ricky dauenhauer - Biography

Ricky Dauenhauer is a self-made entrepreneur, certified life coach, and generational builder whose journey from rural poverty to leading multi-million-dollar companies spans construction, real estate, hospitality, and personal development. He is the founder of NAE Contracting, a nationally recognized federal and commercial construction firm, and the visionary behind The Covered Bridge, a luxury retreat and event venue in Texas, handcrafted by Ricky and his family. Together with his wife Chantal, he has raised three high-performing daughters and mentored dozens of men into leadership, wealth, and legacy.

A certified life coach through Mindvalley and a proud member of GoBundance, Ricky blends decades of business acumen with deep inner work in mindset, emotional intelligence, and spiritual clarity. His mentorship has helped launch over 15 companies and empower young men to break cycles of mediocrity and build lives rooted in purpose and discipline.



Ricky is the author of The Power of 'I', a transformational book for young men ages 17–24 that offers a blueprint for self-mastery, drawn from his lived experiences, rising from poverty, overcoming addiction, facing grief, and building a life in the top 1% of wealth and fulfillment.

Whether he’s on stage, mentoring one-on-one, or writing from the hills of Texas, Ricky speaks with raw honesty, timeless wisdom, and a fire to awaken others to what’s possible when belief meets action. His message is simple and powerful: “If one man has done it, it can be done again.”