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In early spring of 2018 I received a text from Eric, “I guess we’ll be walking the tight rope…”. Shortly thereafter, he left his job and we launched 25:2 Solutions. Walking the tight rope with Eric was not a new concept for me. On our very first date he took me rock climbing in the Wichita Mountains near Lawton, OK (See image above).
This was not your typical top rope climb. No…this was a 3 pitch lead climb. Eric ascended the route ahead of me, carefully placing chocks and cams along the way until he reached the anchor bolts. He then tied off and belayed me up, offering encouragement and guidance as I cleaned the route. It was scary, but exhilarating, and after climbing two more pitches to the top, I realized that I was climbing with an expert and would love to do it for the rest of my life.
That was only the first of many adventures, and I learned early on that if I trusted Eric as my lead climber, I could follow him to the top of a mountain and be rewarded with a breath taking view that only very few get to experience.
As you can imagine, leading others up a climb is no small task. It requires guts and courage from a climber who knows and trusts his own capabilities enough to take the risk of a potential fall. Lots of experience and the ability to trouble shoot on the fly are vital in order to be successful.
24 years later, starting a company is another climbing adventure in our life. Is it hard work? Definitely. Is it risky? Not if you have a good lead climber. Eric Jackson is definitely a visionary with enough courage and drive to blaze a new trail. With over 100 peer-reviewed articles, he has a proven track record of being an expert in his field. Eric’s unique ability to apply his learnings and think outside the box allow him to devise rapid and ingenius solutions. Maybe rock climbing taught him that, or maybe that’s why he likes to climb. Either way, I have learned to be confident when Eric is at the lead end of the rope.
If you have ever met him, you know that Eric is a networker and a people person who loves to bring others along on the journey. He is a motivational leader whose passion is contagious. He is the perfect person to lead the crew we are assembling on this new ascent with 25:2 Solutions. I’m looking forward the climb and can’t wait to experience the view from the top!
Kim Jackson, CEO 25:2 Solutions
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