Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

When Nobody Believed in His Vision, the Co-Founder of Fatherly Shares How He Proved Them Wrong After hearing 'no' over and over again, Mike Rothman starting making strategic decisions to confirm his idea was a good one.

By Jason Feifer

Fatherly

This is an episode of our podcast Problem Solvers. Each week, an entrepreneur reveals how they overcame an unexpected problem in their business -- and were happier and more successful as a result. The show is hosted by Entrepreneur's editor in chief, Jason Feifer. Listen below, or subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Everyone who's experienced setbacks, rejection and frustration will ask themselves the same inevitable question: "What if the naysayers are right?" Mike Rothman did that. As he built his company Fatherly -- a media site for dads, which is a market everyone told him was nonexistent -- he was told "no" over and over again. But instead of quitting, he made strategic decisions that enabled him to discover the truth: His idea really was a good one. And soon, the people saying no started to say yes.

Related: How the Founder of Baked by Melissa Recovered From Her First Holiday Sales Disaster

In this episode of Problem Solvers, learn how Rothman navigated the early days of Fatherly and the choices he made to help validate his idea.

Thanks to our sponsors:

Domain names matter. And Hover gets that. They are focused exclusively on helping you buy the right domain name. No web sales, clean user interface, and excellent customer service. And Hover understand in our modern digital era that you may change website platform many times and their connect feature allows you to make the switch with just a few clicks. Check out Hover to get 10% off your first purchase.

Jason Feifer

Entrepreneur Staff

Editor in Chief

Jason Feifer is the editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine and host of the podcast Problem Solvers. Outside of Entrepreneur, he is the author of the book Build For Tomorrow, which helps readers find new opportunities in times of change, and co-hosts the podcast Help Wanted, where he helps solve listeners' work problems. He also writes a newsletter called One Thing Better, which each week gives you one better way to build a career or company you love.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

'Creators Left So Much Money on the Table': Kickstarter's CEO Reveals the Story Behind the Company's Biggest Changes in 15 Years

In an interview with Entrepreneur, Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor explains the decision-making behind the changes, how he approaches leading Kickstarter, and his advice for future CEOs.

Career

Is Consumer Services a Good Career Path for 2024? Here's the Verdict

Consumer services is a broad field with a variety of benefits and drawbacks. Here's what you should consider before choosing it as a career path.

Business Ideas

87 Service Business Ideas to Start Today

Get started in this growing industry, with options that range from IT consulting to childcare.

Business Models

How to Become an AI-Centric Business (and Why It's Crucial for Long-Term Success)

Learn the essential steps to integrate AI at the core of your operations and stay competitive in an ever-evolving landscape.