"I had to acknowledge that the people that I thought were going to open doors for us did not want to collaborate... and that changed everything." Bronx Native founder Amaurys Grullon wanted to be part of the renaissance of the South Bronx, to push back against negative stereotypes and draw attention to the creativity and artistry that was thriving in the New York City borough. He thought he'd be welcomed into the community of like-minded earlier movers. Instead of getting a nod from his OGs, he got a resounding "no" from an established brand — a gatekeeper — and it broke his heart. "I remember thinking that like, 'Wow, like, not everyone is out there to see you win,'" Grullon told Catalyst. "There's a lot of people that — they want to see you fail, or they don't want to see you doing better than them." The rejection just strengthened his resolve. So he banded together with other up-and-comers and became a gate opener. "I'm living the dream," Grullon said. "I'm opening all the gates, opening all the doors, all the windows for everybody. I want to see everybody win, 'cause we can all win together." And it worked: Bronx Native is thriving and collaborating with even bigger brands than the one that turned them down initially. To hear Grullon's story in his own words, click below.
How Being Publicly Rejected in a Meeting Led Me to Quit and Start My Own Successful Business During a company-wide meeting, the owner posed a question to the room: "What is a company's greatest asset?" I raised my hand first and answered confidently, "Its employees." He immediately shot back, "No." The room went silent. I felt stupid as everyone look at me then each other. No one else had the answer either. The owner proudly announced, "It's customers." Later, I left the meeting and thought about what had happened. We had built this brand on the people who worked there, but something fundamental had changed in the company's values. Yes, customers can go anywhere—they're fickle. But employees are the foundation. That day, I decided I was done. After more than 10 years with the company, I gave my two weeks' notice. I launched my own business as The Retail Doctor determined to help retailers that understood what I had taught: a company's success starts with valuing its people. The company I left? They shut down all 55 stores just two years later. I've never regretted my decision. It allowed me to help far more retailers build businesses on the right foundation: the people who show up daily and like customers.
My company provides many services for seniors. They are not always ready to map out a future plan for downsizing and selling, or they are digging in their heels making it difficult for families to assist them long term. I find the more kindness and understanding I offer, the more I educate them and share my knowledge about the industry and the process,. Leaving behind great tip sheets that will inspire them for "when they do start making plans" and then just keeping in touch. Those rejections turn into gaining them as a client down the road, or getting referrals to friends who are ready to downsize and sell and /or need our help now. It is always a win.. even if I dont get their business, I get referrals, or I know I have educated them and prepared them with so much more knowledge than they had before we met. They don't know what they don't know, and its my job to inform them and assist them, to empower them to make great decisons based on knowledge, to protect them from scammers or hard sell communities, my job is never to sell them but always to educate them.
Rejection is never easy, but I’ve learned to see it as redirection. One of the biggest lessons in my career was realizing that a ‘no’ often means ‘not here, not now’—but it doesn’t define my worth or potential. After being rejected for a role I really wanted, I used the feedback to refine my approach and ended up landing an even better opportunity that aligned more with my skills and aspirations. Each rejection has taught me something valuable, making me more resilient and strategic in my career growth.
Rejection can come in many forms, for me it was a government system struggling with budgets and i received layoff because of budget restraints. The most amazing part of all that was that i lost my job, with the same place three times and each time opportunity knocked on my door. I cant say why, i know i didnt do anything to deserve layoff and it wasnt personal. The significant thing about all of this, looking back in hiendsight was that i always remained positive, the rest just seemed to fall in place. Ive been very fortunate but an individual needs to stay focused on his or her goals and continue to pursue, regardless of the opposition or reason for it.
Learning to process and apply constructive feedback is often best honed through experiences of rejection or failure. These moments not only make us better professionals but also improve our ability to give valuable feedback to others. Seeking feedback, implementing insights, and tracking the outcomes of those actions are critical steps in professional growth. Unfortunately, many, especially younger executives, find the idea of 'feedback as a gift' intimidating. There's often a fear of hearing, 'What if I’m not good enough?'
If companies don’t want to hire you, hire yourself. The internet has made entrepreneurship more accessible than ever. Start a side hustle, freelance, create content — do something that proves you can create value. The best insurance against unemployment is the ability to generate your own income.
How to turn rejection into a new opportunity? My quick story on building my public speaking business after a rough start: - I almost quit entirely based on a public speaking failure. Got negative feedback very early on...an email from someone at my presentation saying both the speech I just did and the one he saw me do previously wasn't at all good. - Had to acknowledge what I do and how I do it isn’t for everybody. - I had to prepare myself knowing some of the feedback I'll hear will be disconcerting and make me question my value. - Despite the negativity that will come, feel confident you know you're doing the right thing. Did it work? Been fortunate enough to do dozens of keynotes all over the country, over 300 other in-person speeches, and 1,000-plus live webinars. Persevere friends 💪
During a time of unemployment, take advantage of the time to reset, volunteer, and connect with nature. While we're experiencing high layoffs and relentless competition in the workforce - I'm grateful for the opportunity to explore and discover new parks and trails, make new connections, visit with friends and loved ones, take well deserved naps, build new skills, and just reset my button for the next chapter.
I get rejected evey time I try to impactfully connect with someone on LinkedIn - My solution? I ofer my service o create a compelling power point presentation AD to translate from almost any language into another - for the PPT- pro bono- NO Cost! I tell them I want to estanlish a long term business relationship that one day- MAY result in my being compensated at a rate they fell is appropriate- So far- no takers! I guess people think it is a scam or something- but I keep on - keeping on!!!