In many cases con-artistry is about a lack of self-confidence. The would-be entrepreneur is so lacking in confidence in his own enterprise that he basically gives up on the idea of actually following through on it, and his only hope for money, as he therefore sees it, is the start-up money that investors give him. Contrariwise, if someone is confident in his business-proposal, he won’t become a con-artist, since under that circumstance he will try to make up for financial short-falls by improving his business, as opposed to by squeezing more money out of investors.