Trekking is better with friends
Doug Tolley
Technology Channel Evolutionist | Visionary Channel Leader | Relentless Learner
I have been very lucky to have good friends along with me both times I have trekked to Everest Base Camp.
In 2023, I had my good friend and veteran wilderness guide Stacy Taniguchi as our leader and mentor. On that trek of twelve hikers, 10 out of the 12 had a direct or indirect connection to our BYU MBA class of 2017. Some were my classmates, some were friends of my classmates, and a couple were personal connections for me or Stacy. All in all, this was a friends and family trip.
In 2024, the connections were even tighter. My wife and two of my adult daughters came with us. One of my BYU classmates brought his dad. Another of my BYU classmates brought his adult son. The 2024 trek was truly a family affair.
In both cases, the close-knit group made the experience better. It is rewarding to do hard things with friends and family. And after a trek like EBC, you become family after so many days and miles on the trail.
Our tour group only allows 14 people maximum on the treks. As a shameless plug, if you want to go with us in the fall of 2026, you should reach out to me soon. I think the 2026 trip is going to be full.
Why is it better to trek with a group than solo? The camaraderie, shared pain and joy, the fun banter on the trail, the ability to pick up someone else’s spirits when they are suffering, and the joy of helping a team reach a tough goal are all driving factors for me.
In business, it is statistically more likely for a startup to be successful if there are 2 to 5 founding members. In an interview with the late Edward B. Roberts, one of the world’s leading authorities on entrepreneurship, he says:
“Our data are very clear. The failure rate of those who start companies alone is the highest by far among all of the companies we study. It is not the individual alone that matters, it is the individual as part of a team, along with other individuals who bring, hopefully, complimentary skills, attitudes, and the like, while bringing, again, hopefully, comparable values together. Our data say, as you go from one founder to two, you significantly improve the likelihood that you will succeed rather than fail.”
Professor Roberts elaborates:
“As you go from two to three, it improves again. As you go from three to four, it improves again. Now, at those levels, one to two, to three, to four, my statement is a statistically significant statement. The data are clear and well-defined.”
Why is it that the likelihood of a startup’s success is statistically improved as you add founders from one to two to three to four? Dr. Roberts gives three key reasons.
“It's a terribly difficult thing to start and build a company. [If} you try to do it alone, where is your back up for you? Never mind for the company. Who are you going to weep on when you're in pain and suffering? It's great if you have a supportive spouse or partner, that's wonderful, but it would also be nice if you had a supportive partner, who was a partner in the business, where you could sit and talk together, coach each other, help each other, comfort each other and the like. The more is merrier at least up to a small number, of people who could, together, be a much stronger group of people providing reinforcement to each other.”
My experience also reinforces this idea. Whether we are summiting Kings Peak in Utah, hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim, or trekking to Everest Base Camp, a small, close-knit group of connected people, with diverse backgrounds and skills make for a better trek. The same is true for starting and leading a business.
What is your experience with starting and growing a business? How has a close-knit team from diverse backgrounds, with complementary skills and resources helped you to greater success?
Doug's point on sharing experiences, whether in business or personal ones, is important to grasp because it provides insights into understanding the "sublime nature" of things. Immanuel Kant said everything, including humans, has a sublime nature, the indescrible essence of whatever a person is discovering. To know that sublime nature, you have to experience it and when you do so with others, then you can talk about it with such an understanding. Have you ever tried to explain an experience that was so meaningful to you to someone who was not there experiencing it with you? No matter how hard you try to describe it, they just don't get it. That's because they didn't experience the sublime nature with you. The Everest Base Camp trek is a great example. I've come back from those treks many times and told people what it was like. To them, it may sound interesting, and they may like seeing the pictures, but does it take their breath away as it does for those of us who have been there? You have to experience it for yourself to know the sublime nature of the Himalayas & the people you are with.
I make sure successful Founders and Execs win their quiet personal battles | Helping leaders find purpose, cure self-sabotage, thrive during organizational changes, and feel fulfilled in life and work
2 周I've always loved and deeply appreciated the amazing team player you've been, Doug. I feel very fortunate for the opportunities where our worlds meet. ??