I got my 5th rejection from an accelerator program today. I hang the emails on the wall next to my desk. They used to be on the fridge, but everyone was getting annoyed with that so I moved them. They are reminders while I work and inspiration to keep going.

Rejection is a part of the startup world. I know that. I know the stats. But each one stings a little bit. This one I really wanted. Like Techstars, they also have a really solid and well attended demo day. That would have been a nice way to start the fall. Plus it was a great excuse for Sara and I to get an apartment in South Boston. Which would have been good for her job and really great for me to get into that scene full-time. Alas it was not to be.

The feedback was what I expected. People either get it or they don’t. Some get the vision but not how I get there. The business model is too complex to explain in a standard questionnaire. Whatever.

One of my favorite quotes is “The Best FUCK YOU in Life, Is Success.”. That’s how I feel whenever I get rejected or hit a setback. Because even though I feel the sting of that defeat, it’s not the war. This is one skirmish, and I will keep fighting. At the end of all this, after I’ve proven what we can do, my success will speak for itself. Keep watching. I’m not done yet, not even close.