Develop resilience in the face of rejection – Entrepreneur tells new business owners

Entrepreneur and Founder of Regal JNELP Innovations, Portia Sackey Saba, has urged young business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to develop resilience in the face of rejection and to rely on faith, family, and personal conviction as a foundation for success.

Entrepreneurship in Ghana, as in many parts of the world, is a journey marked by both promise and peril.

While the country has seen a steady rise in youth-led startups and small businesses in recent years, the path to success is rarely straightforward. Limited access to funding, inadequate mentorship, skepticism from family and friends, and the fear of failure often weigh heavily on aspiring entrepreneurs.

Speaking on Business Breakfast on Zed 101.9FM, Ms Saba stressed that rejection should not be viewed as failure but rather as a springboard to do better.

“Get ready for rejection and more rejection. But let it be that thing that pushes you to do better,” she advised.

According to her, faith played a central role in her entrepreneurial journey. She revealed that listening to inspirational messages reinforced her belief that setbacks were simply part of her story.

“Even if I was rejected at this point, I just knew that it was part of the journey,” Ms Saba stated.

She lso keeps a personal record of her experiences, noting down milestones, disappointments, and breakthroughs to reflect on them in the future.

Ms Saba explained that this practice, together with support from her family and faith in God’s plan, kept her focused.

The entrepreneur however cautioned young entrepreneurs not to expect immediate support from friends or family when starting out.

“Sometimes your closest friends may not support you right away. They may only be watching to see how far you can go. That doesn’t mean what you’re doing is not good,” she explained.

Ms Saba also shared her own experience of being questioned by her mother for choosing to pursue her business after completing her master’s degree.

For her, the key to survival in entrepreneurship is self-belief.

“You have to be your number one cheerleader. Even when it looks like nobody understands, so long as you do, keep going and keep praying you will get there,” she encouraged.