This really is the way to grow. Read, read, and read some more. Once you get a feel for the basic steps involved in launching an altcoin try to build one yourself. Follow a guide or clone something simple with a few tweaks, then try to mine it on two of your computers. Then learn how to compile a wallet and see how that works. Then scrap it and do it again a little better. Rise and repeat till you start to figure it out. I won't lie it's going to seem very overwhelming at first, but once you do it a few times and understand the process it gets significantly easier. Just be sure you don't launch anything until you're practiced making upgrades to a live network. Launching a coin without understanding how to fix and improve it can be very hazardous.

Good luck and keep at it, you'll get there.