Molten Summits 2025 | Boots Can Fail But Good Company Never Does

I’ll begin with some trail-tested advice: never trust a pair of hiking boots older than your LinkedIn profile photo.

This year, we took a new approach by hosting two Molten Summits back-to-back in Chamonix. Our Fund of Funds ‘Seed Summit’ came first, followed by the Portfolio Leadership Summit. The week was packed with fresh ideas, familiar faces, and plenty of stories worth sharing.

Two years ago, on a different trail in Chamonix, I watched Stu Chapman, our founder, set off with boots that had clearly seen their share of adventures. Halfway up the climb, the rubber crumbled, and the soles peeled away. Stu stood in the middle of the trail, boots in pieces, looking more bemused than bothered. The group paused, some feeling sympathy, others solidarity, and a few quietly relieved their own boots survived. One of our guides kindly swapped boots with Stu, saving his hike and giving us a story we would retell for years. Two pairs of boots failed that year and neither made it home.

This year, Stu returned with his kit triple-checked and boots fresh off the shelf. They held up well, even as we trudged through fresh snow and unpredictable terrain. The boot curse, however, was not entirely gone. I watched one of our CEOs discover that their boot had finally given up, but at least this time it happened once we were back in town over a pint. We laughed, shared a moment of commiseration, and remembered that no matter how carefully you prepare, sometimes the universe has other plans.

Not everything can be planned. Our hikes through the mountains became a vivid metaphor for leadership and for the week itself. We walked the same trail twice. The first time was with our Fund of Funds group in heavy fog, unable to see more than a few steps ahead. Later, with our Portfolio Leadership group, we broke trail through fresh snow. Not everyone had the perfect kit, but together we made it. We helped each other over icy patches and shared a sense of accomplishment at the end. Even when the path is familiar, conditions can change quickly. It is the strength of the group that makes all the difference.

Hosting both summits back-to-back showed us how universal these lessons are. The weather, the location, and the footwear may change. The mission stays the same: create a space where leaders can be open, support each other, and remember that none of us are climbing these mountains, literal or metaphorical, alone.

Throughout both summits, we balanced structured sessions with time for informal connection. Food truck dinners, mountain lunches, and late-night pub drinks sparked conversations that ranged from exit preparedness and leveraging AI to questions about how to keep going when things get tough. The spirit was always candid, supportive, and collaborative.

As the week wrapped up, I saw optimism returning to both groups. The tough times are not forgotten. Still, there is a renewed sense of purpose. New connections and shared stories have brought fresh energy. Most of all, there is comfort in knowing that whatever the weather or the state of your boots, we have each other’s backs.

No matter how carefully you plan, it’s the people beside you who turn challenges into adventures. That’s what makes this community special, and why we look forward to the next summit—whatever the trail brings.