Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Amish Shah, President & CEO of Kem Krest. We hope you enjoy Amish’s wisdom and perspective.
With the new movie release of Everest and as an avid mountain climber, I thought it would be appropriate to look at the comparison of a business journey to that of summiting a mountain. Both require a great deal of endurance, patience, and perspective.
The first phase of a climb, you stand before a towering mountain, just looking up. You are full of energy, your clothes are still clean, and you have little doubt that you will make it to the top. Unfortunately your perspective is very limited. Other than a map, you still can’t quite comprehend what the path you will take to success looks like. Just like an entrepreneur starting out, you’re filled with the naivety of optimism and a fairly loose, if any, plan of how you will succeed.
As you ascend on your journey you make it to the first milestone, basecamp. At this point, you can start to see the trailhead but also realize you have a long way to go. You are beginning to get tired and realize this journey will take a lot of work. You still have confidence you will make it and start to mentally prepare yourself for the rigors ahead.
In business, this is the point where you understand it is not easy. The excitement of the start-up is wearing thin. You’ve spent more time working than anything else, but you know the hard work is worth it. You saddle up and keep climbing.
You get to the next phase, high camp. The air is thin, you need some help both mentally and physically, and fear starts to set in. It’s a time when self-realization kicks in and you know you can’t go it alone. You need to lean on someone, which makes you vulnerable. While the desire for success is still overwhelming, the strains of the path are becoming tough to shoulder alone. You turn to your guide, or a climbing mate, and gain the inspiration you need to keep moving. Luckily the summit is within view. Your goal lies ahead…but less than 30% of these attempts end in success. And even worse, some end in death.
This is similar to the point where your business is almost there, but you need advisors and a big shot of courage. Your love of the game kicks in, and even though fatigue is starting to take over, you shake it off and keep climbing.
Finally, you summit! And it is amazing. You are standing where less than 1% of the world has stood. You beat the odds and you can clearly see for hundreds of miles around you. You feel invincible…because for that moment you are. You forget about the hard work and pain, and literally feel like you’ve conquered the world.
As you stand above the clouds, you reach a new height emotionally, with the confidence that you can do anything. Perspective is at an all-time high. You look down – and you can re-trace your steps, being thoughtful about what you did wrong and right.
While you enjoy those several moments of success, you soon realize the real journey is ahead…you still need to get down. The descent is like running the business - ensuring it’s sustainable and still relevant. It’s often twice as hard as a climb up. You’ve already got your picture on top of the world and now you’re just working hard to keep the journey positive. Luckily you now have perspective and experience. While the path may change and terrain might be a bit different, the confidence from success still exists.
What’s The Risk?
Climbing a mountain is an arduous experience. The ratio of immediate enjoyment versus time spent is very low. But I continue to do it. Why? The same reason an entrepreneur attempts the impossible of starting a business. Part is the thrill of success, part is the challenge. But at its core, it’s because I can.
While many don’t climb mountains or want to start a business, we all have a personal summit we want to achieve - and often we are paused by the fear of the journey.
From someone who has seen the world from over 19,000 feet; I challenge you to take on your own climb, in whatever form that may be. Wayne Gretzky says you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. So…what’s the risk?
This content was written and shared by guest blogger, Amish Shah.
Amish currently serves as President / CEO of Kem Krest, a Tier I automotive company where he began his career in 1996. Shah is also a board member and co-owner of a second stage technology company focused on early literacy – ESGI, or Educational Software for Guiding Instruction.
He currently serves on the Indiana University (SB) Chancellors Council, the Business School Advisory Council, The General Motors Supplier Diversity Council, is a mentor for minority businesses, helped to spearhead Lemonade Day for Elkhart County, and is a board member for the Elkhart Chamber of Commerce, The Boys and Girls Club, The Horizon Education Alliance of Elkhart County, CARES of Elkhart, and Junior Achievement.
When not working, Amish loves to climb mountains, scuba dive, and sport fish in oceans or streams.
Connect with Amish on LinkedIn or Twitter. Connect with Kem Krest via their website, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
