[adastra]

I would put it this way. They're not responding to your ideas, they are responding to you.

A thought experiment: imagine Larry Page, or Jeff Bezos, or Elon Musk is sitting across from one of these people, selling your same idea. The exact same idea, with the same words. Do you think they would respond with that quick reactionary criticism? Of course not.

I suspect you've failed to communicate first something that is much more important than the idea: why you are impressive. i.e. why it is that they should even be listening to you. You probably just figure you're being humble, when really you should spend more time talking yourself up (not in a douchey way) before talking about your idea.

[r0s]

I think you nailed it. I definitely under-sell my own value and abilities, I need to work on that.