Showing 68 results for:
rejection
Popular topics
All results
Failure was never an option for filmmaker Tyler Perry. In conversation with Soledad O’Brien during a fireside chat hosted by QuickBooks and Mailchimp, Perry emphasized the importance of not frowning upon small beginnings. In his early days as a hungry creative in Atlanta, GA, he was homeless and living in his car, as AFROTECH mentioned previously. However, Perry never lost faith, and he credits hope as his constant driver toward success. “What I would say to anyone if it is your dream and it is your hope, it is that thing that you wake up with, and you go to bed with it, and you can’t shake it no matter what, that’s something that’s bigger than you… I was homeless,” Perry explained to O’Brien. He continued, “My mother said, ‘Leave them plays alone’…You ain’t never going make it.’ And this woman loved me with all of her heart, but she knew how difficult it was for me. But if it is your dream and that thing wakes you up and keeps reminding you, do not stop, don’t stop. I’m sitting...
Finding the ideal job is no easy feat. And with the pandemic rapidly shifting the job market, landing the job of choice has gotten more complicated. This narrative couldn’t be more accurate for people like 26-year-old Elijah Wallace. An accomplished graduate of Northwestern University in Chicago, Wallace landed his first post-collegiate role with JP Morgan – staying there for about two years before venturing off to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors as the founder of a watch company. However, Wallace found out what many other start-up founders already know – entrepreneurial life is a real grind and hustle. With profits taking too long to come in from his business, Wallace started exploring the job market again. As many know, Wallace admits this search was definitely a “process.” “[Applying for jobs] was a full-time job in itself; I networked on LinkedIn every day and applied for 100 jobs in finance and received rejection after rejection,” according to Wallace, as reported by Metro. “I...
A high school student is shattering the glass ceiling! While attending school in Nigeria, Damilola Awofisayo remembers unstable electricity disrupting educational lessons. At the time, Awofisayo and her classmates were not exposed to the solutions that existed in the world of computer science. Nearly four years later, Awofisayo moved to the United States and would attend Thomas Jefferson High School in Virginia. The computer science-driven school encourages all students to take a course in the field before graduating. Awofisayo did not understand the value of computer science initially. With that said, she planned to take the course her senior year of high school but a counselor placed her in the course her freshman year instead and the rest is history! “Within the first three weeks in the class, I fell in love with computer science. It was my tool to create solutions for problems I had seen in my society and with my experience living in Lagos, Nigeria,” Awofisayo said to AfroTech.
At an early age, Sian Proctor dreamed to be afforded an opportunity to enter the galactic world. While celebrating her now achieved goal, she also made history in the process, becoming the first Black woman to pilot a spacecraft, according to the New York Times. Determined to reach space, Proctor received her Ph.D. along with a pilot’s license and SCUBA certification. In 2009, she was selected to participate in the final round of NASA’s competitive astronaut selection process — an impressive feat for a cohort consisting of 3,500 applicants. Unfortunately, her candidacy would ultimately be rejected. Others may have stopped, but for Proctor, her rejection would serve as the catalyst to discovering a new path. In 2013, she would accompany six individuals during a four-month mission in a building located near a Hawaiian volcano for an experiment imitating the conditions and stresses on a habitat like Mars. Proctor caught the eyes of a panel of judges for the Inspiration4 mission because...
Chasing your dreams is no easy task, but when you’re determined to beat the odds nothing can stand in your way. Take it from Angela Marie Hutchinson — producer, casting director, scriptwriter, and media entrepreneur of her own entertainment empire. For over ten years, Hutchinson fought to get her screenplay “Hollywood Chaos” funded and produced, but her efforts were of no avail. Fed up with rejection after rejection, she took matters into her own hands and found the means to produce the feature film herself. The film was also successfully picked up by Hulu. “Sometimes we feel like it’s bad to quit so we keep on going. We keep receiving the rejection thinking that eventually a yes will come along. And that’s just not the case. Sometimes the yes will never come until you create it. You have to do something different than what you were doing before,” Hutchinson said, according to Black Enterprise. No longer operating on the scale of getting rejected, Hutchinson created the opportunity...
Since airing its first episode in 2009, the hit ABC show, “Shark Tank” has featured hundreds of founders and invested millions in their startups. According to The Hustle , after wrapping up its 10th season Shark Tank heard 895 pitches and invested $143.8 million in startups that convinced judges and secured funding deals. However, not all startups who appeared on the show secured investment deals, some were rejected and walked away without any funding. Although rejected by the show’s investors, some founders still refused to lose and in true bounce back fashion had massive success after the show’s denial. Here is a list of Black startups that turned “Shark Tank” rejection into triumph. Hammer and Nails View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hammer & Nails Grooming Shop for Guys (@hammerandnailsgrooming) Hammer and Nails is a man cave grooming utopia for men. A place where men can get hair, feet, hand, and shaving needs. Founder Michael Elliot, writer of box office hits “Brown...
Mustering the courage to present your idea to a VC takes bravery. If it doesn’t go as planned, rejection can be disheartening and discouraging which could make moving forward tough. However, it is necessary in order to make your dream a reality. Whether you’ve experienced one rejection or ten, bouncing back doesn’t get any easier. It is important to understand that not all VCs are going to vibe well with your vision, and that is okay. A rejection doesn’t mean your idea is bad, so you shouldn’t take it personally. Try to turn a seemingly negative outcome into a positive one, by understanding why they said “no.” Here are the top reasons why founders receive rejections from VCs: Market Saturation There is steep competition in the startup world, and sometimes VCs are unwilling to invest in an industry that seems oversaturated. If this is the reason for rejection, it can be a chance for your startup to develop uniqueness and stand out from other similar startups. Lack of Momentum...
