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Nine distinctive entrepreneurs shared life lessons and business inspiration while climbing the tallest, free-standing mountain on Earth.
In brief
- Women entrepreneurs can reach incredible heights when they build and tap into meaningful networks.
- When a small group came together to purposefully climb Mount Kilimanjaro in support of next-gen education, they discovered a wealth of insight.
- These female founders are now channeling this life experience into visionary leadership and innovative collaborations to help shape the future.
Women entrepreneurs. Friendly acquaintances. A casual meal at a Cape Town restaurant on the heels of a conference. A remarkable idea born. That’s how nine EY Entrepreneurial Winning WomenTM initially kick-started an epic group climb of Mount Kilimanjaro; one that’s fundraised nearly 40,000 euros for next-gen education in a matter of months. It happened, essentially, just like that — emerging between good food and great conversation, in the deconstructed moments that often prove to be the most compelling connection points.
Remarkable business leaders in their own right, these female founders have decades of experience redefining business models, industries and sectors. They know how it is to struggle, persist and overcome. And yet: They’d never done anything like this before. As these entrepreneurs shared their wealth of insights layered between the peaks and valleys, what can we take away?
1. Create more space for deconstructed time
Business growth and networking go hand-in-hand. For women entrepreneurs, though, access can be tough in a male-dominated business world. Female-led businesses are driving novel solutions and scaling innovative brands — but we’ve long known they need greater access to transformative networks.
As these leaders shared stories post-climb, the importance of closing connectivity gaps rang through loud and clear. On that night in Cape Town, the group had organically fallen into a discussion of what collaborative challenge the women might tackle together. Farana Boodhram, Founder and CEO of Midesk Global, suggested climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the largest free-standing mountain in the world. In her words: “I do believe that dinner was meant to be.”
This leaves us wondering: What other amazing ideas or entrepreneurial progress can be achieved if we took down barriers to formal networks, and informally invited more people into the fold across the entrepreneurial space? Ideas and innovation take shape in little moments. Women entrepreneurs must be included more often, in more networks, to maximize that potential.
2. Purpose could be your conduit to progress
Thinking beyond adventure alone and using the climb as a chance to help shape the future was the ultimate unifier for these entrepreneurs. As Bevin Mahon, Owner and CEO of Dentaltech Group, said to the group during that initial dinner: “Are we doing this? And if we are, we need to do it in a way that has some impact and meaning.”
Her statement of purpose became a rallying cry, uniting the group with a common purpose and direction. They chose next-gen education as a fundraising cause to underpin the climb. Why? They were inspired by the incredible young women they met in South Africa who are a part of the EY NextGen program.
As entrepreneurs, the women wanted to help others learn and grow so they could ultimately pursue their own business dreams. And as a Mount Kilimanjaro team, they were moved by the power of their own purpose. In a matter of weeks, the entrepreneurs set the plan, hit the fundraising trail and started bringing in tens of thousands of euros. By the time they completed the climb a year later, they’d already agreed to a second initiative — with fundraising at the core.
When purpose is clear, progress is faster. EY research (via EY US) has shown that many women entrepreneurs are driving purposeful businesses without fully recognizing the full impact of their societal efforts. In this case, nine entrepreneurs make exceedingly clear the case for grounding growth, business or ambitions to bring others on board and influence societal change.
Are we doing this? And if we are, we need to do it in a way that has some impact and meaning.
3. We are what we think
People debate whether entrepreneurs are born or made. But this group reminded us: Success comes from how you think. Verónica Orvalho, Founder and CEO of Didimo, said it wasn’t physical, but rather, mental strength that got them to the summit: “Hours and hours of just walking in step with your breathing for nine days … but what really takes you up and out there every day is your mind,” she remembered. “You realize you have to get healthy in your mind and push everyone else forward, too.”
Hannah Wrixon, Co-founder and CEO of Kella Leadership, agreed. “My head and my feet were the only thing that was going to get me out of there. That was a huge lesson in when you think you’re spent, there is a way if your want is big enough. And I wanted to finish.”
