Why Being Rejected for Your Values Is a Sign You're Doing It Right
If you've ever been told you're "too much"…
Or been rejected because your values don't align with someone else's…
This post is for you.
Because the truth is, being rejected for standing in your truth is not a setback, it’s confirmation that you’re doing the work right.
The Power of Being Misunderstood (and Owning It)
Not too long ago, I received an email that would’ve knocked the wind out of me years ago. A podcast host someone referred to me by another show I’d already been on declined my request to be interviewed. Her reason?
After scrolling through my social media, she felt we were “not aligned in values.”
Oof.
There was a time when this kind of feedback would’ve sent me into a spiral. But instead, I felt… proud.
Because my message is finally clear enough to attract the right people and repel the wrong ones. And that’s the entire point of unapologetic, values-driven messaging.
When Your Values Are Loud and Clear, You Don’t Need Everyone to Agree
When you're building a business that stands for something whether that’s equity, inclusion, sustainability, or truth—you will ruffle feathers. And that’s a good thing.
You’ll be told you're too loud, too bold, too principled. But the people who are truly meant for you will lean in when others step out.
After being interviewed on 100+ podcasts, I’ve seen firsthand how values-aligned visibility brings in not just more eyes—but the right ones. The ones that stick around, become clients, collaborators, community.
The ones who say, “I’ve been waiting for someone like you.”
What History Teaches Us About Showing Up Boldly
There’s a quote by scholar Saidiya Hartman that I return to often:
“Beauty is a way of creating possibility in the space of enclosure, a radical art of subsistence.”
Think about that.
Throughout history, people have used their presence how they dress, speak, and show up as a form of resistance and identity. One of the most powerful examples?
Black Dandyism.
What began as a means for slave owners to dress enslaved people as “luxury servants” evolved into a movement of radical self-expression and dignity.
Imagine Frederick Douglass walking into abolitionist meetings in a three-piece suit that matched the very men who denied his humanity. Every detail was a statement: You cannot erase me. I am not invisible. I will not shrink.
That kind of powerthe kind that turns societal rejection into radical belonging is available to us, too.
Visibility Rooted in Truth > High-Volume Funnels
I’ll be honest: the way I build my business, the way I teach PR, and the way I create community isn’t always “scalable.” It doesn’t fit into a bro-marketing funnel. It’s not always the most profitable on paper.
But it’s real. And it works.
It works because it’s built on integrity. Because it creates safe spaces for people to be themselves while still growing their visibility.
Because it teaches women and underestimated founders how to use their voice, not dull it down to “fit in.”
Rejection Isn't the End, It’s Proof You’re on the Right Path
So if you've ever gotten feedback that made you question your approach…
If someone’s ever said “you’re too opinionated” or “your values are off-putting”…
Know this:
You are not for everyone. And that’s a feature, not a bug.
The more you stand in your values, the more magnetic you become to those who are aligned. And the more repelling you are to those who are not. That’s not something to be ashamed of it’s something to celebrate.
Final Words: Keep Being Undeniably You
Being visible while rooted in your truth isn’t easy.
It takes guts to show up when the world tells you to stay small. To lead with your values when it might cost you opportunities. To be “too much” in a world that wants you to be palatable.
But history reminds us that this is how transformation happens.
Every time you take up space, speak your truth, or say “this is who I am and what I believe,” you’re creating possibility. You're showing others what’s possible when we stop dimming ourselves to be accepted.
So keep showing up.
Keep being bold.
Keep being undeniably you.
Because your people are out there—and they’re not just waiting to find you. They need you.
💫 With so much love,
Gloria