A Journey Rooted in Family, Hard Work, and Finding Passion

Mitch Patel describes his family’s story beginning with his father coming to the United States “with $8 in his pocket” to pursue the American dream. He shares early memories of living in small motels, helping clean rooms, do laundry, take out the trash, and even check in guests as a child. Although he grew up in the business, he explains that he pursued engineering because his parents encouraged him to “be a professional.” He recalls sitting in his cubicle, realizing he “didn’t have that passion for engineering,” and began questioning whether he was in the right place. He decided there had to be another opportunity and developed his first hotel despite having “saved up $3,000” and having no experience in construction or management. He describes struggling with occupancy, questioning himself, and comparing the security of a guaranteed paycheck with uncertainty, but he continued because he “couldn’t let my team down.” After 18 months, the hotel became the number one hotel in the market, and he says “fire started burning in my belly and I found my passion where I never expected to.” He discusses family, being present, building relationships, belonging, storms in the industry, culture, selecting people, and defining one’s own brand.

Notable Quotes/Highlights

• “Our story started with my father coming to this great country with $8 in his pocket.”
• “There has to be another opportunity.”
• “I couldn’t let my team down.”
• “Fire started burning in my belly and I found my passion where I never expected to.”
• “Culture will trump any business strategy, any day.”

Closing Reflection

His reflections emphasize that storms will come and go, but preparation and reaction shape the outcome. He stresses that passion drives learning and resilience. He explains that defining one’s brand and doing the right thing guide long-term success. He encourages thinking big and being bold in pursuing opportunities. He concludes that “success… it’s you and your brand that’s gonna take you there.”