At just 26 years old, Mollie Hughes became the youngest woman in the world and the first English woman to summit Mount Everest from both sides. In 2017, Mollie stood on top of the world for the second time after her first summit from the south side in 2012. From this major feat, Mollie experienced a whirlwind of ups and downs that led to lessons that can be applied to any adventure.
- Find Your Inspiration
Everest hadn’t always been on Mollie’s mind. In fact, it wasn’t something she considered herself capable of climbing. At her final year of University, Mollie chose to write her dissertation on the psychology of climbing Mount Everest. She interviewed 7 men who climbed Everest and how they dealt with the psychological barriers and pressure. After the first interview, Mollie was hooked and she knew she wanted to climb Everest herself.
Talking to people who’d already been on the adventure inspired Mollie. In her search to find women who climbed Everest, Mollie found a woman who’d climbed Everest at 22 years old. When she saw that a woman so close to her age climbed the mountain, Mollie knew she could do it. While the men inspired Mollie, it was a woman’s example that really gave Mollie the confidence to embark on her adventure.
- Commit to Fundraising
Getting the money and sponsorship to go on an adventure can be a huge barrier. Just knowing how much it will cost stops most people from planning their expedition. By looking at the websites of people who had already climbed Everest, Mollie learned how she could get financing from businesses and sponsorship. She planned to get corporate sponsorship by setting a record. Mollie outlined everything she had to offer and sent it out to 30-40 companies each week for almost a year. The rejections were hard, but Mollie had been told that sponsorships often came at the last moment possible. Talk about nail-biting!
Before a practice expedition to train for Everest, Mollie had a fundraising evening with friends and family. She held an auction where businesses donated things and while she had a number of donations, she still wanted a big ticket item that would really get the bids coming in. The morning of the event, Mollie had an idea to sell her bum as space for a tattoo. The idea was a hit and Mollie got around £1,000 for her right bum cheek which now features a tattoo of two kissing chickens. That is dedication.