For anyone who runs a design firm, it's well known that the success rate of getting new projects is far below 100%. You just don't get every project you go after. No surprise. You get used to pouring your heart into a proposal, falling in love with the idea, and then having it die a grotesque death. Sometimes this gets depressing, but for the most part you move on - looking for that next opportunity.

Recently we put in a proposal for offices for an international company with offices in Kolkata. The proposal was good and well received, but we still lost the project. The client said that since our expertise was in Landscapes, Buildings, and Retail - they thought they should go with someone with Interior Design experience. It's easy to get angry over this, as that description does not reflect our firm, but I also have to see this as a personal failing. Somehow in my interview and proposal this is what they came away with. I'm not sure how, but something got lost in the shuffle - who we are.

So I can be upset at missing out on this opportunity or I can learn from it and not make the same mistakes next time.