Richard Lonski has one of the biggest, kindest, warmest hearts I know. Dude is solid.

Richard started rock climbing when he was in his 40’s and dropped 50 pounds!  https://completecompetentcare.com/3335-how-much-is-daily-cialis-5-mg-for-one-month/ go follow site viagra em campinas essay enter university https://www.getthereatx.com/capstone/adult-essay-contests/7/ https://familytreecounseling.com/pill/how-long-does-one-cialis-stay-in-your-system/13/ master thesis scholarship germany go essay for writing skills andaluz hablando viagra go site extended essays in psychology sildenafil citrate camber 25 mg tablet see url go to link https://lawdegree.com/questions/prentation/46/ come posso comprare viagra source sildenafil not as good as viagra massart application essay characteristic of good hypothesis phd thesis full text mama me da viagra math homework help statistics how many viagra tablets will insurance pay for how to make college more inclusive essay https://complextruths.org/case/monash-library-essay-writing-guide/68/ viagra equivalent tablets in india how to check my pc ip address in cmd go https://revivemedicalny.com/citrate/how-much-viagra-can-be-taken/8/ Talk about being an inspiration.  He is the CFO of DGS Games.  And, he knows how to kick ass–is one of only a few teachers of a martial art called Shinwa Taido.

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Richard Lonski.

Get to know Richard in 15 seconds:

Scariest situation you’ve ever been in – doesn’t have to be climbing related: 

• Wow….things got real fast. It was a situation I don’t think I’ve ever told anyone about. I was in high school and was sexually assaulted by a much larger/older co-worker.

[Please, if you or someone you know needs help:  Call 800.656.HOPE (4673)]

If you were only allowed one specific type and brand of alcohol / cocktail for one year, what would you choose?

• Easy….whiskey.  Pretty much all I drink now.  Bourbon or Scotch neat.  There is nothing better on a cold night around a campfire.

What are three things you eat on a regular basis?

• Spinach, hummus and peanut butter

The last good book you read was:

• That’s hard, I don’t read nearly as much as I used to…..so, how about the book that had the most impact on my life. The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra. I’ve owned it 3 times and given them all away. Been meaning to buy my 4th copy.

What music or a song you listen to over and over right now? 

• While I have about a dozen Pandora stations, I keep coming back to Cake, Walk off the Earth and Billie Holiday depending on my mood.

If space tourism become available in our lifetime, are you going to the Moon or Mars? Why? 

• Easy. Mars. I wrote a research paper on the feasibility of colonizing Mars in High school.  I have always been a nerd; and that created a bit of a fascination with the planet and the possibilities it represents.

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HCRB:  How did you get involved in climbing?

Richard:  A friend was talking about going and I invited myself along.

HCRB:  How long have you been climbing?

Richard:  My 4yr climb-aversary was last June.

HCRB:  Describe what you do to relax after a hard day of climbing outside?

Richard:  Campfire, good food, friends, bourbon…not necessarily in that order.HCRB:  What relaxation tips do you have for someone who is new to climbing or camping?

Richard:  Breathe.  Unplug (something I am terrible at).  Look at the stars.

HCRB:  Where is your favorite climbing destination?

Richard:  Colorado

HCRB:  What makes that place so special for you?

Richard:  Longer pitches, granite and nature (the duality/dichotomy of trees and rock fascinate me).HCRB:  What are the 3 pieces of gear that you bring on all of your climbing trips?

Richard:  Well, setting aside the obvious climbing related gear choices, my grill (a fold out put over a campfire type grill…I love to cook), 5 gallon water jug and a butane lighter. More practical than sexy….probably says something about me.

HCRB:  You are the CFO at DGS Games, what is DGS Games?

Richard:  Heh…back to the nerd conversation. I have been a gamer since I was 9 or 10 years old. Board games, card games, video game…you name it, I have likely played it or thought about playing it. DGS Games is a miniature company. We make 32mm fantasy miniatures (meaning a man-sized figure is 32mm tall) for a rule set we published called Freeblades.  [Connect with DGS Games on Facebook.]

HCRB:  Do you have a favorite lesson that you have learned from climbing that you apply to your business?

Richard:  Focus on the next step, but never lose track of the end goal either. Remember there are many paths that reach the same goal…don’t fixate on one over another without a really good reason.

HCRB:  And, how has climbing helped your business?

Richard:  It’s a de-stressor more than anything.  No doubt it helps in dozens of small ways as well.

HCRB:  What is the biggest obstacle you have overcome in running your business?

