The internet is a powerful platform for entrepreneurs and small businesses to grow, connect, and thrive. It offers endless opportunities to build your brand, reach a wider audience, and share your unique perspective.
Unfortunately as you build your digital presence, you also open yourself up to many unsupportive critics or toxic people who aim to undermine your efforts. In this post I'll share how to protect your inner peace, and your brand, on the digital battlefield.
Have an online hater? Congratulations! It likely means you've 'made it'!
Online Energy Predators & Parasites
Behind the glowing screens, "lost souls" lurk—those who live to troll, bully, complain, and criticize. They attempt to steal your light because they have none of their own. These toxic, misguided individuals take many forms, but their goal is the same: to drain your energy, disrupt your peace, steal your light, stir up chaos, and sabotage the positive momentum you've worked so hard to build.
Some of the most common types of online disruptors include:
Trolls
Cyberbullies
Flamers
Shamers
Spammers
Keyboard Warriors
Misinformers
Fake Accounts & Bots
Whether anonymous or not, each of these types contributes to the toxicity of online spaces, and they have little to no accountability for their actions. Recognizing their behaviors can help you navigate digital interactions wisely, protect your emotional well-being, and safeguard your business from unnecessary negativity.
These hostile, combative individuals intentionally provoke and upset others by:
Posting inflammatory remarks, off-topic comments, or spam
Engaging in targeted harassment, threats, and personal attacks
Using offensive or inappropriate language
Fueling aggressive arguments, public humiliation, and belittling others
Spreading false information, rumors, and smear campaigns
Engaging in hate speech and divisive rhetoric
Why do they do it? Trust me, it's rarely about you. It's about their own insecurity and misery.
To provoke reactions and cause conflict for their own entertainment
To harm reputations and emotional well-being
To create confusion, mistrust, and hostility
To tear others down rather than offer constructive criticism
To exhaust activists and derail discussions.
"It is usually futile to try to talk facts and analysis to people who are enjoying a sense of moral superiority in their ignorance.”
Thomas Sowell
A Word of Caution
Engaging in rational debate with close-minded individuals may be tempting but it is often futile.
When people feel knowledgeable despite being uninformed, they are unlikely to be receptive to logic or truth. Their internal bias, their ego, their sense of righteousness and emotional investment in their beliefs can make them resistant to new information, no matter how well-reasoned or evidence-based it may be.
Don't waste your time trying to engage in meaningful discussion or discourse with individuals who are more interested in clinging to their own beliefs and affirming their own stance rather than in finding common ground or mutual understanding.
In a similar vein, engaging in debate with hateful individuals is also ineffective.
Why? Because Hate Is Not Logical. It is rooted in power, fear, and emotion, not reason. For many supremacists, their sense of superiority is core to their identify and self-perception, making challenges feel like personal attacks.
Thanks to deeply entrenched cognitive dissonance and biases, confronting hateful individuals with facts often leads to defensiveness and deeper entrenchment rather than transformation, change or learning.
Hateful beliefs are shaped by one's conditioning, relationships and emotional experiences, which will always overpower logic. It's best to wish those those types of people the best on their journey, and separate yourself from them as much as possible.
Reminder: You can’t educate, enlighten or elucidate someone who is resistant to believing or knowing truth. They must be relegated to an island, of their own making. Meanwhile the rest of us will continue on our journey of hope and building the world we want to live in.
Strategies to Protect Yourself & Your Brand
1. Establish a Clear Code of Conduct
Before issues arise, set the tone for your digital space by establishing clear guidelines for engagement. Post a code of conduct on your website and social media platforms detailing what behaviors are acceptable and what will not be tolerated. Having these policies in place demonstrates your commitment to maintaining a respectful online environment and gives you a firm foundation to moderate interactions.
Pro Tip: Pin your engagement guidelines to the top of your social media pages to ensure they’re easily visible.
My channel, my feed, my rules. I have a zero-tolerance policy for negativity or spam in this space, so I will do whatever I need to protect my brand and my peace.
If you like what I say- like, comment or share it. If you don't, please keep it to yourself and keep scrolling.
Behaviors I don't accept on this page: hateful, aggressive or discriminatory comments, sales pitching, or shameless self-promotion
If you say something I don't like, I reserve the right to remove the comment and block you.
If you follow or engage with my content but don't have a reputable, trustworthy online presence (ie photos, bio, followers or posts) then I assume you're a bot or troll and automatically block your account.
In my real life, and my digital life, I do not associate with TRASH (Transphobia, Racism, Ableism, Sexism or Homophobia)
2. Transparency & Accountability
Similar to a code of conduct, a disclaimer is valuable because it sets clear expectations, ensuring your audience understands your perspective and boundaries. It serves as a safeguard to prevent misinterpretations around your role and responsibilities, ultimately making it easier for others to engage (or not).
Examples:
"I am a learner, not an expert. The thoughts and ideas I share are based on my own journey of exploration and understanding. These invitations and suggestions are meant to encourage reflection and dialogue, not definitive answers or prescriptions. Please approach the info I share with curiosity and adapt any insights to fit your unique experiences and circumstances. Trust your own intuition and, when needed, seek guidance from trusted experts or professionals."
"By making visiting or making a purchase from this website, you acknowledge and agree that I assume no liability for how this information is used or misused. The information provided here is not a substitute for medical care, nor is it intended as medical advice or as a claim to cure or treat any condition. Any concerns about your mental or physical health should be addressed with a licensed healthcare provider. Refunds are not available once services have been rendered."
Don’t Feed the Trolls
Trolls thrive on attention. One of the most effective ways to disarm them is by not engaging. Avoid responding to inflammatory comments or messages, as doing so often escalates the situation.
Of course, hate and criticism stings. While it’s tempting to clap back, most of the time it won't actually change anything, and in fact may even escalate them. They're not likely to suddenly apologize and become your biggest fan, so it's best to take a deep breath and step away from the keyboard.
The energy you waste worrying about others' opinions could be used to build, grow, and shine brighter. The need to be liked, or to be right keeps you small, and shrinking helps no one. So instead of defending or debating the haters or critics, focus on continuing to educate and empower those who are willing to listen. Keep advocating for policy change, and amplifying the voices of marginalized groups.
Pro Tip: Craft the perfect comeback… then don't send it. Either keep the response to yourself, or use it as future content or a "teachable moment" for your real audience who actually matters.
When it comes to online hate, silence is often the best policy. Your time and energy is always better spent building, not battling.
4. Monitor Your Online Reputation
Stay aware of what’s being said about your business online. Set up Google Alerts for your business name and monitor mentions on your social profiles. By staying aware, you can address potential issues before they escalate.
Pro Tip: Respond professionally to genuine feedback or constructive criticism, but avoid getting drawn into unnecessary debates.
“Don’t let people pull you into their storm. