The 29029 Everest Challenge

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At Impact, we’re all about taking things to the limit and pushing beyond that limit. When we set a goal, we crush it, and every day we push ourselves to be better and achieve more than the day before. That’s why when entrepreneur Jesse Itzler posed us a challenge in January 2019, we stepped up to the plate in a big way.

Among his other entrepreneurial, athletic, and literary pursuits, Itzler is the creator of an endurance challenge called 29029. The climbing event challenges participants to hike the equivalent of Mt. Everest in a single weekend, totaling 29,029 vertical feet. In 2019, there were two events: one in Snowbasin, UT in August and one in Stratton, VT in October.

Over 50 people from the Impact network took on this challenge, including advisors, Impact employees, and even a few spouses. They chose their event and began a rigorous training regime to help them prepare for the climb of a lifetime.

At the Utah climb, hikers had to contend with late summer heat as they made 13 laps up the mountain. As they completed each lap, they burned the 29029 logo into a wooden board to symbolize how far they had come so far on their journey. The sight and smell of the smoke was a powerful stimulant as they made their decision to go back up the mountain or return to the creature comforts of camp.

The landscape, weather, and obstacles could not have been more different in Vermont: In addition to the 17 laps up Stratton Mountain, hikers were faced with freezing temperatures, snow, and even a local bear!

In each event, the hikes were only half the battle. At the top of the mountain, they would take a gondola back to the starting point, where they had a choice to make: Take another lap and be one step closer to the goal, or return to the luxury campsite where the temptations of food, entertainment, and massage therapists waited. For some participants, this choice was almost as difficult as the climb itself.

The 29029 Everest Challenge is about more than mountain climbing. Hikers aren’t competing against the mountain – they’re competing against themselves, pushing themselves to keep going even when they want to give up. 29029 is a physical endurance challenge, yes, but it’s also a mental and emotional one.

Whether they finished or not, the challenge participants were forever changed by their experiences on the mountain. Those who earned their red bibs learned the power of determination and perseverance, even in the face of what seems to be certain failure. Those who attempted their goal and came close learned never to underestimate themselves or the challenges they may face.

To read more about the Impact family’s 29029 experiences, check out our exposure gallery.

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Stephen Odom, CEO of The Impact Partnership

STEPHEN ODOM

Chief Executive Officer

Stephen started in the insurance marketing business in 2001 as a new business consultant. In 2002 he was promoted to Director of Sales and built a 200 million book of business from scratch. By 2005, he was one of the top wholesalers in the country, working with some of the top financial advisors and insurance agents across the USA. In 2008, Stephen was promoted to Co-President of one of the largest IMOs in the country.

In 2011, Stephen continued his entrepreneurship path and co-founded The Impact Partnership, an INC 5000 company. Stephen is responsible for the strategic vision of Impact and is laser-focused on creating a culture of growth for both internal teammates and our amazing customers.

Stephen lives in Kennesaw, GA, with his wife of more than 20 years, Kendra. They are blessed with three beautiful children Katie, Tyler, Anna Brooke, and Laya, their German Shepherd and Luna, their BernieDoodle.