To embrace the challenge of tackling an industry about which you know little in an official capacity takes tremendous bravery. This is true when it occurs on such a large and public stage. The idea of having people watch you as you struggle, fail, and learn is a scary one. However, by doing so, you demonstrate your passion for the field and your unyielding dedication to getting the job done.
Compare this to someone who is curious about a field but allows fear of failure to prevent them from trying. As the iconic martial artist and actor Bruce Lee once said, “If you want to learn how to swim, you have to jump into the water.”
Such is the case with Ed Venerable. He never planned on entering the construction business, but he became interested in it and decided to build his future one uncertain step at a time. After three decades at the helm of Paragon Homes, he’s redefined not just luxury development but what it means to lead without credentials.
In surprising ways, Ed’s unlikely entry into the industry and his nontraditional path became his most significant advantage. His story is remarkably human about learning in public, trusting instinct over pedigree, and building credibility from sheer consistency.
No Plan, All Drive
Ed entered the real estate industry without experience, embracing discomfort as a learning method, and eventually mastered the game. He started Paragon Homes in 1992, just after completing his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Colorado. Ed had zero formal training in construction or development, yet he jumped into the industry and taught himself as he went along.
Ed says he was “too dumb to know that I didn’t know anything.”
This is indicative of Ed’s disarming self-awareness. In the long run, facets such as this and his humility became stealth assets in dealing with risk, failure, and growth. From the outset, succeeding within the industry was challenging and seemed unlikely. But Ed dealt with the harshest hardships possible once he had powered through those first years, learning exponentially more about construction and finding ways to thrive. Now, after 33 years and several challenging market cycles, he remains.
Furthermore, Paragon stands out as one of the premier ultra-luxury development companies in the US.
Challenges Overcome
Beyond getting the business rolling in the early ’90s, one of the most significant challenges of Ed’s career was the Great Recession of 2008. Nearly 80% of custom home builders and developers went out of business during this time, and for a while, it looked as if Paragon might as well. The company had numerous projects under construction or finished at the time.
While many of his competitors chose to file for bankruptcy or “give the keys back to the lender,” Ed fought through this challenging time. He recalls telling his wife, “I’ll lose all my money, but I won’t give up my credit.”
Ultimately, Ed and his team worked through the hardships and continued to emphasize humanity and empathy above all. The result was that no single deal fell through over the next five years. He and his wife put everything on the line, with Ed ultimately losing half of his net worth in the process, but came out the other side victorious.
Becoming a Brand
As the company flourished over the years, Ed experienced a personal evolution. He went from being a scrappy upstart to a name that commands quiet reverence in elite markets, and Paragon became a well-known entity unto itself.
Today, he sits in a unique position as a thought leader within a specialized industry. Ed refers to custom homes as “one of the last hand-built things in the world today.” As other sectors and some of his competitors embrace more flashy technological tools, he and Paragon’s work remain rooted in tactile and hand-crafted.
Embracing the Outlier Role
Throughout his career, Ed has consistently maintained his outsider mindset. While some might attempt to paint someone in his position as an industry insider these days, he still sees himself as someone who thrives precisely because he doesn’t follow the rules of the old guard. The Paragon brand remains at the top of any market because of its passionate pursuit of design and bold leadership skills.
As Ed details, “I chose the name Paragon because it’s synonymous with perfection. We continue to push the boundaries of what we do, and competitors are always chasing and emulating our development projects. I am always proud of that, because imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. “
Quiet Leadership
Ed Venerable’s story speaks to how real influence doesn’t always come from loud accolades but from a steady foundation of trust, grit, and quiet victories. Over the past thirty years and beyond, he has built an institution from the ground up and evolved from a fresh college graduate to a highly experienced leader within the field.
Through immense hardship, Paragon has emerged triumphant, thanks to Ed’s willingness to embrace the unknown and chart his course.
