We got rejected 67 times before we got into Y Combinator
Rejection isn’t fun. Let’s be real - it sucks.
But if you’re building something big, it’s inevitable.
In the early days, I pitched 67 investors before hearing a single yes.
That’s 67 times sitting in a room, explaining your vision, putting your heart on the table, only to hear:
- "We don’t think this is for us."
- "It is too early."
- "Come back when you have more traction."
At first, it hits you. Hard.
Because you know it's not about the traction, or the stage — it’s about whether they believe in you to succeed.
You leave the meeting thinking, "Why don’t they believe in us? Are we not good enough?"
And then you start questioning everything.
But here’s what I realized after the 10th, 20th, 50th no:
Rejection is just part of the process.
It’s not about you. It’s about them — their timing, their priorities, their perspective.
At some point, you’ve been beaten down so much that rejection just stops hurting.
- I stopped taking it personally. A no doesn’t mean we’re not good enough. It just means it’s not the right fit for them right now.
- I learned from every rejection. Is the story clear enough? Are we explaining the problem in a way that resonates? What can we improve?
- I kept showing up. Because rejection only wins if you stop trying.
On the 68th pitch, we got into YC — on the first attempt.
And here’s the funny part: some of those same investors who said no early on reached out later, asking if they could join the round.
The lesson? Rejection isn’t failure. It’s feedback. It’s a filter. A test of your tenacity.
And most importantly, it’s temporary.
So, if you’re out there building something and hearing no after no, don’t let it break you.
Rejection-proof yourself. Show up anyway. Learn anyway. Build anyway.
This photo was taken during my lockdown period in a <20m2 flat in London, recording the video for our YC app.
Because all it takes is one yes to change everything.