Tank Talk: Tony van Marken (First Ascent Ventures) - How Climbing Mount Everest is Like Building a Startup

On today’s Tank Talk! We welcome our guest Tony van Marken, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of First Ascent Ventures.

Tony is not only a successful businessman and venture capitalist but has an extremely accomplished mountaineering career having become the first South African to climb all Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each of the world’s seven continents.

On today's Talk, we ask Tony about his experience climbing Mount Everest in 2005 and his battle with the mountain, poor health and the worst weather seen on Everest for decades and his final steps to the summit on June 2, 2005. We also talk about his own personal business and other expedition experiences and the lessons learned that he has applied in building and investing in startups. This tank talk sure was a cliffhanger!

Now please welcome today's guest to the Tank, Tony Van Marken.

Books Mentioned In The Show:

- Annapurna Paperback - by Maurice Herzog

- Touching My Father's Soul: A Sherpa's Journey to the Top of Everest Paperback – by Jamling T. Norgay

- Into Thin Air - by Jon Krakauer

- Seven Summits - by Dick Bass, Frank Wells & Rick Ridgeway

- High Altitude Leadership - by Chris Warner & Don Schmincke

Tony’s words of Inspiration "If you dream of doing something, stop dreaming, get out and make it happen" by Sir Chris Bonington

You can follow Matt Cohen and Tank Talks here!