- PPF Points
- 2,100
How I Took a Bunch of “No’s” and Turned ’Em Into Seriously Good Fuel (AKA: How I Built The Business I Actually Wanted)
Man, rejection. Just saying the word kinda makes you wince, right? I don’t care who you are—it always feels like a cold slap in the face, especially when you're out there trying to whip something up out of nothing. Most folks see rejection as a dead end, like a cosmic “You Suck” stamp. Not me though. Or, at least, not for long.
So here’s my not-so-neat journey from “thanks but no thanks” to finally building the business I actually wanted. This whole saga? It's loaded with flops, self-doubt, and yeah—moments where I wondered if I was seriously delusional for even trying. If you’re reading this feeling like you’re crashing into every wall imaginable…well, if a stubborn idiot like me can do it, trust me, you’re not doomed.
The “Ouch” Phase: Getting Smacked Early On
To start off, picture me all hyped, spreadsheet open, big ideas, grinning like an idiot. Reality? That sucker hits fast. The rejections began pouring in on every side.
Pitched my guts out: crickets.
Sent so many emails my outbox threw a fit: nothing.
No clients, definitely no money, barely even polite replies.
Each “no” felt like a very personal “why are you like this?” I’ll be real, it messes with your head. Like, am I just a fraud? Should I just go sell crystals from a van in the desert? (Not off the table, honestly.)
Eventually, I figured out the lesson wasn’t to dodge rejection—because, let’s face it, you can’t. It was all about staring it in the face.
Flipping the Switch: Using Rejection as Ammo
At the risk of sounding like some corny Instagram quote, here’s what changed everything: “Rejection isn’t a death sentence, it’s just data.”
Suddenly, every “no” became a clue instead of a curse. I stopped sulking and started picking these situations apart. “Okay, they didn’t want me. But, why?” What could I steal from that rejection to make the next attempt less tragic?
The One “No” That Actually Helped
There was this massive client I thought would change my life. Spent way too long refreshing my inbox. Got the polite “not interested.” Instead of rage-quitting, I asked why. Weirdly, they answered. Turns out my pitch was unclear, and I hadn’t really solved their problem.
Yeah, it stung. But hot dang, that was gold. I rewrote my pitch, got specific, and boom—landed my first real, actual client who paid me in non-monopoly money.
Getting Tougher: How I Learned Not To Curl Into a Ball Every Time Someone Said No
Rejection can steamroll you if you let it. My move? I made it my coach. Here’s what actually helped:
1. The Rejection Notebook
Literally wrote down every soul-crushing “no,” why I thought it happened, and what I could’ve done less dumb. Reading it back? Kinda humbling, but super helpful.
2. Throwing Myself Tiny Parades
Every “yes” felt like winning the lottery (even if it was just a “maybe later”). Honestly, it’s easy to forget those wins, so I made a habit of celebrating them. Like, had ice cream once because someone just emailed me back.
3. Surrounding Myself With People Who Get It
Friends, mentors, that one dude at the coffee shop—whoever would listen. Sharing rejection stories makes it less weird. Makes you feel a little less alone, too.
Becoming the Person Who Gets Paid (Finally)
After a hundred flops, things started to click. Here’s what nudged me in the right direction:
Niche, Baby!
Tried to help everyone at first. No one cared. The moment I narrowed down and started telling real stories (even the embarrassing ones), people perked up. Suddenly I had stuff to say that meant something to the right crowd.
Dropping the Perfection Act
Everybody’s sick of “look at my perfect life!” posts. I started admitting where I messed up. Turns out, showing my battle scars made people trust me. Or maybe they just pitied me, but hey, it worked.
Obsessed with Following Up
I stopped ghosting people after one try. I followed up. Politely, like a real human, not a spam bot. Relationship-building actually does something—it’s wild.
How Screwing Up Actually Helped
Weird, but true—some of my best moves came from my screw-ups:
Want To Use Rejection As Jet Fuel? Here’s What Helped Me:
1. Flip Your Script
Rejection’s just info. What’s it trying to tell you? Seriously, get Sherlock-y about it.
2. Write Down Your “No’s”
Track ’em. You’ll cringe reading them back, but you’ll also spot patterns and get smarter.
3. Ask For Feedback (If You Can Stomach It)
Some folks will ignore you, but when someone does reply? Jackpot.
4. Find Your Crew
Surround yourself with people who know this isn’t all unicorns and passive income charts.
And, honestly, keep going. Even if you’re pretty sure you suck. Everyone starts somewhere, and—hand to heart—sometimes the lost causes are the ones who survive long enough to actually make it.
Embrace the “no.” Use it. The next “yes” is probably way closer than you think.
