Hi, I’m Serena Fordham, and this blog post is an extension of my Amazon Bestselling Book “ProspHER(ish): The diary of a fcuked up female-founder” written to help women succeed in their businesses and careers – while ultimately achieving their dreams and fullest potential.
Bouncing back from bad news gets easier. Let me explain.
The most recent verdict from Innovate UK hit my inbox today: another rejection. Initially, a wave of disappointment washed over me, followed by that familiar self-doubt. But after a few minutes of reading the feedback, something shifted. I felt a sense of immense pride in what my team and I have achieved, especially over a very difficult few years. This news might not have been what we had hoped for, but a “no” has never held us back.
Making it happen
I know building our innovative, gamified learning platform, ProspHER Quest, WILL HAPPEN. It might just take a little longer without funding, but our passion to educate and empower millions of women around the world to succeed remains stronger than ever.
It wasn’t always this easy to see the bigger picture. I remember receiving our first competition feedback in early 2023 and breaking down in tears. It took weeks to get over the feeling that I’d let myself and my team down. I linked this bad news directly to my self-worth and branded myself a complete failure.
But now, as I look at our scores from all the Innovate UK competitions we’ve applied for, I see something different. While we’ve had our share of ups and downs, our scores have improved massively over time. And that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Even through extreme adversity, we’ve remained resilient and never given up. We’ve evolved.
What it’s really about
My biggest learning from taking part in these processes is this: it’s not really about winning—the destination. It’s about evolving and becoming better—the journey. And that’s a HUGE win for ProspHER.
Our story is a perfect example of what is often called a growth mindset. This powerful concept, popularized by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, is the belief that our abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. People with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow, rather than as a reflection of their limitations.
Instead of allowing this rejection to define us, we’re using it to propel us forward. We’re taking the feedback, identifying our areas for improvement, and building an even stronger platform. We’re celebrating the small victories along the way—the steady increase in our scores, the lessons we’ve learned, and the resilience we’ve built as a team.
True success
This journey has taught me that true success isn’t just about securing a grant or winning a competition. It’s about the transformation that happens on the path to your goal. It’s about building a team that trusts in the mission, staying true to your vision, and never giving up, no matter how many “nos” you receive.
So, to my incredible team: thank you. Your hard work, passion, and belief in ProspHER Quest are what make this journey so worthwhile. We’ve come so far, and this is just the beginning. The destination is in sight, but the journey has already been the greatest reward.
Have you faced rejection that you’ve overcome? Or had a win lately? Share it with me here.
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