PURPOSE | MOTIVATION
a partner – recently hit the 1 million user milestone , having grown more than 200 % in the last four months .
Igor says the skills and mindset needed to start and scale a successful business mirror those needed to climb a mountain .
“ When I was at Base Camp , I watched as about two-thirds of some several hundred people left in the first day or two ,” Igor recalls . “ It was an extremely harsh environment and one they would have to spend two months acclimating to . The same thing goes for entrepreneurship , especially early on . Investors , markets , and competitors can be harsh and unforgiving – perseverance is how you get from there to traction .”
Igor acknowledges the ability to take risks is also what sets entrepreneurs and climbers apart . “ I was drawn to mountain climbing by the promise and excitement of taking risks . I have never been one to shy away from a challenge and climbing presented the
Nelly Attar perfect opportunity . Entrepreneurs , who are excited by a challenge , often seek out this kind of thrill in their personal lives .”
Understanding the risks involved and working out how to navigate through or around them eventually gets you to the places where others simply won ’ t dare to go , he admits .
This is true too for Saudi-raised part- Lebanese entrepreneur and mountain climber Nelly Attar , whose ability to navigate risk in business and adventure has taken her to the top of the world and garnered her numerous firsts .
The first Arab woman to summit K2 – the world ’ s second-highest mountain and one of the deadliest , with fewer than 20 women worldwide having made it to the 8,611-metre summit – Nelly has scaled 17 other peaks across the world including Mount Everest . The former psychologist is also the founder of Move Studio , Saudi Arabia ’ s first dance studio , which has paved the way for dance in the Kingdom , enabling thousands of women to be more active and lead healthier lifestyles . She was named one of the most influential women in sports by the Muslim Women Network in 2020 .
While Nelly had limited business knowledge when she started her own company , and no climbing experience when she attempted the 5,199-metre Mount Kenya aged 17 with her father , she had purpose – something she considers crucial to any endeavour .
Nelly says when she started Move Studio , inspired by her purpose to help women and children in the Kingdom move , the ‘ how ’ was unclear . “ But I took that first step , and then the steps forward started to become clearer . It ’ s like taking a step in the fog , you only see the way forward with each step you take .”
Having purpose and passion gave Nelly the direction and drive to keep moving
62 November 2022