going all in: method acting in entrepreneurship

It is only through the crucible that we are purified.

Picture one was taken in January 2018.

I was just shy of one year into self-employment—still figuring things out, still burning cash at an alarming rate.

I had a 3,000-square-foot warehouse, was building furniture, cabinets, and learning to paint.

It was chaotic, but I loved it.

I was taking on just about anything to keep money coming in.

The runway was getting shorter, and I had to figure things out—fast.

The funny part about that first picture?

My wife hated my mustache. I almost had it curled before I shaved it all off.

But I was deep in character development.

When I looked in the mirror, I saw an impressive mustache—something I could twist between my fingers while lost in thought, Snidely Whiplash-style.

I was the Cajun Painter.

My mustache was my signature look.

Oui-oui.

Picture two: same guy, new hat, new beard, new scene.

The character had evolved.

You have to be fully immersed in your character—"I'm a dude playin' a dude, disguised as another dude" (Tropic Thunder).

In building a business, you have to fully believe you can do it. For me, that belief meant evolving my persona. I imagined what success would look like and who I wanted to be when I “made it.”

At one point, I thought success meant tailored suits. These days, cowboy hats and boots feel just right.

Back in 2018, I was just beginning this grand adventure.

I’ve evolved from building small kitchens to managing 55,000-square-foot tilt-wall projects.

It all started with going all in—becoming the character I needed to be.

Eight years later, I’m still painting, still building, still developing.

You have to believe in what you’re doing—but more importantly, believe in yourself.

The rest? Roll with the punches.

There’s no handbook for this.

No perfect script.

Who knows what character I’ll ultimately become—maybe one day, a professor at my alma mater.

Only time will tell.