In this talk, entrepreneur Gautam Munjal shares his journey of breaking away from expectations to find his true calling. From leaving law school to hitchhiking across Europe and transforming an abandoned building into a thriving hotel brand, his story celebrates courage, clarity, and perseverance. Gautam reflects on how failure, pain, and walking alone can shape resilience and purpose, reminding us that success begins when we stop chasing approval and start chasing authenticity. Gautam is a lawyer-turned-entrepreneur and the founder of Minimalist, India’s leading design-led hospitality brand, inspired by a backpacking trip across Europe in 2016. With prior experience at OYO and a diverse background across hospitality, tourism, real estate, F&B, and retail sectors, he launched Minimalist in 2017 with the aim to redefine urban Indian hospitality through vibrant, community-driven hotel experiences tailored to millennials and Gen Z.Minimalist currently operates six hotels across India, with six more in the pipeline. Gautam emphasizes a value-driven, multi-dimensional approach offering spaces that cater not only to leisure and business travelers but also to staycationers, event hosts, and creative communities—anchored in immersive design and evolving market needs. In 2023-24, the company reported a revenue of ₹7.4 crore, up 7% year-on-year. It made a net profit of ₹2.2 crore 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