Tenzing Norgay: The Sherpa Behind Our Name
If you’ve watched Tenzing on Apple TV, you already know part of our story.
We named our company for Tenzing Norgay. On May 29, 1953, he and Edmund Hillary became the first two people confirmed to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Long before that day, he was a young man from a Sherpa family, carrying supplies for other people’s expeditions. The name is a tribute to the expertise, experience, and guidance he brought to every climb, and in that spirit, we see ourselves as the “Sherpas” of process-enabled project management.
The new film, directed by Jennifer Peedom, tells that story from Tenzing’s perspective. It’s streaming on Apple TV now, and if you want to know why our name means so much to us, it’s a good place to start. You can also read more about the story on our About page.
Where the name came from
For Ian Parr, our Founder and President, the story goes back to his school days. In his words:
“When I was 12 years old, in my first year at Brockley County Grammar School, the school was visited by Sir Edmund Hillary. To me, like all schoolboys of that time, the man who climbed Everest was a superhero. We hung on his every word as he spoke of planning, teamwork, overcoming challenges, and, of course, the value of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay’s guidance and experience.
Fast forward 60 years. When we were looking for a name and identity for our application, one of our staff said that when he thought about it, we were like the Sherpas who led people up the Himalayas. I was 12 years old again, and we had our name and identity.”
Six attempts before the summit
Tenzing didn’t reach the top on his first try, or his second. He started on Everest in 1935, carrying loads for other climbers. He couldn’t read or write, but he spoke several languages and, over the years, became a leader of Sherpa climbing teams. In 1952, on a Swiss expedition, he got within a few hundred meters of the summit before the team turned back. The 1953 climb was his seventh attempt. By then, he knew the route, the weather, where climbs tended to fail, and the tools needed. This wasn’t a story of six failures. It was the story of experience overcoming setbacks and leading to success.
That part of his story resonates most with us. People responsible for a capital project often have limited relevant experience and may be doing it for the first time, as an adjunct to their full-time responsibilities. They carry the responsibility for the outcome, often without having made the climb before. Even those with some experience seldom have the route planned or the tools to handle all the challenges. The process embedded in Tenzing One provides the route, tools, and experience developed, used, and proven on more than 10,000 projects.
A route, not just a map
Most project software gives you a place to keep your information. It doesn’t tell you where to go or what to do next, or help with the tools and experience to get there. With any challenge, an owner’s question is usually the same: Do I have the right solution, based on reliable information? Am I making an informed decision?
The guide is part of the team
The film highlights something previous accounts of the climb often overlooked. Tenzing insisted on being a committed, full member of the expedition, not hired help, and he and Hillary reached the top as partners.
We think about that a lot. A good guide is a fully committed partner who’s with you every step of the way. That’s the role we want to play on your project team.
The SHERPA concept inspires our optional service offerings, too. Tenzing One clients can benefit from:
- ProjectSHERPA™ provides a network of experienced Owner’s Rep advisors on call if you need crisis support, so someone who’s been up the mountain is always available.
If you’re responsible for a capital project and want to see how Tenzing One works on a project like yours, [book a demo].
