Ghosting Isn’t Just for Tinder Anymore

Even if you haven’t dated anytime recently, you are probably familiar with the phrase, “ghosting.” In fact, it doesn’t feel that long ago that I was navigating the minefield that is modern dating when I would measure the length of a relationship and weigh its emotional seriousness to determine if ghosting was appropriate (side note: it never is, but I understand its appeal because who wants to deal with confronting someone if they can avoid it?). 

Now that I’m happily married, I haven’t thought of ghosting, and its repercussions, in years. 

And then 2025 started. 

While dating can sometimes be cut and dry (he was rude to the server or she spent the entire time complaining about her ex), business partnerships are more complex. Especially if you have some history with the person. While people might complain that this is a weakness of a certain generation, I can say with complete certainty, it’s not. Because if you are someone who defaults to, Difficult conversations make me feel icky then you’re going to avoid them at all costs.

Because who wants to grow and mature, right?

This past month marked two years of a relatively successful relationship with said client. Within one week, they stopped responding to emails, they skipped a payment and - finally - they didn’t show up to a meeting that we had on the schedule. It was the same meeting day and time we had had for the last two years. Per university rules, I waited ten minutes. And the longer I stared at the blank screen the more my Sicilian inner voice grew louder: Don’t tell me this mother f--- 

And so on and so forth. 

Within the hour, my creative manager shared a screenshot of a “new user” on the client’s account that we were still managing - a marketing email tied to another agency. So they had started a new relationship without officially ending their current one. But it wasn’t that the new relationship was what was bothering me (similar to when your toxic ex finds a new person and all you can think is, Girl, good luck.). It was the fact that they didn’t have the decency to let us know. 

Clients move on for a variety of reasons. And there are rarely hard feelings. Because that’s business. But when there isn’t even the opportunity of, Let’s part ways amicably, it ignites the same feelings that anyone who has been ghosted in a relationship feels: disrespected and (if you’re Sicilian like me) angry. 

I’ve heard from fellow business owners that “ghosting” has not been all that uncommon in their worlds either. Whether it’s a contractor who won’t complete a project, a colleague who simply stops showing up to work, or even a potential employee who vanishes mid interview-process. Which has me begging the question, “How do you think this looks for your reputation?” 

Perhaps some people don’t think that far ahead. 

My husband, the ever clear-headed one in our marriage, reminded me that no matter what I did or didn’t do, it was only a matter of time before this client would find a reason to leave like this - because that’s just who they are. And he’s right. People who can’t handle difficult conversations are going to forever be running. 

When I was once ghosted during a dating experience in 2020, I remember adding the characteristic, “must have integrity,” to my list of deal-breakers when dating in the future. Do what you say will. Do the right thing. Be kind especially when it’s easy to be unkind. Lo and behold, I met my husband not long after - a person with more integrity than anyone I know. 

I suppose that means the next, perfect client is waiting for us. And if entrepreneurship has taught me anything, it’s that they’re looking for us too.