Product Unmuted

A long weekend.
Three friends from different corners of North America.
One shared goal: summit a 14,000-foot peak.

It sounded simple enough in the planning stage. We’d train a bit, pack our gear, and make the climb. But as with most ambitious goals—whether personal or professional—the reality was far more complex, and far more rewarding.

The Plan vs. The Mountain

We chose a Class 1 – 14er in Colorado, considered “beginner friendly.” Eight miles round trip, 3,500 feet of elevation gain. I thought, I’ve done more than this before. I’ve got this.
Spoiler: I did not.

I arrived in Denver a day and a half before the hike, while my friends had already had 24 hours to acclimate. The day before our climb, we did a short acclimatization hike to St. Mary’s Glacier—just 2 mile round trip and 600 feet of gain. Easy, right?

Wrong. I hadn’t eaten beforehand, sprinted uphill like I was racing, and rewarded myself with fried snacks at the summit. Rookie mistakes. On the way down, I was hit with nausea, a splitting headache, and the glamorous finale: vomiting. Multiple times.

The rest of the day was spent alternating between worry, sleep, and trying to convince my body to accept food. I wasn’t sure I’d even make it to the trailhead the next morning. But thanks to a thoughtful friend who had packed altitude pills (and a generous dose of ibuprofen), I woke up at 1:30 AM feeling… better. Not perfect, but ready. The jury is still out on whether I had motion sickness, or foolhardy sickness or altitude sickness! In any case glad it was Day 1 and not on the day of the actual climb!

The Climb

We reached the trailhead by 3:30 AM and began the ascent. It was hard! The higher we climbed, the thinner the air became. My lungs noticed, but my muscles noticed more—every step felt like lifting bricks.

We checked in with each other constantly:
“Are you okay?”
“Why does everything feel like slow motion?”
But we kept going, one step at a time.

At the summit—14,278 ft—we found a wind shelter and, in a moment of exhaustion, took a nap. Yes, a nap. At 14K ft. A friend later reminded me that at that altitude, your heart rate can slow dramatically. That should’ve been our cue to descend, not rest. Lesson learned.

Thankfully, I woke up feeling like a new person. Adrenaline kicked in, and the doubts vanished. On the way up, I’d questioned every life choice that led me there; on the way down, I felt like I could run a marathon.

We finished with 5.5 hrs. of moving time, tired, exhilarated, and with a renewed respect for the mountains! The mountain always wins, but always glad to have participated and been a witness to the magnificence!!

The Takeaways

This experience reminded me that whether you’re climbing a mountain, building a business, or chasing a personal goal, the principles are the same:

• Set a clear vision—but be ready to adapt.
  Our plan was solid, but the mountain had its own agenda. Flexibility was key.
• Prepare well—so you can handle the unexpected.
  Training matters. So does hydration, nutrition, and listening to your body.
• Pace yourself—sprinting early rarely wins the long game.
  I learned this the hard way. Sustainable effort beats early enthusiasm.
• Choose your partners wisely—the right team makes all the difference.
  My friends were my lifeline. We encouraged each other, shared the load, and laughed through the pain.
• Celebrate the milestone—but reflect on what you learned along the way.
  The summit was incredible, but the journey taught me more than the view ever could.

The Power of Lifelong Friendship

Doing this with friends I’ve known for 31 years was the best part. With lifelong friends, there’s no pressure to be your strongest or most impressive self. You can be vulnerable, admit when you’re struggling, and still be cheered on every step of the way.

They’ve seen me at 16 in all my awkward glory—and now again at 14,278 ft, bundled up, moving at snail speed, and still rooting for each other.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes the real reward isn’t just reaching the peak, but discovering who you become in the climb. Whether you’re leading a team, launching a product, or navigating a personal challenge, the mountain is a metaphor—and the lessons are universal.

Here’s to more climbs, more growth, and more people who stick with you—no matter the altitude.