From Super Bowl Comebacks to Career Success: Dana Sumpter's Take on Turning Setbacks Into Wins

As this year's Super Bowl spotlights high-profile professional comebacks, Pepperdine Graziadio faculty member Dana Sumpter contributed expert insight to a recent Business Insider article examining how career setbacks can become powerful catalysts for growth.

The piece draws parallels between professional sports and the workplace, highlighting figures who were once passed over or let go, only to thrive in new environments. Sumpter, associate professor of organization theory and management, explains that being fired or dismissed can motivate individuals to refocus, sharpen their skills, and prove their value in a setting better aligned with their strengths.

Sumpter notes that job loss often fuels determination rather than defeat. When people view a setback as an opportunity to reset and recommit, they frequently emerge stronger, more confident, and better positioned for long-term success. Her perspective reinforces a central theme of the article: career missteps do not define potential, but the response to them often does.

By reframing professional rejection as a turning point rather than a failure, Sumpter's insights offer a compelling reminder that the right environment can unlock performance, resilience, and renewed purpose—on the field and in the workplace alike.

Read more here.