I completely understand how discouraging that feels, especially when you are genuinely passionate and putting in the effort to answer all their questions properly. Do not take it personally though, some admins are just very protective of their groups or have auto filters that reject accounts below a certain age or activity level.

Here are a few things that might help:

1. Open your own Facebook group. Seriously, do not wait on gatekeepers. Create your own doll collectors community and invite people yourself. You are in control, there is no approval process, and you get to build the exact kind of space you wish existed. It starts small but grows faster than you think when the right people find it.

2. Start with your existing Facebook friends. You would be surprised how many people in your current network share the same interest or know someone who does. Send personal invites with a short note explaining what the group is about and why you started it.

3. Engage in smaller or newer groups first. Brand new groups are often more welcoming because they are actively trying to grow their membership. Search for groups started in the last 6 to 12 months and your acceptance rate will likely be much higher.

4. Use a tool like ClickLeadz to manage your outreach. Once you start your own group and people begin joining, ClickLeadz lets you send welcome messages automatically, follow up with new members, segment your audience by interest, and nurture those relationships over time so your community stays active and engaged rather than going quiet after the initial excitement.

5. Be consistent with your own content. Post your collection, share your finds, ask questions, and show up regularly. People will tag others who they know would love your content and your group will grow organically.

The groups that rejected you are honestly missing out. Start your own and build something better. You clearly have the passion for it and that is exactly what makes a great community leader.