Confidence Comes From Action, Not Preparation

When I reflect on how I started my construction company, one thing stands out: confidence didn’t come from having all the answers—it came from taking action. If I had waited until I felt 100% ready, with every detail figured out, I’d still be stuck in the planning phase. Instead, I dove in, made mistakes, learned from them, and built something real.

At the start, I didn’t have a long resume of completed homes. I had no track record as a general contractor, and I certainly didn’t have the kind of financial backing that makes investors line up. What I did have was a willingness to figure things out as I went. I called builders to get ballpark estimates on construction costs because I had no idea what it would take. I relied on my wife’s expertise in real estate to understand the market. I wasn’t afraid to admit what I didn’t know—but I was determined to find out.

That’s the thing about business—especially in construction. You don’t learn by sitting on the sidelines. You learn by doing. You learn by sending that email to potential investors, even if you’re not sure it’s perfect. You learn by picking up the phone and making the uncomfortable calls to lenders who might shut you down. You learn by managing your first project, even when imposter syndrome whispers that you’re not qualified.

I made plenty of mistakes on that first project. We probably lost around $50,000 due to missteps—ordering the wrong materials, misreading plans, missing small details that added up. But those mistakes were my tuition. They were the price I paid for an education you can’t get in any classroom. And despite those mistakes, we still delivered a 100% return on investment for our partners.

Here’s the reality: confidence isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you build. Every small win, every lesson learned, every problem solved adds another brick to the foundation of your self-belief. In construction, just like in life, the structure you build is only as strong as the effort you put into laying each brick.

So if you’re waiting to feel “ready” before starting your next venture—stop waiting. Take action. Make the calls. Send the emails. Break ground, even if you’re not sure exactly how it’ll all come together. Because the only way to gain confidence is to earn it through experience. And experience comes from doing the work.