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Thank you for saying ‘no’.

Many of you may know, for opening HUONE Singapore and taking steps into the global scene, we needed funding. For the past 1,5 years I have met over 100 investors and pitched countless times. It was a nightmare; some may even say a traumatic experience. I put on a thick skin, went into meeting after meeting, hoping that someone would invest. It killed my confidence every time when I received ‘NO’ as an answer.

Evon Speaking at Events pitching

Truth be told, I was extremely frustrated. Every ‘NO’ ate a bit of my confidence, made me doubt if I was wrong or if there is something wrong with HUONE. I felt like a loser, like some ‘crazy lady’ running around town that nobody seems to really understand. At times I even felt angry, with myself and with potential investors.

But now, let me properly say ‘THANK YOU’, to the countless times you guys said ‘NO’.

Evon Söderlund speaking at an event

As a young entrepreneur who dreams big, I knew things don’t come easy, but this was truly testing me personally. The bigger the dream, the higher the hurdle seems to be. I needed to learn how to take falls like a baby learns to walk. One step, fall, get up, one step, fall…forget your pride just learn how to take the step and get better at it. I needed to get the fact that my idea was good but not great. I needed to keep polishing my idea and myself instead of stubbornly pushing the same thing.

I really needed that painful journey to see that entrepreneurs go through different phases of personal growth. The past 1,5 years was a transitional phase for me to turn a heavy page to a lesson I had to learn.

I learned a lot from that experience of being turned down. I realized that if I had gotten the money I needed with the first door I knocked I would not have come to the realization, which I have on my hands today. I am much better prepared for the next step now. Thanks to you who took time to say ‘NO’.

Kiitos.

Love, Evon