Man, rejection. Just saying the word kinda makes you wince, right? I don’t care who you are—it always feels like a cold slap in the face, especially when you're out there trying to whip something up out of nothing. Most folks see rejection as a dead end, like a cosmic “You Suck” stamp. Not me though. Or, at least, not for long.
So here’s my not-so-neat journey from “thanks but no thanks” to finally building the business I actually wanted. This whole saga? It's loaded with flops, self-doubt, and yeah—moments where I wondered if I was seriously delusional for even trying. If you’re reading this feeling like you’re crashing into every wall imaginable…well, if a stubborn idiot like me can do it, trust me, you’re not doomed.
The “Ouch” Phase: Getting Smacked Early On
To start off, picture me all hyped, spreadsheet open, big ideas, grinning like an idiot. Reality? That sucker hits fast. The rejections began pouring in on every side.
Pitched my guts out: crickets.
Sent so many emails my outbox threw a fit: nothing.
No clients, definitely no money, barely even polite replies.
Each “no” felt like a very personal “why are you like this?” I’ll be real, it messes with your head. Like, am I just a fraud? Should I just go sell crystals from a van in the desert? (Not off the table, honestly.)
Eventually, I figured out the lesson wasn’t to dodge rejection—because, let’s face it, you can’t. It was all about staring it in the face.
Flipping the Switch: Using Rejection as Ammo
At the risk of sounding like some corny Instagram quote, here’s what changed everything: “Rejection isn’t a death sentence, it’s just data.”
Suddenly, every “no” became a clue instead of a curse. I stopped sulking and started picking these situations apart. “Okay, they didn’t want me. But, why?” What could I steal from that rejection to make the next attempt less tragic?
The One “No” That Actually Helped
There was this massive client I thought would change my life. Spent way too long refreshing my inbox. Got the polite “not interested.” Instead of rage-quitting, I asked why. Weirdly, they answered. Turns out my pitch was unclear, and I hadn’t really solved their problem.
Yeah, it stung. But hot dang, that was gold. I rewrote my pitch, got specific, and boom—landed my first real, actual client who paid me in non-monopoly money.
Getting Tougher: How I Learned Not To Curl Into a Ball Every Time Someone Said No
Rejection can steamroll you if you let it. My move? I made it my coach. Here’s what actually helped:
1. The Rejection Notebook
Literally wrote down every soul-crushing “no,” why I thought it happened, and what I could’ve done less dumb. Reading it back? Kinda humbling, but super helpful.
2. Throwing Myself Tiny Parades
Every “yes” felt like winning the lottery (even if it was just a “maybe later”). Honestly, it’s easy to forget those wins, so I made a habit of celebrating them. Like, had ice cream once because someone just emailed me back.
3. Surrounding Myself With People Who Get It
Friends, mentors, that one dude at the coffee shop—whoever would listen. Sharing rejection stories makes it less weird. Makes you feel a little less alone, too.
Becoming the Person Who Gets Paid (Finally)
After a hundred flops, things started to click. Here’s what nudged me in the right direction:
Niche, Baby!
Tried to help everyone at first. No one cared. The moment I narrowed down and started telling real stories (even the embarrassing ones), people perked up. Suddenly I had stuff to say that meant something to the right crowd.
Dropping the Perfection Act
Everybody’s sick of “look at my perfect life!” posts. I started admitting where I messed up. Turns out, showing my battle scars made people trust me. Or maybe they just pitied me, but hey, it worked.
Obsessed with Following Up
I stopped ghosting people after one try. I followed up. Politely, like a real human, not a spam bot. Relationship-building actually does something—it’s wild.
How Screwing Up Actually Helped
Weird, but true—some of my best moves came from my screw-ups:
- Learned a ton I never wanted to about certain industries, just so my pitches didn’t sound clueless.
- Failing at one business idea shoved me into trying another angle. The new thing worked way better.
- All the times people turned me down? Made me way better at listening—something clients actually appreciated for once.
Want To Use Rejection As Jet Fuel? Here’s What Helped Me:
1. Flip Your Script
Rejection’s just info. What’s it trying to tell you? Seriously, get Sherlock-y about it.
2. Write Down Your “No’s”
Track ’em. You’ll cringe reading them back, but you’ll also spot patterns and get smarter.
3. Ask For Feedback (If You Can Stomach It)
Some folks will ignore you, but when someone does reply? Jackpot.
4. Find Your Crew
Surround yourself with people who know this isn’t all unicorns and passive income charts.
And, honestly, keep going. Even if you’re pretty sure you suck. Everyone starts somewhere, and—hand to heart—sometimes the lost causes are the ones who survive long enough to actually make it.
Embrace the “no.” Use it. The next “yes” is probably way closer than you think.
