7 Famous Failures in Business

Failing is difficult. The second you realize that you’ve failed at something you worked on, you’ll want to flip a table, cry, or give up. It is one of the hardest feelings to stomach, and the longer it sits, the chances of starting again gets slimmer. To think that failure can be good for you may sound crazy, but think about it. Successful ideas come from many small mistakes. The road to achieving goals are riddled with obstacles, but the twists and turns teach you something new with each step you take.

Stephen King

The story of a girl covered in pig’s blood would not exist today if Stephen King gave up his will to write. Carrie was rejected 30 times before it was published by Doubleday & Co. Prior to his career as an author, he and his wife Tabitha lived off of his earnings from an industrial laundry and her school loans and savings. Today, Stephen King is a renowned horror genre author with a few film adaptations as well.

The Beatles 

Their music rings to this day, far surpassing musicians of their time. We know The Beatles with members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr as the English rock band that shook the music industry. However, their earlier days were not as friendly. They were famously rejected by Dick Rowe, saying “guitar groups are on the way out.” The group later signed with George Martin of Parlophone and the rest is history.

Oprah Winfrey 

Her name gets thrown around often and we know exactly who she is. It is surprising that she was once put in a position where she was often humiliated and put down. Oprah began her career as an anchorwoman for WJZ in Baltimore, right next to Jerry Turner, a star of his time. According to the Baltimore Sun, she quickly learned that she was unwanted for prime time news and was placed in the morning cut-ins. She moved to Chicago and began her venture as the star of her own talk show. Today, you can find her face on television, covers of magazines, and hear her name everywhere you go.

J.K. Rowling

This world famous author is no stranger to rejection. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was rejected by an agent before it got picked up by Christopher Little. He sent it to 12 different publishers and finally ended up in Bloomsbury. At the time, she and her daughter were living on benefits, and had no money to purchase simple supplies like folders. We see her as a billionaire children’s author, but even J.K. Rowling has come across many instances of rejection, but perseverance pushed her to the top, where she has stayed ever since. Recently, J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany wrote a two-part West End stage play called Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The fantasy lives on.

Bill Gates

The man behind Microsoft was also a Harvard University dropout and co-owner of the failed business Traf-O-Data. However, he took what he learned from the business and a few years later created Microsoft. Bill Gates had a passion for computer programming and turned it into the world’s largest software company. He brought his vision to life and people around the world are using his product.

Walt Disney

Snow White, Bambi, and Pinocchio would not exist if it was not for the hard work of Walt Disney. His life was filled with rejection towards his creativity, but that did not stop him from trying. The early films were not financially profitable, especially during World War II, yet are now some of the most celebrated films to date. Walt’s advice to entrepreneurs would be, “Get a good idea, and stay with it. Dog it, and work at it until it’s done, and done right.” Disney is now a household name with theme parks, movies, television shows, branded merchandise, and much more.

Jack Ma

This is a man who understands humble beginnings. Employers rejected him often. In an interview with Bloomberg, he revealed, “I even went to KFC when it came to my city. Twenty-four people went for the job. Twenty-three were accepted. I was the only guy…” The day he learned about the Internet was when his life changed forever. It was his calling and after a few years, he created Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce company that has passed Walmart as the largest retailer. He encourages entrepreneurs of all ages to start their own businesses instead of relying on others.

Many of the most successful people in the world failed before they got to where they are today. Their perseverance and faith in what they believed in allowed for their dreams to become reality. Entrepreneurship is a combination of elbow grease, tears, and a few bumps along the way. Continuing on and reaching success is completely up to you.