80-year-old entrepreneur Beatrice Wilson did not take no for an answer. Wilson had worked at local car dealerships before deciding to attend nail school to learn how to do nails, according to 11 Alive. However, when she tried to get a job at a nail salon, she faced rejection. That is when she took matters into her own hands and opened Bee Nails, a nail salon in Atlanta, GA. “I feel you’re never too old; it’s never too late to follow what you love doing,” Wilson told 11 Alive. Wilson opened seven storefronts across metro Atlanta before retiring in 2021. However, as a result of boredom, she jumped right back into the business and opened up an eighth location. “Personally, I love being away from home and talking and interacting with people,” Wilson told the outlet. Now, she is the proud owner of her newest and largest store. Last week, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and City Council member Andrea Boone attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new storefront. “It’s very heartwarming...
Workday is at the center of a collective action lawsuit that alleges its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered hiring tools discriminate against applicants over 40 years old, violating the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. Derek Mobley, a Black, disabled man in his 40s, filed a lawsuit in February 2023, claiming he applied for over 100 jobs without success, according to ITPro. “Despite his qualifications, Mobley was allegedly denied employment for every one of the 100-plus applications that he submitted to companies using Workday’s platform,” the lawsuit states . Workday provides cloud-based software to support businesses’ financial management as well as the hiring process for new employees. Workday’s initial motion to dismiss the case was granted, allowing for amendments to be made. However, the judge later denied its attempt to dismiss the newly amended complaint. A judge ruled on May 16 that Mobley’s age discrimination claims could proceed as a collective action...
Byron Allen is selling local television stations owned by his Allen Media Group (AMG), with investment bank Moelis & Co. handling the deal. The portfolio consists of 28 stations affiliated with ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox, operating in 21 U.S. markets, including Tupelo, MS ; Honolulu, HI; Flint, MI; and Tucson, AZ, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Allen said AMG began investing over $1 billion six years ago to build a portfolio of “big four” network-affiliated television stations. “We have received numerous inquiries and written offers for most of our television stations and now is the time to explore getting a return on this phenomenal investment,” Allen said, per THR. “We are going to use this opportunity to take a serious look at the offers, and the sale proceeds will be used to significantly reduce our debt.” As the media landscape continues to evolve, AMG has been navigating industry challenges and, over the past year, has implemented a series of measures to streamline...
Harvard University professors are donating a portion of their salaries to the Ivy League after it lost federal funding. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Harvard received two letters from federal agencies instructing it to discontinue its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments. The letters stated that failure to comply could result in the loss of about $9 billion in federal funding. According to Reuters, some of the conditions included reducing the influence of faculty, staff, and students who are “more committed to activism than scholarship.” Additionally, the letters requested an external panel to audit these groups for alignment with “viewpoint diversity,” arguing that the university has “failed to live up to both the intellectual and civil rights conditions that justify federal investment.” The letters also flagged concerns about unchallenged antisemitism. While Harvard University did agree to address concerns about antisemitism on campus, it also stated, “These ends...
Building a successful startup requires more than just a great idea. It demands a unique set of traits that allow founders to navigate challenges, inspire teams , and scale their businesses. While many qualities contribute to entrepreneurial success, 2 successful traits in startup founders stand out as the most critical: resilience and adaptability. These characteristics don’t just separate successful founders from those who struggle. They also determine how well a startup can survive market shifts , financial pressures, and operational hurdles. Why Startups Fail, And How These 2 Successful Traits In Founders Make A Difference The startup world is notoriously unforgiving. About 90% of startups fail, and only a small percentage reach sustained profitability. According to CB Insights , the top reasons for failure include lack of market demand, running out of cash, and flawed business models. However, a deeper look into these failures reveals that many of them could have been avoided if...
The global economy is not just shaped by technology or innovation — it’s governed by decisions made behind closed doors, often under the guise of economic strategy. One such decision, the imposition of tariffs, is anything but neutral. It is an instrument of pressure, a marker of priority, and increasingly, a reflection of geopolitical posture. Tariffs have reemerged as a centerpiece of American economic policy, not as quiet fiscal levers but as loud, disruptive statements. The Trump administration’s recent directive — a flat 10% base tariff on all imports and a sweeping set of reciprocal tariffs targeting nearly 90 countries — represents a radical reorientation of U.S. trade policy. In an interconnected world already strained by inflation, global supply chain challenges, and diplomatic fragility, these decisions matter deeply — and immediately. What Are Tariffs? At their core, tariffs are taxes on imported goods, imposed by governments to influence the cost and flow of trade. By...
If you’ve ever casually flipped through the television channels in search of something to watch, you probably already have a cursory knowledge of Tyler Perry’s massive TV empire . The writer, director, producer and actor has spent the last two decades absolutely dominating the film and television world, with such acclaimed projects as “Why Did I Get Married,” “I Can Do Bad All By Myself” and more recently, “Beauty In Black.” Perry has brokered exclusive deals with entertainment giants including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, and has even opened a massive studio facility in Atlanta, which spans over 330 acres. The New Orleans native has also spoken at length about his mission to support Black actors, writers and filmmakers through his expanding empire, even serving as a mentor to 50 Cent . Since Tyler Perry has become such an enormous part of the Hollywood system, it only makes sense that fans far and wide have started searching for ways to get involved. Luckily, we’ve got the...