Is Ghosting the New Normal Even for Business?

Responsiveness isn’t just polite—it’s profitable.

I used to think ghosting was a dating app thing. But lately, I’m seeing it everywhere in business.

In the past couple of months, I’ve had five vendors or consultants go completely silent—people I was ready to pay, at the rate they proposed. Smart people, solid pitches… and then radio silence after a few basic follow-up questions.

And that’s what gets me. They’re not losing deals because of talent—it’s because of a lack of responsiveness, which might be the most underrated business skill today.

Am I just old school? 🙂 Is this a generational thing? Or are people simply less hungry for business?

To fellow entrepreneurs—especially those early in the journey—I’ll say this:

Responsiveness:

• Builds trust before money changes hands
• Isn’t about personality—it’s a habit you train and a muscle you build
• Helps you stand out and win more deals

I get it. Life gets busy. We’ve all got a lot going on. But if a prospect has to chase you, it’s already too late.

That’s why it stood out when a vendor recently emailed to apologize for delays. They owned the issue, explained what went wrong, and shared how they were fixing it. Professional. Human. Rare.

(And yes, I’ll share that vendor’s email—redacted for privacy—because it’s a great example of taking ownership the right way.)