Scott Dinsmore was a well-known entrepreneur and founder of Live Your Legend, a global community that helps people find and pursue meaningful careers and lives. Dismore died tragically while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro on September 12, 2015. This article details his life, achievements, and the events leading to his death.

Early Life

Scott Dinsmore was born on October 15, 1983, in San Francisco, California. From a young age, he was passionate about inspiring others to follow their dreams. He studied at the University of California, Berkeley, where he developed a strong interest in entrepreneurship and personal development.

Dinsmore’s path to success wasn’t traditional. He held several corporate jobs, including working for Fortune 500 companies and startups, where he handled management consulting and marketing tasks. He didn’t find these positions fulfilling, which eventually led him to question how people could live lives they were passionate about. This search for purpose became the foundation of his company.

Live Your Legend

In 2010, Dinsmore founded Live Your Legend, a platform dedicated to helping people find and do work they love. His TEDx talk, “How to Find and Do Work You Love,” went viral, reaching millions worldwide. It empowered people to break free from unfulfilling jobs and create meaningful careers. The core of his message was that anyone could build a life doing what they love if they had the right mindset and community.

Live Your Legend became more than just a website; it grew into a global movement, with local meetups in over 150 cities worldwide. Dinsmore’s passion for connecting and helping others find their true calling was evident in everything he did.

Climbing Kilimanjaro

In early 2015, Scott Dinsmore and his wife, Chelsea, embarked on a journey to travel the world for a full year. This adventure was a reflection of the life philosophy he promoted through Live Your Legend: living fully and embracing every opportunity. The couple visited 20 countries during their trip, meeting people from diverse cultures.

About six months into their travels, Scott and Chelsea went to Tanzania to tackle Africa’s highest peak—Mount Kilimanjaro. Climbing the 19,341-foot (5,895-meter) mountain was an adventure Scott had looked forward to, as another opportunity to test himself physically and mentally.

Scott chose to climb the mountain using the Western Breach approach, one of Kilimanjaro’s most dangerous paths due to the threat of rockfall (Ultimate Kilimanjaro does not utilize this approach due to its relatively higher risk). They started their summit attempt at 3:30 AM, ascending for three hours in the dark. While on the path between Arrow Glacier Camp and Crater Camp, there was a rockslide. A cluster of boulders rolled down the mountain, one of which struck Scott and knocked him to the ground.

His wife described what she saw. “I remember the moment of looking back down at him, I think it was the last moment I didn’t realize the severity of the situation,” Chelsea said.

She ran to Scott, who stopped breathing. Chelsea administered CPR and was able to bring him back only briefly, but enough for her to say her final words.

“I see that moment as a gift,” Chelsea says. “Because I had the chance to say I love you.”

Scott died on the mountain at 33 years old.

Legacy

Dinsmore’s wife, Chelsea, took on the role of continuing his vision after Scott’s death. However, as of 2024, Live Your Legend is no longer active.

His father, William Dinsmore, stated that “[Scott] lived more in his brief 33 years than most do in a lifetime.”