Why Hearing a ‘No’ is the Best ‘Yes’ for an Entrepreneur

Are you afraid of rejection? If so, you haven’t been an entrepreneur long enough, or you might consider not being an entrepreneur at all.

It’s tough to read that, isn’t it?

We’ve all heard the cliche saying, “When one door closes, another door opens.” Spoiler alert: it’s a cliche because it’s true. Rejection is a healthy piece of the success puzzle — I didn’t always realize that.

My professional background is in real estate brokerage. I entered the industry as an ignorant 21-year-old college student. I was fearless, naive, and driven by one thing: making money. I was a 6’5″ bull in a china shop that had been released into the streets of Dallas.

The playbook for success as a new real estate agent is something out of a movie.

1. Cold call
2. Introduce yourself to everyone

Easy enough.

Related: 3 Ways To Overcome Rejection and Turn It Into Power

I had already learned the value of hard work and determination in the multitude of jobs that I had growing up. Whether it be honing my sales skills working at a movie store (yes, I worked at the iconic establishment, Blockbuster) or solidifying my customer service skills at Pappadeaux’s restaurant (for me, it was a bonus because of the proximity to free food), all of these experiences taught me the value of hard work. I would be a natural at cold calling, right?

So I thought.

Flash forward to my first day on the job; the amount of rejection I faced was comical. I was wearing my ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ headset, calling what I thought were “prospects.” Boy, quickly learned how people love to hang up the phone when a real estate agent calls them!

For the next 27 months, I felt like an actor trying to catch my big break. I called every “For Sale By Owner,” every expired listing, and every canceled listing, and I handed out more business cards than samples that Costco hands out on a Sunday.

I was exhausted, beaten down, and, of course, broke. I quickly realized my skin was callusing at a pace that was something out of the sequel to Benjamin Button.

And then, out of nowhere, something happened that scared me.

“YES.”

What? A yes? I’ve never had a yes before. What does that mean? How do I handle this???

I was so comfortable with receiving “no’s” that receiving that “yes” caught me off guard. Rejection had become my normal. A big fat no felt homey to me, but a “yes?” Boy, I wasn’t sure where to take that.

At that moment, I realized that all my “no’s” had led me to the perfect “yes.” I realized that all those hours of rejected calls and doors closing in my face (literally) were leading me toward something bigger. Almost as if the yellow brick road is actually supposed to lead you to…Oz?

Related: Your Definition of Leadership Is Outdated — Here’s How to Be a Better Leader in the Modern Workplace

As a salesperson, I’ve never been too proud to pick up crumbs, do grunt work or do the work that others think I’m too good for. I sometimes ask myself, what if I had quit after my 100th “no?”

I fought never to let the fear of rejection stop me. I became fueled by it. I am still fueled by it. I realized I wanted to help others feel fueled by it, too.

As a business owner, I find it frustrating not to see someone maximize their potential. Unfortunately, the fear of being turned down often beats the desire to win big. I’ve seen this throughout my entire life, and I’ve seen it on a daily basis as someone who invests in people for a living.

After investing in over 100 companies and listening to more pitches than I can count, I continue to see and believe in the power of “no.” I will never surrender the time I devote to giving entrepreneurs and business owners honest (and respectful) feedback. I make it a priority to personally respond to every single pitch that reaches my desk. Why? The answer is simple.

Some of the greatest success stories are the ones that started with rejection.

Think about it:

Micheal Jordan? He was told he wasn’t good enough for his high school basketball team.

Walt Disney? Told his imagination wasn’t big enough.

Steven Speilberg? Rejected from film school multiple times.

Jamie Siminoff? Left Shark Tank without a deal.

Melanie Perkins? Rejected by over 100 Venture Capital firms.

Rogers Healy? He went 27 months without his first real estate closing. After he cashed his first commission check, he went to Best Buy and spent it all on DVDs (true story).

You get the gist. Rejection is just the beginning of the story. Every great entrepreneur learns what “no” actually means — something great is on the horizon.

So my advice is always the same: refine your approach, strengthen your storytelling, know your “why,” be bold, and don’t quit. Please, please, please Do not quit!!

I ask again: Are you afraid of rejection? You shouldn’t be. In the world of entrepreneurship, collecting “no’s” isn’t just a part of the job — it’s the key to success, and it’s the key to making the wins feel that much better.