The grade on the wall says 7b. The grade I’m setting myself says 8a.
Monday Momentum — Week 01 · Q2
Monday Momentum landed on Tuesday this week. I was travelling, the days were packed, and I chose presence over performance. No apology — that’s the system working, not failing.
Last week was Valtellina. Family time with M. and the girls in the mountains. Not a working holiday — a living one. We advanced the restoration of our old place up there. Stone walls, mountain air, plans taking shape. There’s something deeply satisfying about rebuilding something physical while you’re simultaneously building ventures that don’t exist yet. One grounds the other.
This week is launch. New quarter. New altitude.
I completed the Q2 plan and I’m not going to pretend it’s comfortable. Four goals, multiple ventures, real targets:
Grow Fab Ventures — clear products and services in the catalogue for Fab Campaigns, Imprese Favolose, Fab NED, and the writing framework. Agents and people as production channels. Building pipeline through the quarter.
Imprese Favolose — Gate 2 pitch and governance moving forward. The team is working on Smart Mountains and seeding new ideas. This has been building for months. Time to close the gate.
Smart Mountains Seeding — proposals for operational monitoring sites by Q2. Business model validated. First investor conversations opened. The team is moving together on this.
Wellbeing & Training — quality days with M., the girls, friends. Planned in advance, executed on time. Protecting the things that matter most.
On top of that: a busy May across Europe — learning, networking, and applying for NED roles. Mountain Training is on the list.
Here’s the honest bit.
On rock, I’m climbing 6c onsight, projecting 7a+. That’s my level. I know my body, I know my grade, I know what I can reach for and what needs more sessions.
In business and leadership and coaching? I’m targeting 8a.
That’s two full grades above where I climb. It’s the grade where technique alone doesn’t carry you. Where you need power, precision, and the willingness to fall. Where the sequence isn’t obvious from the ground and you have to commit to moves you can’t fully see.
I’m energised. I’m excited. And I’m a little bit scared. Which — if you know anything about climbing at your limit — means I’m exactly where I should be.
This week: develop tactics for every goal, upgrade my framework with new tools (the dopamine layer I’ve been building — more on that Friday), advance NED applications, and plan the next steps.
The bolts are in the wall. The grade is set. Time to pull on.
💪🏔️
Monday Momentum is a weekly note on building ventures, climbing grades, and leading from the mountains. Follow along or tell me what you’re projecting this quarter.