It’s tough to receive a big ‘NO!’ when you pitched your business plan. You worked hard to put the ideas together, and still believe that it’s worth pursuing. Unfortunately, no one else sees the plan the way you do. The investors didn’t want to take the risk, and they decided to decline. It might be frustrating, but it isn’t the end of the road. You can still do something to move forward from this difficult situation.
Ask questions
Try to ask questions to understand why your ideas got rejected. Some investors are good enough to tell you their reasons. They will also explain what else you can do to improve your plan. You can try again next time, using the suggestions given by these investors. However, if you’re talking to someone who isn’t open to questions, you shouldn’t push the idea.
Even if you feel like the investors are hostile, you still have to be polite. In this industry, everything runs in circles. You could end up meeting them again in the future. If it happens, you don’t want things to be awkward.
Reorganise
Again, rejection isn’t the end of the road. You can reorganise and do better next time. Your ideas might even be good, and a few tweaks would make them perfect. You don’t need to dwell on the failure. After evaluating what went wrong, you can reorganise and move on. There are many things you can do to receive the approval of future investors. Start by improving your meeting room. Consider buying a projector ceiling mount to make the place more conducive.
Stay positive
You can’t feel bad because of a rejection. You have to stay positive and keep trying. Sure, it’s painful to receive a no and feel like the game is over. Even some of the most successful entrepreneurs also suffered from rejection in the past. They didn’t allow anything preventing them from doing better. Their positive spirit allowed them to be where they are now.
Motivate your team
If you feel bad because of what happened, your team also feels the same way. They worked just as hard as you. They tried everything to make things work. Some of them might even feel that it’s their fault. Try to be positive and let them know that you’re not giving up. You can find the right investor in the future, and their help would be necessary. They rely on you to lead the way. If you already lost hope, they will probably feel that way too. Let them know that you’re already thinking of other ways to find an investor, and everyone should be of help.
It takes time to find an investor. Even the most successful business owners today also had to endure rejections. They didn’t let anything prevent them from doing better. They believe in their plan, and they’re now successful in their chosen field. You can do the same too. However, if you allow this failure to consume you, it would be difficult to move up. You will get stuck with the idea of defeat and lose the battle.