Wolf&Grayson EditorialBuilding a successful company often requires multiple pivots, unwavering determination, and the courage to start over when necessary. For some entrepreneurs, the path from struggling to find direction to leading a multi-million dollar operation spans years of setbacks and breakthroughs. Jonathan Cannon’s journey from a lost 19-year-old to the founder of Cannon Solar demonstrates how persistence and strategic pivots can truly transform dreams into reality.
Building a Million-Dollar Business Through Grit and Vision
Most people wouldn’t recommend quitting a job without a plan, but sometimes desperation breeds innovation. Cannon’s story proves that the most successful businesses often emerge from the ashes of previous failures and the willingness to start over completely.
When Everything Falls Apart
He had his life mapped out around skateboarding until an injury at 19 shattered those dreams. “I hurt myself and I could no longer skate. I was not an academic. I was more hands on,” he explains. Without his skateboarding identity, he found himself lost and admittedly “hanging out with the wrong people.” His mother’s ultimatum changed everything. Faced with the choice between finding work or leaving home, Cannon experienced what he calls an epiphany. “You know what? I’m done with this. I want better for my life. Life is more than sitting around all day hanging out with no job.” This moment of clarity led him to Job Corps in Kentucky, where he spent two years learning automotive repair in a military-style environment.
The Automotive Dead End
Despite gaining technical skills, Cannon quickly realized the automotive field had limitations. After moving between cities and working various garage jobs, he had another pivotal moment while doing an oil change. “I looked around again and and asked myself, this is the life that I can look forward to? ” Without any backup plan, he made an impulsive decision. “I put the drain plug back in and I brought the car down and I quit.” This rash move led to a desperate job search that landed him in door-to-door sales. What started as a temporary solution became a seven-year career that completely transformed him. “Door to door gave me my voice. And then I realized when I opened up, I had a lot to say,” he recalls. He discovered people actually followed his lead, progressing from salesperson to running entire offices in Chicago.
When corporate limitations became apparent, Cannon took his first entrepreneurial leap with Cannon Consulting. The company focused on signing people up for solar farm allocations and performed exceptionally well. “We were doing just over seven megawatts a year. We were definitely the best,” he notes. However, success didn’t last. In 2023, Cannon Consulting took a hit and they lost their commissions by 75% and it devastated them. “We had to lay off a whole bunch of people. It was really bad.” Instead of giving up, he made a commitment that would define his future. “I went to the office and I worked from 9am to 3 o’clock in the morning every day for six months. And I just learned everything I could about solar….everything.”
Building Cannon Solar From Scratch
Those six months of intensive learning became the foundation for Cannon Solar. Starting with just “one install a month,” the company has grown to operate in 22 states, completing “just over 100 installs a month.” The numbers speak for themselves. “We’re on track for at least $5 million in our first seven months.” What makes Cannon Solar different is its approach to customization and quality. “Every single system is tailored towards the customer’s needs. We’re not a cookie cutter,” he emphasizes. The company remains completely self-funded, giving him total control over operations. “We don’t have a single VC. Everything was self funded by me. I don’t owe anybody anything. We own 100% of the company.”
Cannon’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs centers on endurance over speed. “You need to realize that this is a marathon, not a sprint. The people who are successful are the ones who can endure,” he explains. He emphasizes that external motivation isn’t enough. “Self motivation is necessary. You have to do this for you. You can’t do it for other people.” Perhaps most importantly, he warns against letting others dim your vision. “Don’t let anybody take away your ability to dream. Don’t listen to anybody. Get the bad apples out.” His philosophy revolves around embracing discomfort as a growth catalyst. “You need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That is business, 100%.” With plans to scale to $100 million and expand to all 50 states by 2027, he continues proving that sometimes the best business plans emerge from the willingness to rebuild completely when everything falls apart.
Connect with Jonathan Cannon on LinkedIn to follow his journey and insights into building a self-funded, nationwide solar company.
