Social Media Insights (Simply Measured)
Jeremey Donovan, the international best-selling author of “How to Deliver a TED Talk” raved:
“You are an amazing performer and speaker. One of the best TEDx talks I have ever seen!”
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How I handled a roomful of crushing judgment
This was a mistake. I’m standing backstage scanning the audience with the intensity of a serial killer. Ordinarily I’d be over-the-moon at the opportunity to speak in front of such an energetic and welcoming audience. But this is different.
Ordinary Conversations Can Create Extraordinary Impact
It doesn’t take much to brighten someone’s day. And when you extend the give of human connection to another, they will extend that gift forward, and the ripple spreads quickly. Today, she is an advisor at a great school making a huge positive impact on students lives. And the critical inflection point was a single kind remark from a visiting comedy magician. It was a powerful reminder that sometimes we don’t have to do any outrageous to make a dent in the universe. We just have to be present, understanding, and kind.
Why Small Business Owners Actually Fail to Connect with Customers
Why do so many entrepreneurs and business owners fail to connect with customers? You’ve got a brilliant idea and a unique solution that doesn’t exist in the marketplace. You’re better, faster, or cheaper than the competition. Yet, your ideal customers or clients just don’t get it. And because they don’t get it, they don’t want it, and won’t buy it. What’s going on here? That’s what Tijana Buric asked me on her podcast Career Alchemist, where I was recently honored to be a guest.
How to Magically Connect with College Students in 2024
This weekend I spent two days with 1500 college students representing nearly 300 schools across America. It was NACA Live – the National Association for Campus Activities’ annual national conference. I had the incredible honor of being selected to showcase on stage for 15 minutes, and spend the day interacting with students.
The Gorilla in the Room: Why Real Human Connection Matters
How a seemingly fun office culture led to unexpected team issues, highlighting the importance of understanding your team beyond just numbers. A lesson in human connection and management.
The Magic of Influence: From Card Tricks to Speaking Gigs with Brian Miller
When you’re a magician the most important part of your job is not tricking people. It’s connecting with people. Because fooling people is easy, but making people enjoy being fooled? That’s the real magic. And the only way to do that is to create a shared experience in which everyone feels heard, understood, and valued. Being a professional magician for 10 years taught me to make instant connections with perfect strangers, and that skills has led to every opportunity in my life, personally and professionally. I recently had the great pleasure of sitting down with Gabe Marusca on his podcast The Nomad Solopreneur Show.