What if rejection wasn’t something to fear—but a skill to build? In this episode of A Productive Conversation, I chat with Alice Draper, founder of Hustling Writers and host of My Rejection Story. Alice has helped clients land interviews on hundreds of top podcasts and is on a mission to demystify the power of rejection, especially for creatives and entrepreneurs.
We explore what it means to navigate self-rejection, build visibility in an increasingly noisy world, and pitch yourself without compromising your voice. As someone who’s been on both sides of the podcast pitch, Alice shares refreshing insights that go beyond the usual tips and templates.
Six Discussion Points
- How Alice went from freelance journalist to podcast publicity expert (accidentally)
- Why self-rejection is the most insidious form of rejection—and how to combat it
- The link between imposter syndrome and visibility for marginalized voices
- Journaling as a path to resilience, awareness, and action
- How community can be your greatest hack for rejection resistance
- What makes a strong podcast pitch—and why vulnerability is essential
Three Connection Points
This conversation reminded me that rejection isn’t a sign of failure—it’s a signal that you’re putting yourself out there. Alice’s perspective on vulnerability, rejection, and authentic outreach is something I think more creators and professionals need to hear, especially in an era obsessed with shortcuts and surface-level connection.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!