Dr Connor Robertson
Every entrepreneur eventually collides with adversity. It isn’t a possibility; it’s a certainty. Deals collapse, markets turn, partnerships dissolve, and unexpected crises erupt without warning. The question is never whether you will face adversity, but how you will respond when it arrives.
Most people see adversity as a setback, a roadblock that slows them down or even ends their journey. But the entrepreneurs who endure—and more importantly, those who thrive—view adversity differently. They see it as leverage. They turn the very challenges that might cripple someone else into forces that propel them forward. This mindset shift is not easy, but it is essential. In my career, the moments I grew the most, built the strongest systems, and created the greatest opportunities all came on the other side of adversity.
Adversity is the raw material of resilience. It tests your character, reveals your blind spots, and forces you to adapt. If you can learn to turn adversity into leverage, you create a competitive advantage that no market cycle or competitor can take from you.
Some of the most valuable lessons in my journey have come disguised as failures. Early in my career, I lost a deal I thought was certain. I had invested time, energy, and resources into making it work, only to watch it collapse in the final stage of negotiation. At the time, it felt devastating. But in hindsight, it was a turning point. That failure taught me more about deal structure, due diligence, and communication than any success could have. It sharpened my ability to anticipate problems and negotiate with foresight.
Adversity teaches in ways success never can. Success reinforces what you already know; adversity exposes what you don’t. The key is to treat adversity not as punishment but as feedback. When something goes wrong, it isn’t the end—it’s information. It tells you where your systems are weak, where your assumptions were flawed, and where you need to grow.
The entrepreneurs who thrive aren’t the ones who avoid failure; they’re the ones who learn faster than others when failure arrives.
Adversity doesn’t just test your strategy; it tests your emotions. When deals collapse, when partnerships strain, when criticism arrives—it’s not just your business on the line, it’s your mindset. Many entrepreneurs crumble under the emotional weight of adversity. They lose confidence, hesitate, or retreat.
Emotional resilience is what allows you to keep moving when circumstances push against you. It is the ability to separate setbacks from self-worth, to recognize that challenges don’t define you but refine you.
I’ve learned that emotional resilience is built before adversity, not during it. Habits like consistent discipline, maintaining perspective, and surrounding yourself with the right people create a foundation you can stand on when storms hit. By the time adversity arrives, you either have resilience or you don’t. If you’ve built it, adversity becomes a test you can pass. If you haven’t, it can feel like a collapse.
There is another hidden value in adversity: it creates authenticity. People trust leaders who have been through the fire. If you’ve never faced a setback, you might look polished, but you don’t look real. Adversity humanizes you. It gives your words weight because people know you’ve lived what you’re talking about.
I’ve sat across the table from sellers who didn’t just want numbers; they wanted reassurance. They wanted to know that the person acquiring their business had the grit to protect their legacy. When I shared my own stories of setbacks and recoveries, it didn’t weaken my position—it strengthened it. They saw that I wasn’t naïve, that I understood struggle, and that I would bring that resilience to their company.
Adversity doesn’t diminish credibility; it builds it. The scars you carry become proof that you can endure.
Adversity also forces innovation. When everything is going smoothly, there is little incentive to change. But when systems break or markets shift, you are forced to think differently.
Some of the best innovations in my businesses came from being forced into a corner. When a marketing campaign failed, it pushed us to explore new channels. When a financing structure collapsed, it led us to discover more creative solutions. When a partnership strained, it forced us to clarify roles and agreements in ways that made future ventures stronger.