Why Business Owners Should RARELY Reveal Their Plans, Goals, or Dreams—Unless It’s Strategic
(Updated for 2025 with AI, automation, and the creator economy in mind)
In today’s hyper-connected world, where AI tools and social media amplify every whisper, the old advice still holds: don’t spill your business plans, goals, or dreams unless the person hearing them can actually help you move forward. Oversharing can invite doubt, sabotage, or simply drown your vision in noise.
Back in 2015, I wrote about how our need for approval—especially within Black communities—can derail dreams before they even get off the ground. That’s even more true now. People tend to project their own fears and limitations onto others. If you’re a Black entrepreneur or creator aiming to break into AI-driven industries, digital content creation, or automated e-commerce, you’ll find that skepticism often comes from those who don’t understand the new landscape. They might laugh or dismiss your vision, causing you to second-guess yourself.
Here’s the kicker: people can’t see what they don’t believe in for themselves. If you announce your goal to build a cutting-edge AI startup or launch a creator brand powered by automation, and your circle doesn’t get it, their doubt can become your prison. Instead, quietly build your foundation, learn the tech, test your ideas, and let your success do the talking.
The modern business world demands a new kind of stealth. With AI tools accelerating innovation and automation reshaping workflows, your competitive edge lies in execution, not exposition. Sharing your plans prematurely risks idea theft, premature judgment, or attracting “energy vampires” who drain your momentum.
That’s not to say you should isolate yourself. The key is to strategically share your vision only with those who bring value—mentors, collaborators, investors, or peers who have the expertise and resources to help you navigate risks like cyber threats, market shifts, or regulatory hurdles. These are the folks who can help you anticipate and mitigate the everyday disasters that derail startups, from data breaches to supply chain disruptions.
Remember my cousin’s wisdom: “Everybody loves a winner.” People want to associate with success, but they don’t always want to support the grind behind it. If you keep your goals under wraps until you have traction, you’ll avoid the “crabs in the barrel” syndrome—where negativity and jealousy pull you down.
In 2025, with the creator economy booming and AI tools democratizing business, your best bet is to build quietly, automate smartly, and reveal selectively. Protect your ideas like intellectual property, use AI to prototype and iterate faster, and cultivate a circle that fuels your growth rather than saps your confidence.
So if you’re dreaming big—whether it’s launching an AI-powered app, scaling a digital brand, or automating your service business—keep your plans close and your execution closer. Let your results be the loudest announcement.
Kevin "KevRoss" Ross is a music and radio industry expert. He is a 20 -plus year entrepreneur with the leading most successful industry trade publication and site Radio Facts (www.radiofacts.com). He has also published various books, magazines, performed marketing and promotions for major corporations and recording artists and he is on the advisory board of several industry organizations. This year Ross introduced his non profit organization LOMARI (Leaders of the Music and Recording Industry) to help teach young minority students how to market and manage their music and products.
