Nepal, Self-Reflection, and a Stronger RIVAL

A four-week expedition to the towering mountains of Nepal. Hiking 8–10 hours a day. Several days with over 1,000 meters of ascent and descent. An attempt to summit the legendary Mera Peak. Fainting from exhaustion and altitude sickness.
October has been anything but ordinary for Henrik Holvad and his daughter Helena. Together, they spent four weeks in Nepal. For Henrik, the expedition had several purposes:

  • The immediate goal: To summit Mera Peak’s 6,461 meters.
  • The personal goal: To prove to himself and the world that he can.
  • The professional goal: To confirm that RIVAL can thrive without him for several weeks.

Now back home, Henrik reflects on the journey. The expedition was decidedly harder than expected. Despite intensive training beforehand, the challenges exceeded his expectations. It was tough to accept not reaching the summit of Mera Peak and fainting from altitude sickness just 200 vertical meters from the goal.

“I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything,” Henrik shares. “It was a fantastic adventure, a challenging mental journey, and a unique opportunity for reflection and self-insight.

Both personally and professionally, I’ve always operated under the belief that when I set my mind to something, I can do it. That was also my mindset here. I was absolutely certain I would reach the summit.

Leading from the Front
However, I hit my limit, and that’s hard to accept. Two of the seven people in our group made it to the top. That’s a tough pill for me to swallow.

I’ve always been at my best when leading from the front.”

“This has also been true for many years at RIVAL. I’m the one leading the charge, the one everyone looks to when difficult decisions must be made. But that cannot last forever, and I know that—accepting it, however, is a process. In this transition, my partner, Christian Aarup, is an incredibly valuable teammate. In several areas, he is already ahead of me—especially when it comes to machinery and identifying new opportunities with our customers.

RIVAL and the Holvad Family Stand Strong
The expedition to Nepal has moved Henrik on several fronts. With pride, he has seen that RIVAL stands strong—even in his absence. Reaching his personal limits and daring to let go has provided newfound clarity. It allows him to focus on the future of RIVAL, where his role will eventually evolve.

At the same time, he looks with even greater admiration at his daughter, who proved to be the toughest of the two. “Now we’re going down, Dad,” she said. “The mountain will still be here tomorrow. We need to get home to Mom.”