Skateboarding and the Art of Failure

I grew up watching my mom run a skateboard shop.

 I also watched it close.

That experience shaped what I do today – helping business owners build companies with real value. The biggest lesson I learned wasn't about skateboarding tricks but failure.

On a skateboard, you're going to fall. 

A lot. 

But falling isn't the opposite of progress. 

It is progress.

In business, just like skateboarding, those who succeed aren't the ones who avoid falling—they're the ones who fall better, learn faster, and keep getting back up.

When you get too cautious in skateboarding, you stop improving. 

The same applies to business. 

Playing it safe might prevent falls but also prevents growth. Building something valuable requires pushing beyond what you already know how to do.

Skaters don't just fall—they fall correctly. They learn to minimize damage and bounce back quickly. Entrepreneurs need the same skills: taking calculated risks, having backup plans, and knowing when some ideas aren't worth pursuing.

No one lands a complex trick on their first try, and business works similarly. You'll mess up. The question is: Will you keep going? Most people quit early. The ones who succeed aren't those who never failed, but those who refused to let failure stop them.

The best innovations often happen by accident—through experimentation and failed attempts. If you only do what's been done before, you'll never create anything new.

At any skatepark, you'll see those who give up after a few falls and those who keep trying until they succeed. In business, you find the real success stories in that second group.

Falling isn't the problem. Not getting back up is. You will fail, struggle, and doubt yourself. But if you learn, adjust, and try again—you'll build something that lasts.