As entrepreneurs, each one of us is no stranger to rejection. Whether it’s with a customer or a potential business partner, sooner or later every UnFranchise owner will experience a setback of some kind. In business, and your personal life – everyone experiences rejections and setbacks, but it’s how you let it affect you that makes all the difference.
Even the most successful people on Earth have all experienced their fair share of rejection – including some of the world’s most famous artists, writers, and entertainers. Below you’ll find a small collection of rejection letters that were sent to incredibly successful people. Even people like Madonna who’ve experienced massive success have felt the pain of rejection – but it’s the way they overcome and move forward which makes them the successful people they are today.
Have a look below at a few rejection letters that incredibly talented and successful people have received. Just remember the next time something doesn’t work out with your business or personal life, that those rejections and setbacks are all part of the growing process. For many of the artists below, rejection only helped to galvanize their efforts and made them even stronger and more determined to succeed. And for those who took a pass on them, I’m sure they deeply regret their lack of vision, and the tremendous opportunities it cost them.
Keep Growing!
-JR Ridinger
Madonna has sold more than 300 million records and is recognized as the best-selling female artist of all time. Too bad record exec Jimmy Lenner didn’t see it that way when he had the chance to sign the rising pop-superstar.
U2 is without question one of the most successful bands ever, with a career spanning 5 decades. They’ve sold millions of albums around the world and rocked some of the largest venues on Earth, but at one point even this international super group experienced rejection at the hands of RSO Records.
Andy Warhol is one of the most critically-acclaimed artists of all time. His worked helped define a generation and captivated millions the world over. He coined the phrase “15 minutes of fame” but he almost never had his! Have a look at this rejection letter he received in 1956 form the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.