We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Andrew Buerger a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Andrew , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

My wife and I tried to climb Mt. Shasta together just before we got married. She made it to base camp at 11,000 feet but didn’t feel well enough to push on to the summit at 14,000 feet in Northern California. I went on with two others. Even though Jennifer didn’t make it, she loved the trip. The mountain was beautiful and serene, and the town was so quaint. It was a fabulous experience we shared together.

Eight months later, on February 26, 2008, we were sitting in the doctor’s waiting room when an email came through on my Blackberry: “Congratulations, Andrew! Your puppy’s been born.” A minute later, the nurse called us back to see the doctor, who gave us some very different news: “Mrs. Buerger, I’m sorry to tell you that you have MS – Multiple Sclerosis.”

We went home that night and cried for hours. The next morning, we woke up and decided to name that Bullmastiff puppy, who’d grow to be 140 pounds, “Mt. Shasta.” It was the last mountain Jennifer and I climbed together, and his initials were “MS” because, damn it, MS was going to be something positive in our lives. We had many great years with Shasta before he crossed the rainbow bridge.

Three years later, our kids were begging for another dog. I resisted because I knew all the work would fall on me. My wife and kids searched for another large dog, and I wasn’t convinced. Besides, it wasn’t easy finding any dog during COVID, so we couldn’t be too picky. We held out until a breed was brought to a shelter. The dogs had names like Wally, Tamali, Molly, and Denali. Denali caught my eye because it’s the tallest mountain in North America at over 21,000 feet.

I immediately made a deal with my kids — if we could keep the name Denali (like the mountain in Alaska), we could get the dog. So our second family dog was named after another mountain.

A few months later, when I had to come up with a name for my motivational speaking business, it was simple: Mountain Dogs Marketing LLC.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

When my sister was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, her courage and strength inspired me to turn pain into passion. I founded Jodi’s Climb for Hope, an organization that has raised over $1 million for cancer and multiple sclerosis research through mountain-climbing expeditions—apt metaphors for the struggles women affected by breast cancer endure.

In 2008, tragedy struck again when my wife Jen was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This personal challenge expanded Jodi’s Climb for Hope’s mission to include MS research.

During an expedition in Iceland, I discovered the inspiration for B’More Organic, the first organic protein drink with no added sugar. Inc. magazine ranked it as the fifth fastest-growing natural brand in 2017.

Today, I share my stories at TEDxRockville, corporate retreats, and industry conferences. Through engaging mountaineering, business, and personal narratives, I convey the guiding principles that help teams across North America navigate the peaks and valleys of their companies and personal lives.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Certainly! The story I shared about my background is a key example of resilience from my journey. My life, like many people’s lives, has been one constant mountain to climb. My mother died when I was just 1 year old, and my father passed away when I was 31. I’ve also mentioned my sister’s battle with terminal breast cancer and my wife’s diagnosis with multiple sclerosis. Each of these challenges could have easily overwhelmed me, but they didn’t.

Instead, I founded Jodi’s Climb for Hope, raising over $1 million for cancer and MS research through mountain-climbing expeditions. This journey symbolized the struggles faced by those affected by these diseases and turned our pain into a powerful mission. During an expedition in Iceland, I discovered the inspiration for B’More Organic, the first organic protein drink with no added sugar, which Inc. magazine ranked as the fifth fastest-growing natural brand in 2017.

Throughout these experiences, I’ve learned to embrace the climb, overcome obstacles, and enjoy the view from the top. Today, I share these stories at TEDx talks, corporate retreats, and industry conferences, helping others navigate their own peaks and valleys.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

One of the key points I make in my keynotes is to carry a flag. Our second fundraising climb was Mt. Kilimanjaro. This bucket list expedition  involved six days of climbing through five climatic zones. During that time we kept crossing paths with another team.

The steep terrain was both gorgeous and challenging. Our team dealt with altitude sickness, cold, and fatigue, but we were inspired by those battling cancer every day. Finally, we reached the summit. Seeing the sign “Highest Point in Africa” at 19,400 feet brought tears and joy as we displayed our flags, honoring those we climbed for. All 24 of us struggled yet made it up and safely back down in two more days.

After we descended, we celebrated at a nice hotel. Over cocktails by a fire pit, I chatted with a member of the other group. When she mentioned that half their group turned back due to cold feet or fatigue, I was incredulous. For us, turning back wasn’t an option because we had a mission—carrying flags for loved ones battling cancer, including my sister’s name. This experience taught us the importance of carrying a flag, a metaphor for mission.

In my for-profit company, B’more Organic, I made sure everyone knew our mission. I repeated it constantly, displaying it on our walls, website, and in communications with customers. People don’t work hard to overcome obstacles for a paycheck, but they do for a purpose. This focus kept our morale high despite the stress of a fast-growing startup.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.andrewbuerger.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buergerandrew/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-buerger-6226832
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4zBhPq6URA&list=RDCMUCsT0YIqwnpJCM-mx7-gSA4Q&start_radio=1&t=196s