11 Things I learnt about business when hiking the Himalayas

A couple of months ago, I did a contrary thing, I went hiking in the Himalayas in the monsoon, when the meaning of torrential rain translates to pounding waterfalls, melting glaciers, and dangerous landslips. Why did I drop everything and fly across the globe to do this? And was it just to claim a business expense? I did it to walk in an area that is only open in the monsoon, and with a group of friends who rarely have the chance to take time off together.
So what do a bestselling author, a tech startup founder, a professional dancer and a head of a IT multinational have in common? We never forgot our beginnings as a “gang of four” girls from the early days of India’s silicon valley, and we never stopped looking out for each other.

1. In business, strike when the iron’s hot. There is no convenient time to start a business, the best time can be when it’s difficult. The Valley of Flowers in Garhwal Himalayas is only open for a small window in the year, and if you want to see the most flowers, you must go in the midst of the monsoon.
2. It takes all sorts to hike an adventure and there is no one type of person who can start a successful business. We felt we were fit and unique to be doing this trek — but on the hike, we met people from teenagers just out of school, to grannies walking up in slippers…