Productivity in Practice: Business Sherpa

That’s why having an experienced mountain guide help lead the way is essential. Sir Edmund Hillary was the first person to reach the top of Mount Everest, John notes, but he could not have done so without the experience of Tenzig Norgay, his Sherpa guide. “Tenzig had lived in the shadow of this fierce, daunting mountain day after day, learning its intricacies, weather patterns and trails. He also understood the human body’s capabilities. Without his knowledge, the summit would not have been reached.”

An experienced guide is just as important to an entrepreneur, according to John, because the risk of mistakes is very high. “Having someone who has been up the trail before can be a tremendous asset, helping not only avoid known pitfalls, but also properly planning and preparing, setting measurable goals, and executing the plans.”

This essentially makes John a Sherpa for entrepreneurs, and he is in the process of writing a book about it. In “Parallel Peaks: Business Insights While Climbing the World’s Highest Mountains,” he will offer advice on building and managing a successful business or department based on hair-raising, inspirational and occasionally humorous anecdotes drawn from his mountaineering adventures.

As if his practice and writing a book haven’t been enough, John was also one of the founding partners of North Cascades National Bank, a $250 million institution with 100 employees in its seven branches. He continues to serve as chairman of its board and also serves on the boards of several community organizations including his church and the performing arts center he helped build. At the time of this article, John was also auditioning for a role in the community staging of “Beauty and the Beast.” He is involved in development of residential and commercial properties, and has a 70-acre organic cherry, apple and nectarine orchard.

He obviously isn’t the type to “veg out” in front of the television on a Saturday afternoon. And yet, despite his devotion to his family, community and business clients, he still manages to find time for mountain climbing. The next summit on his list: 22,381-foot Mount Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in the Americas.