By Kerry Frank
June 18, 2025
Early in my career, I started to view “no” not as a wall, but as a doorway, a conversation starter, a challenge, sometimes even an invitation to dig deeper. And let me tell you, I heard a lot of no’s.
“No one’s ever replaced paper flight bags before.”
“No way the FAA will approve this.”
“No airline will trust a startup run out of a basement.”
I could have accepted those no’s as the end of the conversation. But I didn’t. I got curious instead. I asked why. I pushed back with data. I listened carefully to what people weren’t saying out loud.
Because the truth is, many of the best opportunities in my life came from a rejection that forced me to innovate. I didn’t have a college degree. I wasn’t from the tech world. I had zero aviation background. But I built a company that helped transform the airline industry—and it all started with someone telling me no.
But here’s the other side of that coin…
Sometimes “No” Is the Right Answer.
There were also moments in my journey when I should have listened to the warning signs.
Like the time I trusted the wrong partner, and let them stay involved longer than I should have. I didn’t want to make waves. I told myself I could fix it. But deep down, I knew the answer was no. No to compromising my integrity. No to someone who didn’t bleed for the vision like I did.
Another time, I nearly greenlit a massive product rollout just to meet a timeline. My gut said we weren’t ready. The team said we weren’t ready. But I was tired of hearing no, and I wanted to push through. That mistake set us back months and nearly lost us a client.
So what’s the difference? How do you know when no is just the beginning… and when it’s a very firm stop?
Let me give you a framework I’ve come to live by:
Kerry’s “No Filter” Framework
- Check your ego.
Are you pushing because you’re right or because you want to be right? - Test the motive.
Is this no coming from fear? Politics? Protecting the status quo? That’s a green light to keep going. - Revisit your values.
If saying yes means compromising who you are walk away. - Get quiet.
Not every answer comes in the moment. Sometimes wisdom needs space. I’ve learned to sit with hard decisions, especially the ones that feel heavy. - Ask one more question.
Instead of reacting, get curious. “What would need to be true for this to be a yes?” You’d be surprised what opens up.
Looking back, some of the greatest pivots in my life came from respecting the no. Others came from being brave enough to challenge it.
Knowing the difference has been one of the most valuable skills I’ve ever learned.
So if you’re in a season of hearing a lot of “no”, I see you. Don’t be discouraged. Dig in. Ask questions. Reframe it. And then, be brave enough to either push forward or walk away.
Because sometimes no is just the beginning… And sometimes, it’s your invitation to grow in a whole new direction.