An Inspired Chat with Sucheta Rawal

Sucheta Rawal shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Sucheta, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do you think is misunderstood about your business? 
When people look at my social media posts and updates, they think that I am always on vacation, traveling to amazing destinations, eating and drinking at the finest of restaurants. While that is true to a large extent, they don’t realize is that being a food and travel writer is much more than that. We are actually at work that looks like a vacation to most, but instead of hanging out by the pool and getting a suntan, we are touring the property, interviewing chefs, taking notes, posting on social media, and formulating story ideas. Our days are generally long and exhausting, and we often need a vacation after a trip. But thats when we also get to the real work – writing, editing, fact checking and publishing stories.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi readers! I am an Atlanta-based food and travel writer contributing to TIME Magazine, Travel+Leisure, Fodor’s, AAA, HuffPost, National Geographic, and CNN. I am a dining columnist for two monthly print magazines, Georgia Trend Magazine and Khabar Magazine. If you pick up any of the local guidebooks – Explore Georgia, Explore Gwinnett, Discover DeKalb, etc. you may find my byline in there. (I wrote the 22-page feature for Best Places to Go in GA in 2025).

I have also authored 5 ‘Beato Goes To’ children’s books about a traveling cat to teach kids the importance of learning about other cultures. All the characters in the books are based on real people and places, and Beato is my 15-year old Norwegian Forest Cat. I love reading at elementary schools and doing author visits.

In 2011, I founded a nonprofit travel company – Go Eat Give, to highlight sustainable travel that maximizes social and community impact for every traveler. There are over 1,000 blogs on the award-winning site, and I just rebranded the company to offer personalized, meaningful vacations organized by your trusted friend in the travel business —who has been there, done that—that’s me!

As someone who has traveled to over 130 countries (and counting) across all 7 continents, I like to be a resource for those looking to plan a bespoke trip for themselves or their groups.

I also speak on topics of diversity, women, travel, food & culture to audiences around the world. I delivered 3 TEDx talks on travel and keynoted the Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference and events for organizations across the globe.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I thought that I was an extreme introvert. I barely spoke publicly, never expressed my feelings or opinions, and just listened to everyone around me. But when I went to college, I became just the opposite. I took leadership positions that allowed me to speak to large and small audiences, and though I was initially nervous, I quickly found joy in public speaking. Today, you can put me in front of anyone, anywhere, and ask me to give a talk, and I won’t blink twice. That little child I was could not have even imagined doing so, let alone going on live stages, appearing on television, and giving 3 TEDx talks!

What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
In South Asian culture, we are taught to study hard, go to college, become a doctor, engineer, or corporate professional, earn a stable income (preferably 6 figures), and continue to work hard to rise the ladder. So I did just that. I got my Master’s in Finance, and a decent job in Investment Banking. But I never truly felt happy in my corporate jobs – even though they paid well and had growth opportunities. I would return home from work feeling miserable, and complain about going to work each morning. I could see the impact physically and emotionally. I was miserable. I sought the advice of life coaches and therapists, not being able to understand why I was suffering when I had what I wanted. It took me a few years to realize what made me happy + what I was good at. I certainly don’t regret putting in years of education and work, failing, and finding my passion. Life is a journey, and each moment is supposed to teach you something.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
Some people have become so focused on planning for the future that they forget to live their lives today. I hear over and over again from brilliant and successful people that their lifelong dream is to travel, to go on a safari, to see polar bears, or to take a cruise. But then they follow it with “Someday, when I retire, when the kids grow up, when my job is less demanding, when I have more money, etc.” They are always making excuses, not realizing that there is no guarantee for the future. You may not have your health, ample resources, or even life itself. No one can guarantee your future, not even your life insurance company!

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I live every day like it’s my last, following my passions, maximizing my potential, and making a difference in whatever way I can. So I have done practically everything that I have ever wanted to do, and much more. In some ways, I have already lived many lifetimes. However, if I knew I had only 10 more years left, I would stop worrying about the little stuff and focus on experiencing life to its fullest, inspiring others, and giving back until there was nothing left in me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://suchetarawal.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suchetarawal
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suchetarawal/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SuchetaRawal
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sucheta.rawal/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/goeatgive

Image Credits
credit Sucheta Rawal