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Gary Neptune
Gary Neptune
01:02

Gary Neptune

Neptune Mountaineering

Boulder, CO USA

"If you really don't know where you're headed, don't get yourself locked into something you can't get out of."

Career Roadmap

Gary's work combines: Action Sports, Entrepreneurship, and Being Physically Active

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Day In The Life

Founder

I founded a mountaineering store and climbing museum out of my love for skiing and mountain climbing.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Geology/Earth Science, General

    Rice University

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    The first book he'd ever read was Our Everest Adventure, "not a kids' book at all" but he got "majorly bit by the bug."

  • 2.

    Went to Rice University, changed majors from biology to geology, knew he didn't want to earn a living in either; climbing was his true passion.

  • 3.

    Dropped out of grad school after three years; his parents didn't understand why he didn't just finish the major as "back-up."

  • 4.

    Moved to Boulder, Colorado to work at a mountaineering store, focus on climbing.

  • 5.

    While he was working at this store for a few years, he noticed the business climate was getting better.

  • 6.

    He grabbed his friend, who knew about boot repair, scraped together some money, goods, and opened his own shop.

  • 7.

    Owning his own business gave him the freedom to climb as much as he wanted; was able to climb Mt. Everest in 1990.

  • 8.

    Says his goal was never to make money; he knows people making good money who are stuck in their jobs, unable to take time off, completely unhappy.