Sophie Lee’s Post

Getting ghosted by prospective clients isn’t fun, but you shouldn't take it personally. People get busy, plans change, priorities shift—most of the time, it’s not about us or the work we do. That said, ghosting is still unprofessional. Good business relies on clear, honest communication, and disappearing without a word can create confusion. Even a quick “no thanks” or an update goes a long way in keeping things respectful and maintaining trust. We’re all juggling a lot, but just staying communicative—even when things don’t pan out—shows respect and integrity. It’s a small gesture that makes a big difference.

Here are four common roadblocks you might face when trying to get someone to change their mind, to agree with you, or to act on your idea. Read more about how to navigate these. Roadblock #1: When someone resists your idea or view but doesn't tell you why. Roadblock #2: When you believe the other person is the problem (as opposed to your idea). Roadblock #3: When the conversation is too tense to be productive. Roadblock #4: When their response to your idea puts you in a bind.

Business lesson number 5678 million: It’s always personal! ⚡️ This aspect of running a business really affects me every time, even though I’ve been at it for 4.5 years now. Whenever there’s a conflict or an awkward conversation, it’s hard not to take it personally—after all, it is personal since it’s just me involved. I always try my best to view situations objectively, and I’m willing to admit when I’m wrong. I believe transparency is crucial, and I strive to be honest. More than anything, I dislike any negative feelings because I’m the kind of person who will toss and turn all night worrying. I never want to let anyone down, and as an empath, this combination makes it difficult for me to handle tough situations because I take them very personally. So what’s the answer? While you can’t change who you are, you can change the way you handle things. I’m constantly learning about this. How do you approach difficult situations? I’d love to hear from other business owners on this topic. #IndependentBusiness #LegalRecruiter

Rant: The Ghosting Game Why do MSP owners ask for a proposal and then vanish without a trace? We loathe this practice, yet paradoxically, many in our field continue to perpetuate it. Let’s be real—we’re all professionals here, capable of handling rejection. The real issue is not the rejection itself but the sheer disrespect of our time and effort. Imagine this: You invest hours crafting a detailed proposal, tailoring it to meet every specific need and request. You anticipate feedback and are ready to adjust and improve. Instead, what do you get? Silence—absolute, frustrating silence. It's not just about losing potential business; it's about the courtesy and professionalism that seem to be lacking. Let's break it down: Mutual Respect: We’re all running businesses. Just as MSPs value their clients' time and resources, suppliers and partners value theirs. Ignoring a proposal isn’t just a missed business opportunity; it’s a clear message of disregard. Simple Courtesy: A short email or a quick call to say, “We’ve decided to go another direction,” or “We’re not moving forward at this time,” can save everyone a lot of frustration. It’s basic professionalism and respect. Efficient Use of Time: Time is a precious resource in business. When MSP owners ghost suppliers, they’re not just wasting the supplier’s time; they’re also squandering the opportunity for future collaboration. Clear communication ensures that everyone’s time is spent productively. Building Relationships: The tech world is small, and reputations matter. Good relationships and clear communication can lead to future opportunities, even if the current proposal doesn’t work out. We’ve all been on both sides of this equation. We've felt the frustration of being ghosted, yet some still find themselves doing the same to others. It’s time to break the cycle. Let’s commit to a standard of respect and professionalism in all our interactions. So, MSP owners, next time you receive a proposal that doesn’t fit your needs, take a moment to communicate. It doesn’t take much – just a small email to share your status. It’s a simple gesture that can foster better relationships and a more respectful business environment for all.

I Fucked Up… This week, I made a BIG mistake. I was frustrated. Constantly putting out fires. The team was doing their best, but we were working with a broken system. In the heat of the moment, I let my frustration get the best of me. I ended up pushing the team to keep working on a process that was falling apart. And I saw the impact almost immediately: Confusion, frustration, and worse—people started doubting themselves. I was asking them to be perfect in a system that was anything but. ▶ Here’s what I learned from this fuck-up: • Clarity Is Key: If the process is broken, fix it before asking people to use it. • Pushing people to deliver when the tools don’t work is a recipe for disaster. • Empathy Over Efficiency: Pushing for results without considering the team’s morale is short-sighted. It’s okay to pause, reflect, and align before moving forward. • Communication Saves Time: I should’ve been clearer with Brian and Marco about waiting before tasking others. A few words could have saved hours of confusion and rework. ▶ My 3-Step Fix: • Pause & Reflect: Before reacting, take a moment to cool off. Check the system. Is it supporting the team or slowing them down? • Direct & Clear Instructions: Give concise and actionable guidance. Avoid vague requests that lead to ambiguity. • Fix the Process, Then Execute: Never ask your team to deliver within a broken framework. Fix the system, and the output will follow. Mistakes are inevitable. Learning from them is a choice. (Repost ♻️ to help your network. Follow Andrés Marquina Gonzalez for daily posts like this.)

