Our Founder & CEO, Alice shares her experience with rejection, and how to reframe your mindset to rise above a "no" and turn rejection into self improvement. 

As an adult you get used to the word "no." You might get rejected from a job opportunity, a new client or even a date. In my case, I am rejected all the time from new partnership opportunities, PR moments, and women that decide not to join our Event Host community. 

Getting rejected is, in fact, not a bad thing! You need to learn to reframe the "no" into a learning experience. What actually matters is how you handle the rejection. Getting a "no" helps you figure out who your target customer is or how to present yourself better the next time. Here are a few tips for rising above the "no" and turning rejection into self improvement.  

Every "no" is just 20% of a "yes"

I attended a lecture recently with the founder of Sam Adams and he said something that has really stuck with me. When he started Sam Adams he went from bar to bar trying to get them to carry his new beer. He figured out that one fifth of bars agreed to carry his product. From there he was able to reframe the rejection as simply a stepping stone to a "yes"! 

If you can find a formula for success, reframe the rejection to keep your spirits up. Staying motivated is half the battle! 

Don't take it personally

Taking rejection personally places a giant roadblock between you and success! When you take rejection personally and get offended, you slow yourself down from getting back on the horse. As an entrepreneur, I am rejected constantly by all sorts of different people. One of the hardest lessons I have learned is how to turn the hurt into action. What did you learn from the rejection and how can you do something differently next time? Also, don't forget sometimes things happen for a reason! 

Exit gracefully

Rejection can come in the form of a fizzled a business deal with months of excited anticipation or a customer asking you to remove them from your email list. No matter the size of your rejected moment, remember to exit gracefully. Shake hands, continuing to smile, and send a thank you note. Timing might not be right today, but the worst thing you can do is burn a bridge. You never know what will happen in the future.  

Take time to reflect

If you notice a pattern in your rejection, take time to reflect on it. Without the basis of understanding you cannot put your energy into forward motion. Find out if there is something you are doing wrong or if perhaps the client was just not a fit. Maybe you need to adjust your marketing to a new target audience. What ever you do, don't get discouraged, you will always get no's, the key is learning how to make them moments of learning.