I’m not a professional hiker by any stretch of the imagination. But that didn’t stop me from taking on a strenuous trail in the Rocky Mountains this past week.

I’ve completed a couple of hikes in my life — once in the Seoraksan Mountains in South Korea, and more recently, the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee.

My hike up to Royal Arch in Boulder’s Chautauqua Park, however, was likely the most challenging of the three. The approximately 3.5-mile round-trip trail didn’t take much longer than 3.5 hours to complete. But with a gain of 1,400 feet in elevation done mostly through steep stair-like inclines and declines, I debated stopping and turning back more than once.

I didn’t turn back; I persisted and completed the hike, and it was well worth the challenge.

I’m sure most of you also have found yourselves in challenging situations, be it in life or at work, and found a way to push through only to find a view that takes your breath away, or at least adds another step to your career ladder.

This month’s featured professional woman, Renee Joseph, shares her successes and challenges in what has been a unique journey into the HVAC industry. She paved her own path by being observant of opportunity, but mostly by being bold enough to seize on that opportunity. I really enjoyed talking to her and hearing about her current and future plans of working with young girls and women in the industry.

Speaking of women in industry, be sure to take a look at our preview for the American Supply Association Women In Industry 2017 Conference.

Danielle Galian, editor of The Wholesaler, and I will be heading to the conference in Austin, Texas (April 26-28) and would love to talk to you if you will be in attendance as well. If you won’t be there, keep an eye out for next month’s Letter from the Editor for an update of what was discussed and how you can get involved.

As always, my goal is to talk to leading women in the industry each month and share their stories, thoughts and insights. If you know a woman, or are a woman who should be featured, let me know.

If you know any other women in the industry who would benefit from receiving this newsletter, please forward this link to them.