Have you ever faced a moment when life left you asking, “What now?” Pinky Maheshwari opens her talk with this question; one she herself has asked more than once. From leaving her job to finding purpose through her son’s innocent question, she shares the journey that led her to start a biodegradable packaging company and even meet the President of India. Her story is about refusing to be trapped by others’ doubts or her own fears. This talk is a reminder that sometimes the lowest moments hold the seeds of our greatest breakthroughs. Ms. Pinky Maheshwari is the founder of Surprise Someone, a sustainable venture that transforms waste cotton into eco-friendly paper. Her mission to spread smiles sustainably has gained widespread recognition, with a growing community of 15,000+ followers on Instagram. Ms Maheshwari has represented India at the EURASIA International Event in Russia and was invited to Rashtrapati Bhavan, where she met Hon’ble President Droupadi Murmu and Ms. Sudha Murthy. A Goldman Sachs scholar at IIM Bangalore, she has mentored over 5,000 young changemakers working toward a greener, more responsible future. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx