When Silence Speaks Volumes and Well Known Disabled Entrepreneurs Ignore You

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Understanding the Silence from Those Who Claim to Stand for Visibility and Respect. The Hidden Truth About Disabled Entrepreneurs Who Ignore You

Disabled entrepreneurs often speak of empowerment, community, and visibility. Many positions themselves as champions for inclusion and mental health awareness. But what happens when these very individuals, your LinkedIn connections, your supposed allies, ignore your messages, dismiss your contributions, and ghost your professional outreach without so much as an acknowledgment?

For someone living with a disability, especially in a world where communication and acknowledgment are everything, this behaviour can be devastating. It doesn’t just bruise your ego; it can chip away at your self-worth, mental health, and sense of belonging.

The Reality Behind the Limelight

Some disabled entrepreneurs love the spotlight. They thrive on media attention, conference panels, and social media validation. They proudly display their achievements and advocate for respect, but only when it suits them. Their public persona becomes performative rather than authentic. The difference between a genuine person and a person who ignores you is that the genuine person has empathy and cares about mental health.

When they ignore those who reach out sincerely, especially fellow disabled entrepreneurs, it sends a damaging message: “You don’t matter unless you elevate my status or benefit me.”

This selective visibility contradicts the very values they claim to promote. It reveals a deeper issue: performative advocacy that excludes genuine connection and mutual respect.

The Impact on Mental Health

Being blanked, especially by someone who shares your lived experience, can feel like betrayal. For disabled individuals already navigating a world of systemic barriers, that lack of acknowledgment becomes another layer of rejection. The silence triggers thoughts like:

• “Am I not good enough?”
• “Why do I bother trying to build a community?”
• “Why are they happy to take but never give back?”

This behaviour can fuel anxiety, depression, and imposter syndrome—feelings that disabled entrepreneurs already battle more frequently than their able-bodied peers.

Demanding Clients with No Boundaries

Then there are the clients, often also disabled, who expect immediate results without outlining any clear deadlines or giving consideration to your limitations. These clients expect you to drop everything and cater to their needs, yet they rarely offer the same courtesy in return.

It becomes a one-sided relationship built on pressure, guilt, and unrealistic expectations. And when you finally do respond, despite your workload, health, or emotional exhaustion, they show no appreciation for your effort or time.

This behaviour speaks volumes, not just about professionalism, but about respect and empathy.

What This Says About Them

Actions, or the lack thereof, speak louder than credentials or curated online personas. When disabled entrepreneurs:

• Ignore fellow advocates
• Ghost messages from first-degree connections
• Only engage when there’s something in it for them
• Demand support without offering it in return

It reflects more about their character than their disability. It exposes a lack of integrity, community spirit, and emotional intelligence.

Respect is not only earned through visibility, but it is also maintained through consistency, humility, and mutual acknowledgment.

Solutions: Reclaiming Your Power and Peace

1. Set Boundaries with Yourself
   • If someone has ignored you more than twice, stop chasing them. They’ve shown you where they stand. Let their silence speak for them.
2. Don’t Take It Personally
   • Their lack of response is a reflection of their own values or priorities, not your worth.
3. Curate Your Network
   • Unfollow or remove connections that don’t align with your values. Build a community that supports, uplifts, and reciprocates.
4. Use Delays as Teaching Moments
   • For clients with no deadlines, ask upfront: “When do you need this by?”
     If they don’t answer, deliver on your own schedule, without guilt.
5. Speak Your Truth
   • Write, publish, and share your experiences. Shine a light on these dynamics so others don’t feel alone in their frustrations.
6. Reward the Respectful Ones
   • Give your time and energy to those who value and respect it. Let others fall away without remorse.

Conclusion: Not All Advocates Are Allies

True advocacy starts behind closed doors, in inboxes, in acknowledgments, in simple kindness. Disabled entrepreneurs who ignore others are not leaders. They are opportunists.

I recently sent out a survey invitation on behalf of two respected universities to a select group of top-recognised disabled entrepreneurs within the disability community on LinkedIn, people I thought were both influential and supportive. To my disappointment, only one person responded, while the rest chose to ignore the message completely. These are the same individuals who regularly see my comments to their posts, yet they didn’t have the decency to send even a one-line reply like “I’m busy” or “Not interested.” Instead, I was met with silence. As someone who battles mental health issues daily, this experience has left me questioning not just my own efforts but also the sincerity of those who claim to champion disability rights. Do they really care? Do they truly understand the weight of mental health struggles, especially when they can’t offer a basic courtesy of acknowledgment?

I believe you deserve to be heard, valued, and respected, not just by society, but by those who claim to stand beside you in the fight for inclusion. And if they can’t offer that basic human courtesy, then perhaps it’s time to question what kind of advocate they truly are.