“I’m too busy for you.”
Chris just replied to my email invitation: he is too busy to meet with me – for several months.
I’ve been rejected before – plenty in sales, and in college when a girl actually did tell me she had to wash her hair.
I recently met Chris and he seems to be a great guy with whom I think I’ll have a lot in common – interests, business philosophy, and values – someone I’d like in my network, and whom, I think, would agree.
Chris called and left a message: “Dave, I appreciate the invitation. I’m just really involved in this startup and I need to stay focused for a while. I’m calling because I want you to know that I care – let’s connect this summer.”
My thoughts on this are two. First – what a classy way to say “No,” and 2nd, don’t we all have the right to say “No thank you” in a polite way? I’ll reach out to Chris this summer, simply saying, “Hey Chris, I hope your startup is going well. Just let me know when timing is good to connect.” In the time I would have spent with Chris when he was too busy to meet, I wrote this post!