Have you ever poured your heart into a post about social justice … and been met with silence?
No comments.
No likes.
Maybe even a quiet unfollow.
And in that silence, brings forth a creeping question:
Does anything I share even matter?
You’re not alone in that feeling (trust me, I’ve worked with many business owners who have experienced this too).
For justice-driven business owners, especially in times of global grief and crisis, showing up online can feel like screaming into the abyss while the world burns around you. It can feel hollow. Futile. Even a bit pointless.
But as a Business, Inclusion, Allyship, and Activism Coach, I want to offer another lens.
Because what you’re doing?… It’s not nothing.
Why Your Posts Feel Like They’re Not Landing
You’ve tried. You’ve posted. You’ve named the injustice happening around the world. You’ve woven justice into your newsletters, your offerings, your conversations with clients…
And still – the echo. The silence. The awkward replies (if any at all).
It’s enough to make you wonder if you’re wasting your time.
But here are truths you need to hear:
- Algorithms weren’t built for justice. They reward comfort and controversy – not nuance, not grief, not slow or gentle social justice truths.
- Echo chambers are real. If your audience is already aligned, they may nod quietly instead of engaging. If they’re not yet ready, they may scroll past or back away.
- Fear silences people. Your fear and theirs. You might be softening your truth to avoid pushback or conflict. They might be watching silently, unsure how to engage, afraid to agree to something they may not be able to do themselves.
This isn’t a sign that your message isn’t landing. It’s a sign that you’re saying something real, and real things take time to root. Especially if you’ve never spoken up about injustice before.
There’s an adjustment period.
Reframing Impact
As business owners, we’ve been conditioned to measure impact through metrics: likes, shares, and sales.
But justice work doesn’t work like that.
What if your post didn’t “flop” … it planted a seed?
What if it quietly shifted someone’s worldview, even if they didn’t comment?
What if it gave someone the language they didn’t know they needed?
What if it let someone exhale and feel seen?
Your words may never get recognition. You may never know the real-life impacts your allied words and actions have… That’s not the point of allyship.
But they might start a conversation at someone’s kitchen table.
They might make one client feel a little safer in your space.
They might open a door in someone’s mind that was previously locked shut.
That’s impact. And that’s how movements begin.
Let me offer you a new success metric:
Did this spark one real moment of truth? One conversation? One deeper breath?
Now, you may not be able to answer these questions, unless someone tells you directly, so even better metrics are:
Did I speak my truth?
Were my words and actions aligned with my values?
Was I authentic and true to myself?
Am I showing up to create the kind of world I really want?
A yes to any of these? That’s your sign to keep going.
Tips for Staying Energised
You’re not a content machine. You’re a human.
A human carrying grief, rage, confusion, and care, while running a business. While raising kids. While trying to pay rent or a mortgage.
So here’s what might help:
1- Reconnect to your justice-aligned why
Why do you keep showing up? Because you can’t not. Because it’s not a brand, it’s who you are. You’re not trying to perform integrity… you’re living it!
Let that anchor you when the silence creeps in.
2- Connect with a community or support network
You don’t have to figure this out alone, and you were never meant to.
Find spaces where you can speak honestly, where your truth isn’t too much. Where you’re encouraged to act with intention, not perfection.
The right community won’t let you sit in silence. They’ll walk beside you as you learn, try, stumble, and keep going.
They’ll remind you that impact isn’t created in isolation; it’s created in action and supported by community & connection.
Let yourself be supported. Let yourself be challenged. Let yourself be part of something bigger than your fear.
3- Redefine action
Action doesn’t have to be big to be meaningful. A resource shared. A story told. A boundary held. A truth named. It all counts.
Sometimes the most revolutionary thing you can do…
is tell one honest story and let it be.
You’re Not Shouting Into the Void. You’re Speaking Into the Future.
I know it can feel like you’re speaking and no one is listening.
But someone is.
Maybe not with a like.
Maybe not out loud.
But your words are doing their work.
They’re threading themselves into the hearts of those who need them most.
And if you keep speaking-truthfully, and in your way, those threads will start to swell in momentum.
You’re not shouting into the void.
You’re speaking into the future.
And it is listening.
Even now.
From Shouting Into the Void to Creating Real Impact
So many business owners are trying to use their platforms to speak out against injustice…
But the fear is real:
➤ What if I get it wrong?
➤ What if it’s performative?
➤ What if no one’s listening anyway?
You want your words – and your business – to make a difference.
You want to be an actual ally, not just say the right things online.
You want your clients and community to feel your values in action – not just in hashtags.
That’s what the Inclusion Creators Collective is for.
The ICC is a membership space for business owners who care deeply about inclusion, equity, and allyship… and want to do something about it in real, tangible, and ethical ways through their business.
Inside, we don’t chase trends or post just to be seen.
I help you build the skills, awareness, and confidence to speak up with clarity, back it with action, and build businesses that are actually safe for marginalised communities.
In the Inclusion Creators Collective, I support socially conscious business leaders to:
- Unpack their unconscious bias
- Speak up more effectively
- Create content and offers that reduce harm
- Address their privilege and harness it for meaningful allyship
And we do it in community. With guidance. Without shame or guilt.
If you’re tired of shouting into the void and want to become a better ally – not just online but in your whole business – ICC was made for you.
Because performative allyship and silent compliance aren’t YOU.
And you don’t have to figure this out alone.
Book a clarity call to find out if ICC is the right space to support your next steps. Let’s explore it together.
Click HERE to book your call.
If you found this blog helpful, please feel free to share it with your business friends.
**TIME SENSITIVE SIDENOTE: Right now, I’m running a free webinar on 27th August 2025 called How to Write Allyship Posts That Help… Not Harm. You’re invited to attend. Click here to save your spot.**
Until next time, keep showing up and speaking up.
Louise O’Reilly is a social impact business coach helping values-led entrepreneurs grow businesses that honour inclusion, justice, and positive change.