Embracing “No” as the Path to Success: A Conversation with Andrea Waltz

What if the word no wasn’t the end of the conversation, but the key to unlocking growth? That’s the heart of the Go for No philosophy, created by Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton. For more than two decades, their bestselling book Go for No! has inspired leaders, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals to stop fearing rejection and instead chase it.

Now, Andrea and Richard are back with Go for No, The Sequel, a brand-new fable that brings this timeless philosophy to life for a new generation. I sat down with Andrea to talk about the power of asking, why failure isn’t the enemy, and how their journey as authors has unfolded.

Q: For those new to Go for No, what’s the core message behind it?

Andrea Waltz:
Go for No is all about is having the courage to ask. I think a lot of people hear the phrase Go for No, and they think, what on earth does that mean? Who wants to hear the word, No?

Go for No is all about being willing to grow, whether it’s your business, the things that you want to accomplish in life; and understanding that a lot of times that growth requires that you ask for things. We tend to shut ourselves down from doing the asking because it’s uncomfortable. A lot of us grew up in a society or a family where it was kind of like, “stay quiet.” And we carry a lot of baggage around asking. And that’s really what Go for No is all about.

Q: Your original book has been called a “cult classic.” Why was now the right time for a sequel?

Andrea Waltz:
The first book is a short fable about an average salesperson who discovers his future self and learns that hearing No is actually a positive. For years, Richard and I weren’t sure how to approach a follow-up.

But at the twenty-fifth anniversary, I said, we need to do this. And Richard, who’s the creative genius of the two of us, came up with the story. We decided to give our original character a 20-year-old daughter, Cassidy, and focus the sequel on her journey.

With this book, we also got to tackle all the questions and challenges people had brought up over the years—the things we didn’t cover in the first book. It was the perfect chance to expand the lessons.”

Q: Tell me more about Cassidy’s story. Why introduce a new character?

Andrea Waltz:
“That was the fun thing with the sequel—we got to see the world through Cassidy’s eyes. She’s just graduated college, feels lost, and isn’t sure what she wants to do. Her father encourages her to try sales and she resists. She says, ‘Sales is sleazy; I can’t do this.’

But the turning point comes when her dad takes a huge financial risk, and she has to step in to help. Together they face rejection, they hear a lot of No’s, and Cassidy realizes that sometimes you have to stop saying No to yourself.

That’s one of the big takeaways we wanted to give young people—don’t talk yourself out of opportunities. It’s better to ask and hear no than to go to bed wondering… what if?”

Q: You and Richard originally self-published Go for No. What was that process like?

Andrea Waltz:
Back in the day, we decided not to look for a traditional publisher. This was before Amazon print-on-demand, so we learned to package the book ourselves. And Elaine, we made every mistake possible. The cover was a disaster, and it was probably the biggest reason why the book didn’t sell for the first five years.

That’s why I always tell people, if you have a book in you, get help from someone who knows the process. You don’t have to figure it out alone. Over time, we developed a skill set for publishing short books—about 100 pages or less. Today’s readers want quick solutions and practical takeaways, and short books are perfect for that.

Q: Many aspiring authors hold back because of perfectionism or fear. What advice would you give them?

Andrea Waltz:
I think it comes down to perfectionism. People compare themselves to bestselling authors and think, “Who am I to write a book?” But no one has written your book.

Writing the book is the success—not the sales numbers or the outcome. It’s about falling in love with the process. Even if no one reads it right away, your ideas live on.

One tip I give people is to start by writing a series of questions you’d like to address. It’s often easier to answer questions than to start with a blank page. Before you know it, you’ve got something that looks like a book, and then you just need someone to massage it into shape.

Q: What’s one step anyone can take today to start living the Go for No philosophy?

Andrea Waltz:
I think the easiest thing to do is to create No awareness and reverse engineer what you want to accomplish. Ask yourself, what’s the big goal?

We want to stop giving ourselves the No. Be willing to accept no as part of the process, and then keep asking. That’s where the Yeses are hiding.

Q: Where can people find you and learn more?

Andrea Waltz:
I encourage people to go to goforno.com and take our fun No Quotient Quiz. It’s a quick, free way to explore your mindset about failure, success, and rejection. That’s the best place to start.

Final Thoughts

Andrea Waltz reminds us that the word, NO, isn’t a dead end—it’s a stepping stone. Whether you’re writing a book, launching a business, or chasing a dream, the courage to ask is what moves you forward.

If this conversation sparked something in you, grab a copy of Go for No, The Sequel. And if you’ll be at Sell Well in Houston this September, you’ll have the chance to hear Andrea and Richard live on stage. Because when we embrace the word, No, the Yeses are never far behind.

Action Steps
Get Go for No! The Sequel
Take the No-Quotient Quiz

Listen to Andrea's appearance on Writing & Influence 
Register for Sell Well