Building a successful business can be a lot like climbing a mountain. The more one’s business grows, the more responsibilities there are. While on the mountain, the higher one climbs, the less oxygen there is and the harder it can be to continue. Both require a committed mindset to help push through and overcome adversity. Andy Riddle, President and CEO of Alliance Arete, understands that truth — not only as an inspirational leader in insurance, but also as an extreme hiker.
Along with his wife and business partner, Angela Riddle, Andy has built an impressive business that prizes resilience and mentorship. Andy knows the difficulties of being an agent and trains them to find success. Just as he finds purpose and joy in building others up, Andy pushes his own limits to help him grow.
One of his most impactful growth experiences occurred during Snowbasin’s 29029 Everesting challenge held in Utah. The goal: climb an equivalent height of Mount Everest — nearly 30,000 feet — in under 36 hours. To achieve it, Andy and a hometown friend would need to hike to the top of Snowbasin Resort 13 times.
Andy relishes a good challenge and started training by getting on an inclined treadmill and prepared himself for what would equate to around 5.5 miles straight up a mountain. Despite that, Andy’s first attempt at completing the challenge would be cut short the first night when he started coughing up blood. You see, Andy lives in Florida, and while all his training built his strength, it wasn’t enough to counter the impact of Snowbasin’s over 9,000 feet of elevation.
Nevertheless, this was only a momentary setback to Andy. He and his friend would redouble their efforts and train even harder for the following year’s 29029 challenge, and they successfully completed the race.
Looking back, Andy says the endurance community reminds him of the Integrity family — a remarkable group of people who see each challenge as an opportunity to achieve something greater and only want to help others grow. We are proud to have leaders like Andy who know what it means to persevere, grow and share their wealth of knowledge so more people can reach new levels of success. Learn more about Andy and Alliance Arete by checking out their announcement video!