Redefining Leadership: From Kings to Kingmakers | Angad Talwar | TEDxMRU
Angad Talwar shares a fresh perspective on leadership, explaining how its meaning has evolved over time. Today, true leaders support from behind, empowering others rather than seeking the spotlight.
He takes us through his personal journey, growing up in a typical middle-class Punjabi joint family and getting the opportunity to pursue his undergraduate studies in the USA. At just 17 years old, he boarded his first-ever flight, stepping out of his comfort zone. This, he says, was his first leadership lesson—courage. True leaders must be willing to take risks and embrace the unknown.
Studying in an expensive American college, he found himself surrounded by Indian peers from wealthy business families, while he came from a middle-class background. Yet, rather than feeling discouraged, he tapped into his entrepreneurial spirit. He started importing Indian textbooks and selling them in the U.S., making a good amount of money. However, his second leadership lesson was about seeing the bigger picture rather than chasing short-term gains. Even though the business was profitable enough to pay off his student debt, he chose to return to India with zero money and start over.
This was one of the biggest decisions of his life, and at times, he questioned whether it was the right one. But, he learned that failure is inevitable, and his third leadership lesson was about resilience. A true leader does not break down in the face of failure; they adapt, learn, and keep moving forward.
Finally, he leaves us with a powerful thought—"Kings may or may not be leaders, but kingmakers always are." Leadership is not about being in power; it’s about creating and empowering others to succeed. Through his own journey of courage, vision, and resilience, Angad Talwar inspires us to redefine what it truly means to lead.
Founder of CosIQ and alumnus of Southern Methodist University.Passionate about revolutionizing the skincare industry, Angad and his team focus on creating innovative, scientifically proven products. Featured in the first season of Shark Tank India, CosIQ secured one of the season's first successful deals, marking a significant milestone in his journey to redefine skin care. He has been a serial entrepreneur around D2C space till now created 3 successful startups around D2C space. 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
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