I remember showing HelloSign to a family member. He barely took a look before getting distracted and walking away. Of all people, you’d imagine that family would be the easiest sell. Yet, working on a company comes with a lot of rejection, whether it’s apathy, passing on an investment, or a user not signing up (The rejection book). I see a lot of founders resent these people.
I’ve grown to think of rejection differently: I collect my naysayers. For some reason, I love these people. The bigger the group, the more I’m energized to prove them wrong.
I treat them well, stay in touch and often become friends (Treat investors well when fundraising). Over the years, some of them have even become investors or signed up as HelloSign users. My favorite naysayers are the ones that articulate why they don't believe. They take the time to call or write an email with their feedback. I often learn the most from these people. Then, if we raise, they’re often the first we talk to.