EP 131: Vivian James Rigney - Author, 7-Summits Mountaineer, and Executive Coach

Vivian James Rigney is an accomplished mountaineer who's climbed all 7 summits as well as the President and CEO of Inside Us LLC, an executive coaching consultancy, where he's helped implement leadership development initiatives for some of the world's leading companies and their executive teams. Vivian is a renowned speaker and expert on mindset and behavior, whose talks and presentations have inspired audiences across the world. Men's Journal favorably compares Rigney's new book to Into Thin Air, where his book Naked at the Knife-Edge: What Everest Taught Me About Leadership and the Power of Vulnerability, uniquely combines Rigney's hands-on and reflective approach with extreme adventure and a raw, revealing personal story.

Based in Boulder, CO, Mike Lewis has worked in the outdoor and action sports industries for more than 20 years. He currently oversees Zeal Optics' brand globally, focusing on driving demand for their sunglasses and goggles, as well as helping his retail partners sell through engaging, creative marketing strategies, content, and storytelling.

Nick Norris (@nick_norris1981) is a graduate of both the United States Naval Academy and Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL (BUD/S) Class 247. Upon completion of SEAL training in 2004, Nick assumed progressively higher positions of leadership within Naval Special Warfare. His deployed roles included combat advisor to Iraqi and Afghan military units, Cross-Functional Team Leader, and Ground Force Commander during combat operation in both Iraq and Afghanistan.   Nick was most recently assigned to Naval Special Warfare Basic Training Command — SEAL Qualification Training (SQT) as Officer in Charge prior to transitioning off Active Duty. Originally from Chicago, Nick received his Bachelor in Science from the United States Naval Academy in 2003 and his Masters of Science in Real Estate from The University of San Diego in 2013. He is the Executive Director of the C4 Foundation, which provides support and resources through science-based programs to active duty Navy SEALs and their families. Nick is also the Co-Founder and CEO of Protekt Products, a wellness company that is committed to positively impacting customer health via both personal care products and nutritional supplements. Both Protekt and the C4 Foundation value the power of time spent in the outdoors and the positive impact it has on overall well-being.

A few years ago, Mina noticed a consistent pattern of very people of color taking part in outdoor recreation sports so she decided to help change that by creating the BOA, Black Outdoor Adventurers, in October of 2015, to bring diversity into the outdoors.  Mina believes that everyone should enjoy life beyond the concrete jungle and do the things that truly enrich our lives. Her goal is to help more people of color discover this world, be open to the power of nature to heal our burdens, and gain a new perspective on life, one outdoor adventure at a time. A little About BOA: We are an outdoor adventure social enterprise focused on the health and wellness of people of color mainly between the ages 27-42 that live and work throughout the New York Tri-state and Northeast region. Founded by Mina Okpi in 2015, Black Outdoor Adventurers works to eliminate the lack of outdoor participation through our dynamic programming and by making outdoor activities more visible and accessible to Black and Brown people. We want to educate and get more people in the black and brown community excited about new opportunities to expand their community circle, make gains in wellness and challenge themselves to new potential through the outdoors and nature. You can check out more about us on our website - Black Outdoor Adventurers, Instagram, or Linkedin.   

Nathan Pettijohn is an author, talent manager, and entrepreneur. Nathan is a contributing writer for Forbes on topics relating to what business leaders need to know about innovations in media and technology. Nathan is also the coauthor of a short tactical guide, Zen and the Art of Admin Tasks, about outsourcing administrative work. His newest book is a travelogue called Travels With Hafa.

As a National Geographic photographer, writer, creative director, artist, speaker and adventure seeker, Erin is a force to be reckoned with. Whether snowmobiling in Whistler, camping in Alaska, repelling down cliffs or hanging out of a helicopter, Erin will do whatever it takes to capture the seemingly impossible.  Erin's been awarded an X-Games Gold Medal for Action Sports Photography, was selected as an O (Oprah) Magazine insider, and is one of the official Sony Alpha Females. Erin works with clients including Oakley, Red Bull, and more.

Jonathan Cedar is the CEO and of BioLite, a social enterprise that develops, manufactures, and markets advanced energy products for off-grid communities around the world (outdoor + emerging markets). With roots as an engineer (previously working for SmartDesign), Jonathan co-founded BioLite after inventing a cleaner-combusting cookstove that produced 99% fewer smoke emissions than traditional, open-flame fires. After taking the HomeStove to a combustion conference, Jonathan realized the positive impact his product could have on lives in emerging markets as smoke from traditional open flame fires leads to over 4 million deaths a year. BioLite continues to grow within the parallel innovation pipeline, producing similar products for two distinct audiences and using funds from the outdoor market to subsidize the growth within emerging markets. You can read the full impact report here.  Fun Fact: He's a great banjo player.

Have you ever ​​dreamed you could go to class while sailing the sea, watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean, or stare up at the Mediterranean stars? Well, with Semester at Sea you can! Whether in class, studying, or engaging in shipboard activities, students are always a few steps away from friends, the ocean, and a global perspective in learning and life.   In Scott's role as the President and CEO, he's responsible for the overall strategic direction and financial well-being of the Institute for Shipboard Education and the Semester at Sea program.  Scott earned his Ph.D. in International Business from the University of Oregon, a Master of International Affairs from George Washington University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics from Willamette University.

No matter the situation, Patrick is ready to take off. Whether it's a 5000-meter jump from a helicopter over the Eiger or a detailed lecture about the lessons of his magical moments, his backpack is always full of new experiences and ideas. As the 2nd place finisher of this year's Red Bull X-Alps alongside the longtime uncontested dominator of recent years, Chrigel Maurer, Patrick understands the impact of teamwork to break boundaries. From his early days as a kid stealing his parent's paraglider to becoming one of the world's top pilots today, this is the story of how Patrick defied the odds and climbed to new heights.

Elliott Lyons is the founder and CEO of EnVision, a revolutionary visualization app. Elliott's mission is to empower people to 'go for it' - whatever the 'it' is. Through the EnVision app he hopes to bring the tool of visualization to the wider world, giving people a powerful opportunity to help them fulfill their potential and achieve a meaningful vision for their life.  Elliott is passionate about creating cutting-edge technology, loves to get out in nature, and is an Ironman triathlete in his free time. Before founding EnVision, Elliott built App Magna, a mobile app company, which has over 3 million downloads and a monthly passive income of $15k+.