Building Dreams: My Why Behind Vanquished Construction

I used to think I needed to wait until everything was perfect before starting this blog, until I realized that people connect with real, not perfect.

I've been putting off writing for weeks - not because I don't have stories after 20+ years in construction, but because I kept thinking I needed those polished "5 Tips" posts that make it sound like I really know what I'm doing. But that's not real life.

My name is Keith Dykslag and in June of 2023 I started Vanquished Construction from just me and a dream. To understand where I'm going, you need to know where I started. Growing up at my Dad's side, I was his #1 helper whether I wanted to be or not. After graduation, what was supposed to be "a few weeks" helping my Uncle John's plumbing business turned into 20 years in the trades - 8 years with him, 2 with another company, then 10 years running my own plumbing business. But I knew there was more for me.

In Summer '21, I met my now wife Jillian at a little league game. She's a commercial real estate agent, and we quickly connected through our shared love of real estate, business and construction. Our first date was painting the fence at her home - I have never painted so slowly in my life, I didn't want the date to ever end. This feeling continues today, as our individual and business lives overlap and complement each other perfectly.

As we began planning our lives together, I shared my dream of one day having a General Contracting company - that the plumbing business just wasn't fulfilling anymore, and I knew there was something more for me. When Jillian had a client struggling to find someone for a tenant improvement, she suggested maybe instead of introducing me as a plumber, this was my opportunity to make my vision come true. Her encouragement and steadfast support quickly made my dream a reality. We completed that first project on time (barely!) and on budget, and I realized - even though there was a lot I didn't know that I didn't know - I was ready.

As my career transitioned to general contracting, I kept asking myself: what's going to be my guiding light? I landed on "Boldly Committed" - constant dedication to integrity, excellence, community and personal responsibility. After two years in business, I should add growth to that list, because here's what I've learned: if I come up short of flawlessness, I feel like I've failed everyone. But I need to remind myself that we should be striving for "Progress not Perfection."

That's the real truth I want to share in this blog - the wins, the struggles, and the lessons learned as Vanquished Construction continues to grow. Because perfect never starts, but progress changes everything.

What's something YOU'VE been putting off until conditions are perfect? Sometimes the best time to start is right now.

Keith & Jillian

For more updates on our projects and insights into our work, follow us on Instagram. We're excited to share our journey and continue building trust through quality construction.