Thank God for Unanswered Prayers (and Garth Brooks for that line)

Thank God for Unanswered Prayers (and Garth Brooks for that line)

When I was young and trying to find my way in the business world, I applied for jobs that sometimes only interested me in one area, and nowhere else. But the money was good, and I figured I could do them. So I went after the jobs, despite the poor fit.

I didn’t get the jobs, even after being called back for second interviews.

That’s why I say, “Thank God for unanswered prayers.” If I had been hired for the marginally fulfilling work, I never would have experienced the desperation necessary to take a risk and start my own company.

If my prayers had been answered about getting a job, starting my own business would have been postponed or even derailed completely. “Necessity is the mother of invention.” The necessity of getting work turned into the mother and father of my invention.

So two years out of college I started “All Around Girls.” The purpose was to become a resource to companies. Remember that in my job hunt I found a part of every job interesting to me, but not all? That part was the resource I later decided to offer other companies. For example:
-United Airlines hired me to conduct a survey about female travelers.
-John Robert Powers modeling agency hired me to do a competitive research study.
-A start-up company hired me to research new weight loss equipment.
-I started a nationwide teen development program call “All American Girl.”

All those experiences built confidence and skill, and I progressed into more serious and important work — calling my company Benton Management Resources. I still provided resources, but more along the lines of personal and professional development, which I’ve continued and prospered in for 30+ years.

The good thing about rejection is what you can learn from it and what it forces you to do - in a positive way.