Jia Jiang stole the stage recently at World Domination Summit when he got up in front of 3000 entrepreneurs to talk about how his failed startup took him from a downward spiral of depression to finding hope through 100 Days of Rejection Therapy. After being rejected for funding that would have taken his business app startup to launch, Jia went on a personal journey to develop his rejection muscle as he continued searching for investors. Little did he know that in his pursuit to befriend rejection, the project would take on a life of its own and end up inspiring millions of people all over the world.
Watch and listen as Jia shares how he wanted to build software, but instead made an impact on the universe through his love story with rejection.
Share Some Shut Up Love –> Winning isn’t about getting a yes or no. It’s having the courage to ask for what you want. – @JiaJiang #shutupshow (click to tweet)
Fun Facts:
- After meeting Bill Gates in China as a teenager, Jia moved to the U.S. to pursue his dream of becoming an entrepreneur.
- Jia has made his way on the stages of numerous venues that include Jeff Probst Show, TEDxAustin, and World Domination Summit.
- Jia became a YouTube sensation after his “Rejection Therapy Day 3: Ask for Olympic Symbol Donuts” video went viral (5.1 million views to-date).
- Speaking of which, Jia commented that Berni’s hair looks like the Olympic torch.
Defining Shut Up Moment:
I feel there’s a purpose for everything. I came to this country at 16 years old, which landed me in rural Louisiana. I had a lot of social rejection because I was very shy and my language skills were not that good. My host family then stole all of the money I brought with me. When you’re a teenager, you don’t understand why bad things happen to you. As an adult, you learn to understand why they happen and what true love really is. I see the world as it is. But I haven’t lost that innocence about wanting to have a better world.
Shut Up Tips:
Miracles are not supposed to end without real impact. – Jia
This is bigger than having a cool idea. It’s about finding a market. Finding a need. And fulfilling that need. By chance I stumbled upon this huge need. Not just entrepreneurs, but all humans have fear. If I can help people handle fear with my story, I feel I’ve made my mark as an entrepreneur. – Jia
I depended on blind faith and was rejected. That rejection taught me to not give up. When I see something very negative now, instead of running away from it I think “let’s dance with it, play games with it, blow it up and see how negative it really is.” Then it turns out not to be negative after all. It becomes positive, really. – Jia
Rejection is just other people’s opinions of you. We all have opinions and we are more than willing to give them out for free. So why should I take it objectively? – Jia
A lot of things are possible if you’d just go out and ask. – Jia
Sometimes in the journey of even wanting rejection, we get accepted. We learn we are better than we thought we were. Even if we think we’re failing, we’re moving forward. – Phil
You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. – Steve Jobs (via Berni)
I was a pretty failed business owner one day and the next day an internet sensation pursued by so many people. But it doesn’t matter, I’m still the same person. Just because somebody has an opinion about you doesn’t mean it carries weight about who you are. – Jia
Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. – Steve Jobs (via Jia)
Focus on what you can control, not what you can’t. – Jia
Jia Recommends:
100 Days of Rejection Therapy
Jackie, the shift supervisor at Krispy Kreme, transformed donuts into the Olympic symbol and touched Jia’s life with unrelenting hope and faith in human kindness.
Find Jia:
Jia’s website and blog: Fearbuster.com
Jia on Twitter
Jia’s YouTube Channel