I recently came across the story of Harland Sanders, and honestly, it made me think. It’s not a typical story of a successful entrepreneur; it’s more of a reminder that timing isn’t always what matters.

This guy was born in 1890 in Indiana with everything against him. His father died when he was just 6 years old, so as a child, he ended up cooking and taking care of his siblings while his mom worked. Childhood disappeared quickly. He dropped out of school in seventh grade and then jumped from one job to another — farmhand, streetcar conductor, railroad fireman, insurance salesman. Basically failed at almost everything. Fired again and again.

But here’s where it gets interesting. At 40, he finally found something that worked. He was managing a gas station where he cooked for travelers, and his fried chicken started to become popular. For the first time, he felt he had something valuable to offer. It seemed like things were finally going well.

And then came the blow. At 65, the government built a new highway that diverted all the traffic. His business went under. He was left with a Social Security check for $105. At that age, most people retire and disappear.

But Harland Sanders wasn’t most people. He made a crazy-sounding decision: he put his fried chicken recipe in his car and started traveling from restaurant to restaurant, offering his idea for free in exchange for a small share of the profits. He slept in the car, knocked on doors, presented his proposal. And he was rejected. 1,009 times. Over a thousand “no’s.”

On attempt number 1,010, someone finally said yes. That was the start of Kentucky Fried Chicken. By age 70, KFC was expanding across America. In 1964, he sold the company for $2 million, but his name and face remained the face of the brand. Today, KFC has over 25,000 locations in 145 countries.

What fascinates me isn’t just the success; it’s the timing. Harland Sanders started his real business at an age when most would already be thinking about retirement. He had no money, no network, nothing but a recipe and an unwillingness to give up. 1,009 rejections. Think about that for a second.

It’s easy to say “it’s never too late” when you see the end result. But the reality is that most people would have given up after rejection number 10, or 50, or 100. Harland Sanders reached 1,009 and kept going. That’s not inspiration; that’s pure stubbornness.

So next time you think it’s too late for something, remember that this guy was almost broke at 65 and ended up building a billion-dollar empire. Failure wasn’t the end — it was part of the journey.