That resonated. Whatever kind of business or team we lead, our own mindset affects everyone around us. These entrepreneurs sang together for hours on end, to keep one another going. They found laughter in a mishap with a monkey — and came back to that moment again and again, retelling the story when someone started to fall behind. In these mindful moments, they transformed mental strength into physical progress toward a shared goal. That mindfulness had a pollinating effect right across the team, propelling them to the summit for the penultimate reward: a photo of the group at the top; one now furthering their entrepreneurial mindset back at home.
My head and my feet were the only thing that was going to get me out of there. That was a huge lesson in when you think you’re spent, there is a way if your want is big enough. And I wanted to finish.
4. The hardest things are never the ones you planned for
Ciara Crossan, Founder and CEO of WeddingDates was amazed to find the climb up Kilimanjaro was the ‘easy’ part. Reflecting on summitting with fellow climbers, including Angela Byrne, General Manager of Easydry and Michelle Pesce, Founder and CEO, Nona Entertainment, Ciara said: "It was the descent that I found grueling both physically and mentally. We had been so focused on the goal - the view of the summit propelled us forward every day but coming down was tough because the high was behind us! I massively relied on the support of the rest of the team to help me get over the finish line as it were."
Amazingly, it was in that downward climb that ideas began to percolate. In the face of a seemingly endless, 16 km set of steps and markedly rugged terrain down, solutions took shape. “There were a lot of good ideas for slides, ziplines and other ways to get down that mountain,” laughed Anne Butterly, CEO and Founder of Easydry International, reflecting on her first-ever genuine break from the business she founded.
Reflecting on the journey and the support from fellow climbers, Tina Keogh, Co-founder and Managing Director at Warner’s Distillery, shared how the experience encapsulated the essence of EY Winning Women: "Together, anything is possible. Courage driven by connection enabled us to conquer fears, support each other, and achieve the unimaginable. We are capable of more than we ever dreamed."
Over the years, we’ve seen so many women entrepreneurs unearth opportunities in the face of huge adversity – from a founder who was turned down for financing nearly 200 times, to another who reimagined her entire organization in the face of a pandemic, war and total supply chain disruption. While you cannot always plan for the toughest or most surprising moments, they do bring with them a silver lining: ingenuity.
5. Be vulnerable. That’s when the magic happens
When she set out for Kilimanjaro, it had been eight years since Veronica had used an out-of-office (OOO) reply. This trip marked also Farana’s first dedicated time off since becoming an entrepreneur 24 years before. True, too, for almost everyone else embarking on this new and challenging experience, it was unlike anything they’d ever tried.
In all that vulnerability, something interesting took hold. They thrived. So did their businesses. In Bevin’s words: “When you take time out and then share something so epic with your team, your team rallies around you. All our teams were so proud of us (and asked) what do you need from us so you don’t have to think about work?”
Veronica said people receiving her OOO started reaching out. Customers wanted to talk about her experiences. Colleagues asked to know more. People inquired about contributing. “It had an extremely positive ripple effect without me really knowing it would.”
Meanwhile, Bevin was amazed by the ripple effect that her own stepping away had not just on her, but her team and network overall. “We could not have done this without the openness of bringing people together. The power of our connection and our communication and being open and being very honest and asking for help on this trip has created friendships for life.”
That’s a testament to the idea of authentic, empathetic leadership — on the mountain and in the boardroom. They showed themselves, one another and business stakeholders: I am willing to be bold, to try new things, to test uncharted waters and to ask for help.
There is such potential in that willingness to lead with vulnerability, across the entrepreneurial space and beyond.
It had an extremely positive ripple effect without me really knowing it would.
Summary
When entrepreneurs set out to try something new, lessons abound. Take them out of the business context, and place them on one of the world’s tallest peaks? You’re bound to be inspired. Back at their desks across Africa and Europe, these EY Entrepreneurial Winning WomenTM are now channeling this life experience into visionary leadership, innovative collaborations and purposeful growth. They have demonstrated there is unexpected learning everywhere — and upsides to applying what you discover out in the world right back into the heart of your business.
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