How big does a big contract need to be?

Today, I had my first experience as a small fry trying to pitch to a big organization.

Background, I had a project land on my lap. This project is small, about 40 K a year for 2 years, and the best part was that everything had been set-up for the client, so the client need not do anything further (well not that much anyways as I had done all the hard work)

Today I had a meeting with the senior management to seek their view, and I was frankly disappointing by what was said: We're not going to do it because its peanuts. If it's 40 million, then it's worth doing.

I was pretty hurt by that high and mighty comment, because I have done this project on a pro-bono basis, looking to build quanxi with this organization. Instead I was asked to go suck eggs.

For the first time, I finally felt how countless of start-ups felt like when they approach big organizations to buy their product etc etc, and I got to thinking, surely this is NOT the way.

But instead of seeking revenge (which I could easily), I think it' best to move on and look for like-minded people to work with