There is a moment in every founder’s journey that stands out. Not when everything feels clear. Not when confidence is high.
But when the next step becomes obvious and you take it anyway, even though you don’t feel fully ready.
Over the years, I’ve come to recognise that many of the decisions that shape a business happen in that exact space.
Not certainty.
Not comfort.
But courage, backed by a level of faith that it’s worth doing anyway.
Why “ready” is often a moving target
There’s an interesting insight from behavioural research often discussed in Harvard Business Review:
We tend to wait for a level of certainty that never actually arrives.
Because as soon as one unknown is resolved, another appears. More knowledge brings more questions. More growth brings more responsibility. So “ready” quietly moves further away.
In business, this can look like:
- waiting for more experience
- waiting for better timing
- waiting until things feel more secure
But most founders will tell you, that moment rarely arrives in full.
What courage has looked like in my own journey
When I think back on my own experience, the decisions that mattered most didn’t come from feeling ready.
They came from recognising what was needed next.
Growing ahead of certainty
In our early days, we had a small team. Three founders and one employee.
We had a clear plan for growth, and that meant expanding to a team of eight.
Which also meant:
- taking on more salaries
- moving office
- increasing financial responsibility significantly
The next office we found on Abbey Street was three times the cost of where we started.
It didn’t feel comfortable. It didn’t feel safe. But it did feel necessary.
There’s a phrase often used in business:
“You don’t hire because you have the work. You hire because you’re preparing for the work.”
So we made the decision. And in time, the business grew into it.
Backing yourself when there is no safety net
Starting my flower vending business was a very different experience. Recruitment was familiar to me. I understood the industry. This was something completely new:
- a different model
- a different customer base
- and live, perishable product
There wasn’t the same safety net. This decision wasn’t about certainty.
It was about belief.
In start-up circles, there’s a simple truth:
Entrepreneurship is acting without full information.
Sometimes the only things you have are:
- your research
- your instinct
- and your willingness to try
Not everything works out exactly as planned… but that doesn’t make the decision wrong.
The quieter courage
And then there’s a different type of courage. The kind that doesn’t look big from the outside.
Writing my book has been that for me.
It hasn’t been a straight line. There have been periods of momentum and periods where it stood still.
But the commitment remains.
It will go to publishers this summer. And if that route doesn’t work, I will self-publish before the end of the year.
There’s a quote often shared in creative circles — often attributed to Elizabeth Gilbert:
“Done is better than perfect.”
Sometimes courage is not starting something new.
It’s staying with something long enough to finish it.
Courage and faith as muscles in business
One of the ideas I’ve been developing, and writing about, is this:
Courage and faith are two muscles in business.
You use them at the beginning.
You use them when you start.
And you continue to use them at every stage.
Courage helps you take the step.
Faith helps you stay with it.
And like any muscle, they only strengthen when you use them.
A relatable founder example closer to home
A great Irish example of this is Lennon Courtney.
They were well known for presenting and working within the fashion space, but launching their own clothing line through Kilkenny Design was a different step.
They moved from commentary to creation.
From talking about fashion to building something of their own.
That shift takes courage.
Because once you create something yourself, you are no longer observing. You are putting your work, your taste, and your decisions out there to be judged.
And yet, they did it.
They backed themselves, built something tangible, and brought it to market.
That transition, from knowing to doing, is where courage often lives.
A question worth asking yourself
If you’re sitting with an idea, or a next step that feels slightly out of reach:
What would you do if you put on your “courage shoes” today?
Not the full leap.
Just the next step.
Would you make the call?
Share the idea?
Start the project?
Put something into motion that you’ve been thinking about for a while?
Because often, progress doesn’t come from having everything mapped out.
It comes from movement.
Practical ways to move forward
You don’t need to rush.
But you do need to move.
A few simple approaches that help:
- focus on the next step, not the full journey
- take measured, thoughtful action
- review and adjust as you go
- allow confidence to build through experience
Closing reflection
From the outside, some of the decisions you make in business might look a little bit mad.
Taking on more cost before you feel ready.
Starting something new with no guarantee it will work.
Putting yourself out there in ways that feel uncomfortable.
And maybe there’s a bit of truth in that.
Because bringing an idea to life does require something slightly irrational.
But in my experience, it’s not just madness – it’s courage, backed by faith.
And if you’re willing to lean into both, you might just build something you never would have if you waited until you felt ready.
