When was the last time you faced your mortality?
Living in Colorado, adventure is the name of the game, and I spend ample time on whitewater rivers in the summers. Occasionally, I take guests out commercially rafting on Clear Creek as a throwback to my raft guide era in my early twenties.
There is something about taking people into potentially dangerous territory and guiding them through a safe and enjoyable trip. I’ve guided outdoor trips across Western America and Alaska as a river and dog mushing guide since I was 19.
You could say I desire adrenaline and love sharing this passion with others.
If you have ever been rafting on Class IV whitewater, you know that you should be physically able to paddle and self-rescue if you fall out of the boat (i.e., swim to shore or back to the boat).
Recently, I took a crew down the canyon section of Clear Creek and was shocked when 82-year-old Sally told me that she was at peace if this was how she died.
What!?
Let me back up…
When you guide commercially, you are given a crew of people (usually 4-7) to take down the river. After a safety talk, each guide teaches their crew how to paddle and the necessary commands, eventually embarking on the river adventure.
Clear Creek has a steep gradient and relatively continuous whitewater, especially in the canyon. It’s no joke!
I love boating this section so much that I actively giggle after successfully making it through one of the rapids called “Hell’s Half Mile.”
As a guide, it’s my job to assess my crew and ensure they are prepared for the risks ahead.
We have a 3-mile chill water section to paddle before dropping into the canyon that I use to evaluate and prep my crew.
I was aware that Sally was 82 years old and was concerned that I might have to take her off the trip, as that’s quite old to be swimming in the fresh snow melt of Clear Creek’s water.
I also knew she couldn’t paddle while locking in her feet to stay in the boat through the bigger rapids. This means the rest of the crew would have to paddle harder to make up for her not paddling.
BUT… she also had spent her life adventuring.
She was a kindred spirit who knew what she was getting into. I talked her up during the first 3 miles and decided to take her down the canyon, satisfied with her perspective and clarity on what we were embarking on.
She was crystal clear on the risks and potential consequences.
She was the matriarch of the crew, with the rest of the boat being family. I dubbed her “mom” and told the rest of the crew that our only job was to get her down this section without swimming her.
I devised a new command, “hunker down,” which meant everyone should lean in and get as low as they could in the boat (if all the weight is low in a boat, it’s harder to flip!).
I’m not going to lie; the trip got my heart beating!
I simply focused on the task at hand and ran clean lines through the rapids while preparing the crew for each upcoming section.
At one point, we got stuck on an inconsequential rock (as is common in the low-volume technical sections of Clear Creek), and Sally was the only one who offered to get out of the boat to help me push us off.
Ha! What a trooper.
Of course, I did not let her help, but I admired her tenacity and constant movement toward danger instead of away. She had a tendency to lean into the challenge.
There is so much to learn from Sally in business:
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Gain experience in your industry
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Get clear about the potential risks
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Be realistic about what personal limitations might hold you back
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Surround yourself with roughly five people who elevate you and have your back
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Be a part of the solution
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Positively impact the team effort
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Lean into the challenges with the belief that you will get through them
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Stay present in the moment and the task at hand
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Lastly, enjoy the ride and smile!
Sally approached me after the trip and gave me a big hug, a large grin, and a generous tip. It’s one of those trips I will never forget, as it made her year to go rafting.
I also have to give myself a little credit for my self-belief in my ability to get her down the river safely. There are no guarantees in the outdoors, but I also assessed the risks at hand and chose to take Sally with confidence.
As a lifelong guide, I now focus on guiding my clients through the next evolution of their businesses.
I get the same pleasure of guiding clients to larger audiences, more aligned clients, and increased revenue as I did taking Sally down the river.
I’ve honed my ability in life to help people enter environments that are uncomfortable or unknown.
Just as I would never recommend that someone go down Class IV without a guide or extensive experience, I also recommend that you scale your business with the proper support.
Are you ready to scale your business with more ease, alignment, and clarity?
Scaling isn’t one-size-fits-all—just like rafting Class IV whitewater, you need the right strategy, tools, and mindset to navigate the journey successfully.
That’s why I created the Brand Archetype Quiz—a fast, insightful way to uncover your unique brand strengths and the best way to grow your business without getting stuck in outdated strategies.
Take the Brand Archetype Quiz now and discover how to build a business that fits you like a glove.