Richard:  Lack of capital and trying to get the other 4 partners and myself on the same page (or at least in the same chapter). We all have very strong opinions of how to get where we all want to be, as well as different levels of commitment (available time to devote). That creates an interesting puzzle for the CEO to manage.

HCRB:  What advice do you have for new entrepreneurs?

Richard:  Know your product, know your industry, know your clientele. Choose your marketing strategy wisely.  Partnering with other companies can be huge if they have the same values that you have.

HCRB:  You have used Kickstarter successfully on many occasions. What makes your campaigns successful?

Richard:  We’re in the middle of delivering rewards for our 4th successful Kickstarter. You have to have your audience and followers in place before launch. Kickstarters are successful due to the backers spreading the word.  Having that group of people already in place and willing and excited to talk about your stuff is what makes it work.

HCRB:  You are also a martial artist.  How does that help your climbing or your business?

Richard:  A small art called Shinwa Taido. I am one of about a dozen instructors in the world.  I have not actively taught in 4-5 years.

Discipline, focus and the ability to communicate ideas/teach is always good in business as well as climbing.  Where Taido has really helped my climbing is the body awareness, balance and control.

HCRB:  How have you used climbing to improve your health?

Richard:  Well, dropping 50lbs is probably the most obvious improvement. I’m plateaued at 210lbs now and feeling a bit too complacent as I’m stronger now than I have ever been and lighter than I have been since college. My goal is to get below 200.

HCRB:  What are some skills / experiences that every man should have?

Richard:  Knowing the limits of your knowledge and sponge knowledge off anyone you find willing/capable of passing it on. Never being afraid to learn from anyone…regardless of age/sex/level of experience etc.

I watched a climber with several years less experience work on a project of mine. She was struggling in the same place I was and tried something that almost worked for her, but it was a very different approach than what I had been trying. I was able to use that approach and clean that project. Sometimes learning can come from just being open to try new things.

HCRB:  Do you want to talk about your recent heath crisis?

Richard:  Sure…..August of 2013. I had a fever over 103 for about 10 days…..102 for 10 days and then 100-101 for another 10 days. I spent 8 days in the hospital.

I had few other symptoms that were not caused by the fever itself. I was delusional at times during the worst of the fever, had night sweats and extremely fatigued as I couldn’t sleep more than about two hours at a time, so KU Med had a difficult time identifying the cause (and ultimately never did).

Without a cause, a treatment plan is not obvious. They ended up flooding my system with a regiment of antibiotics–more of an artillery barrage of treatment than a scalpel.

HCRB:  How did you stay mentally strong?

Richard:  Honestly, I’m not sure I did the the first couple of weeks. I was out of it. I had been going to a walk-in clinic and basically getting no where.

Finally after 10 days, I checked myself into the ER when they said it would be another week before test results would come back. I was not willing to suffer that much longer. Once I was at KU Med, I realized how incompetent the doctor at the clinic was.

Then started my lung cancer scare. Due to the high fever, I had developed fluid and a large lump of necrotic tissue in my lungs. Thank god my first Doctor in the ER laid it out for me….the possibilities, the likelihoods (and unlikelihoods) and the why’s for each. Once I was out of the ER, the attending physicians, just looked at my chart, saw “lung mass” and only talked about cancer.

I’ve always had a good BS-meter although it was hard to completely dismiss “experts” opinions and wait for the biopsy results to reveal what was really going on.

HCRB:  What’s the most important lesson you learned in going through that?

Richard:  Doctors can be the smartest dumb people you will ever meet. That is probably not fair, but overall, they are pushed/rewarded to see as many patients as possible as fast as possible. So, some don’t take the time to look beyond the surface/obvious even when there are indicators that it might not be the case.

You have to know your self and know your body. If they say something that doesn’t make sense to you (like “you have lung cancer” when you have never smoked or been in an high risk group), ask questions and force them to explain it until it makes sense to you, or in trying to answer you, they have to look harder/deeper and come up with a different answer. I didn’t do that enough in the beginning.

HCRB:  Lastly, what advice would you give to your…

…25 year old self?

Richard:  Dude….learn to climb. It’s been one of the single most positive experiences for me; and it is the most positive community I’ve ever been a part of.  My only regret is coming to it so late in life.

…35 year old self?

Richard:  Figure your shit out. Learn how to express yourself honestly with those you care about.

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Read about more amazing people in the Kansas City Climbing Community inside of HCRBeta’s Interviews category.

Jason Clements is the founder of and writer for HCRBeta, Hike Climb Relax:  How to…  He lives in Shawnee, Kansas and also runs the cell phone recycling company, Cells for Cells, which recycles cell phones to raise money for families battling cancer.  You can follow Jason on Facebook or on Twitter @jasonclements.

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