Alaska’s high-altitude climbing season is coming to an end. Five years ago during this season, I sat on a propeller plane and landed on a glacier in the sub-arctic to pursue a dream: to climb the highest peak in North America, Denali. In the three weeks that followed, I went through a transformative experience that refined my perspective on many things including work, personal endeavors, and social interactions. When I co-founded Altitude Networks a year after the Denali experience, I drew upon some of those lessons. The anniversary of my climbing trip, coincided with the acquisition of Altitude Networks, gave me an opportunity to share some of those lessons.
1. Prepare
When I decided to climb Denali, I set out a 3-year training plan for myself. I read several books, talked to several people who had attempted Denali, and put together a list of skills and experiences that I needed to collect before my climb. When I sat foot on Denali in May of 2017, I already knew what to expect, and I felt comfortable with most movements on an expedition-style climb. Still, I knew there were several aspects of the climb that are specific to this mountain, so I kept an open mind to keep learning and growing.
Most successful startup founders that I know of have spent at least a few years honing the skills that they critically need for the success of their startups. This includes technical skills, as well as business acumen and understanding of the market they are attempting to disrupt. They either had worked for startups before, or had followed other startups closely via advising or mentoring activities. Still, each startup is unique, so be prepared to learn a lot along the journey.
2. Make a Plan
Every expedition starts with a plan. A plan gets people on the same page about what needs to be done, when is the time to push vs slow down and recuperate, and how every step builds up towards the end goal. In a way, making a plan is an exercise in building intention and momentum.
Same principle applies to planning for a startup. The most important outcome of the planning process is not the plan itself, but the mental exercise of going through everything that needs to be done to reach the goal, finding gaps in resources and skills, and most importantly, putting intention behind every movement.
3. Build the right team – and keep them motivated
In Denali, you are on a rope team together for most of the trip, effectively being tied to each other! As team members, you also spend a lot of time together, on the trek and in the camp. The attitude and mental energy of climbers, both inward and outward, will have a positive or negative impact on the team outcome.
The early engineers in a startup do much more than just writing code; they establish what is “normal” and “accepted” within the engineering team. This will eventually become the company culture, and it will be much harder to reverse some of those bad cultural and technical habits than addressing them before they become normal. One of the best investments of time and energy in the early days of a startup is on normalizing and promoting good culture.
Also remember that, as a founder, your “team” is not just the employees and contractors and immediate advisors to your startup. Throughout your startup journey, you will need the help and support of a large group of individuals, including anyone who can help you grow intellectually, professionally, emotionally or personally. Be sure to invest the time and energy to assemble a team who elevate you, and teach you hard lessons when you need them.
4. Take (measured) risks. Be ready to make decisions based on incomplete information.
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.
T.S. Eliot
On a mountain expedition, you constantly need to make decisions: what route to use, when to hit the trail, when to stop and make camp, how much food and supplies to carry to the next camp ahead of a big move, etc. You need information such as weather patterns and ground conditions to make good decisions, but that information is rarely known with high accuracy. Strong leaders are comfortable with making decisions for the team and sticking to them, while having the courage and character to adjust the plans in the face of new information.
5. Be aware of timing – be prepared for “your” moment
The difference between a successful and unsuccessful summit attempt is frequently the timing of the attempt. Mountaineers call this a “weather window”: a short period of time during which the chances of cooperative weather is higher. Mountaineering teams at higher campes are often “on call” for a weather window to attempt summit.
Similarly, running a startup is a race against time: your competitors may get ahead if you move too slowly, the market taste may change and impact your product-market fit if you don’t go to market fast enough, you will eventually run out of cash if you don’t start to earn revenue or grow fast enough, your employees will lose their morale if they don’t see a steady stream of improvement and growth. You need to be constantly monitoring the environment around you, and be ready to rally the team when the timing is right for the next big push. If you work hard and are prepared, you can “make your own luck”.
6. Have Fun! Keep a balanced perspective. And enjoy the journey.
Everybody wants to reach the peak, but there is no growth on the top of the mountain. It is in the valley that we slog through the lush grass and rich soil, learning and becoming what enables us to summit life’s next peak.
Andy Andrews
For me, attempting to climb Denali was a life-changing experience. For the first time in my life, I trained like an athlete. I met so many amazing individuals on that trip, and shared so many life experiences with them during those 3 weeks on the mountain. The collection of those experiences and events changed the way I think about having purpose, pursuing dreams, building momentum, accepting defeat, and learning from both successes and mistakes.
Founding a startup is truly a transformative experience. The highs and lows are both elevated. At times, it can feel emotionally draining and challenging. Burnout is a real thing. In such conditions, keeping a balanced perspective is key. My mantra during the hard days of running a startup (as well the hardest pitches on the mountain) was:
I don’t have to do this; I get to do this.
Remember why you started. Meditate. Talk to a friend. Build scheduled rest days to “cleanse” your headspace. Prioritize family and mental well-being. Get professional help if needed. And remember:
It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.
Sir Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Hillary