We mostly ask ourselves the wrong question when faced with a challenge. Most of us ask "What do I need to DO about this? What actions do I need to take to fix this, solve this, make this better?" And it is the WRONG question (at least for the first question). The question that makes the MOST difference is "Who do I need to BE in this situation?" or better yet "Who do I NEVER get to be in this area of my life?" Once you have the answer to one of these questions and commit to BEING that way, what there is to DO shows up naturally. Being genuine is like that. We have learned to hide our true selves pretty often. Maybe most of the time. In a recent conversation, a colleague shared that they were stuck in a business relationship where things were not moving forward and they felt completely that they had no power to have it go any other way. They said that they didn't know what to do. Did you catch that? DO. So I asked those two questions above. They said that they never get to be at ease enough to be creative and I could hear the they were disempowered and off-center. So they committed to BEING creative and centered in their next call with that person EVEN THOUGH the circumstances had NOT changed. This just happened so I can't yet report the results of that conversation. What I can share is that the person I was speaking with left our call in a better state of mind to begin that conversation. I'll let you know when I hear back about how it went. This Wednesday at 1 pm ET, I'm offering a no-cost 60-minute Zoom webinar to talk about BEING TRULY GENUINE. I personally invite you to come find out for yourself what is possible when you are. Link to register to get the link in the comments.

🚨 Let’s Talk About Ghosting in Business. 🚨 You know the drill: You have a great conversation. The energy is high. Value is exchanged. The next steps are agreed upon. A follow-up meeting gets scheduled. And then... nothing. 🧙♂️ They vanish. No response. No reschedule. Just crickets. Here’s the thing: Ghosting is unprofessional. Period. We’re all busy. Life happens. Plans change. That’s fine. But it takes 30 seconds to send: 👉 “Hey, things have shifted. I need to reschedule.” 👉 “Right now isn’t the best time, but I appreciate the conversation.” Silence, on the other hand? That speaks volumes. It signals a lack of respect for someone else’s time and effort. In the business world, relationships are everything. You might not need that connection today—but trust me, you’ll wish you hadn’t burned the bridge tomorrow. 🔥 Professional courtesy is free, but it pays huge dividends. 🔥 If you’re reading this and thinking, “Oh no, I’ve done this…”—it’s not too late. Send that follow-up. People will respect your honesty. Let’s build a business culture where respect, follow-through, and clear communication are the norm—not the exception. What do YOU think? 👇 Have you been ghosted after a meeting? How do you handle it?

My least favorite word in business is… Escalation. As in, “we’ve received your issue & escalated it” or “please reference our escalation process if you haven’t heard back from us in 24 hours.” Translation: “We haven’t fixed the problem yet - but we are talking to a lot of people about it.” This phrase frustrates clients to no end. Because: 🚫 It offers no insight into what will actually address the concern. 🤦♀️ It reduces their confidence in your ability to address it. ⏰ It provides no actionable timeframe to issue resolution. When I work with companies who use this word often, it generally means we haven’t appropriately empowered our client facing teams to solve issues. The good news? It’s any easy fix. 🤝 Remove the word from your vocabulary. 👀 Offer appropriate insight into root cause analysis & the process for resolution. 💪 Assume ownership. No pointing fingers internally or at the client. 🧑🎓Personally understand & shepherd the issue through your internal processes on the client’s behalf. 🗣️ Communicate before the client asks for an update. When we handle problems instead of escalating them - issues can actually strengthen client relationships. What’s one word you wish we banned from our business conversations? #authenticleadership #emotionalintelligence #performancecoaching #entrepreneurs #culture #communication #process #escalation #annoyingwords #solvetheproblem ♻️ Share if this resonated with you. 👍 Follow A Life Curated for more. 📫 DM if you are obsessed with language.

If your pitches don’t create "cognitive ease," you may be blowing the deal. Here why: Behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman explains that when we are in a state of cognitive ease we tend to: - Believe what we hear - Become a bit less skeptical of the message - Feel like the current situation is comfortable and familiar In other words, you decrease resistance and mental barriers. Which increase your chances of getting your desired outcome, whether thats closing a new client or getting your boss to approve a new project. Want more powerful tips? Check out our playbook on getting your boss to say YES: https://hubs.ly/Q02-Wx5_0

Hey, besties. A request. If you're going to bring a small company into a pitch, can you.... like... tell them? I've had a few calls recently where someone's emailed me saying "OMG WE'D LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU LET'S HAVE A CALL" and I've prepped (obviously) and then on the call the first thing they've said is "we're seeing a few companies about this project before we make a decision." That's a pitch. You've enlisted someone into a pitch without telling them it's a pitch. That might be absolutely fine by them, but when it's a small business with limited resource and only a finite amount of hours in the day, you should be completely transparent with people up front. As far as I'm aware there's no rules about this, but I think it's just good manners, and shows respect for people's time. Maybe that's a controversial view, and you may disagree with me, but also managing expectations is a fabulous thing. Honesty is a fabulous thing, too.