Finding Your Purpose: Lessons for Founders from Dave McCoy’s Mountain Dream
Lessons from Emily Esfahani Smith and Dave McCoy’s
Summer is ending, and with the kids we made a short trip to the famous Mammoth ski resort. There, I stumbled upon the unusual and inspiring story of ace skier, champion, and founder of Mammoth Mountain—Dave McCoy, a “visionary who was pivotal in the development of the sport in the West.”
Emily Esfahani Smith, in her work The Power of Meaning, explains that purpose is not just passion—it’s a long-term aim that organizes your life and serves something beyond yourself. It’s the “why” that fuels resilience, helps you persist through setbacks, and inspires others to join your vision.
A Purpose Born in the Snow
In the late 1930s, McCoy worked as a snow surveyor for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. His job took him to the Eastern Sierra, where he fell in love with the massive, storm-catching slopes of the dormant volcano we now know as Mammoth Mountain.
One winter, he parked his Ford Model A on a snowy slope, jacked up the rear wheels, tied a rope from the back wheel to a tree, and started charging skiers 50 cents for a ride uphill—the mountain’s first “rope tow.”
Most saw Mammoth as “too snowy, too stormy, too far away” to become a serious ski destination. McCoy saw potential. With friends, grit, and resourcefulness, he built machinery, navigated blizzards, droughts, and economic downturns, and grew a mom-and-pop rope tow into one of America’s most iconic ski resorts. His passion turned into a lifelong mission—bringing the joy of skiing to thousands.
Purpose Through the Lens of Emily Esfahani Smith
McCoy’s story embodies the core elements of purpose Smith highlights:
Service over self – His aim was not just to ski, but to create a place where others could experience the same thrill.
Persistence through adversity – A shattered leg, financial struggles, and harsh weather didn’t deter him.
Alignment of skills and service – His mechanical ingenuity and love for snow combined into a lasting contribution.
Vision beyond obstacles – He saw opportunity where others saw only barriers.
Lessons for Startup Founders
McCoy’s journey offers timeless insights for entrepreneurs:
Start with what you have – A Ford Model A and a rope tow were enough to begin.
See possibility where others see problems – Constraints can be a competitive advantage.
Serve a community, not just a market – Purpose-driven businesses inspire loyalty.
Adapt and persist – Survive the storms—both literal and metaphorical.
Play the long game – Purpose is about building something enduring, not chasing quick wins.
Finding your purpose doesn’t always require radical change—it can grow from what you already love, if you commit to using it in service of others. For Dave McCoy, that purpose was written in snow. For you, it might be waiting in the passions you’ve carried all along.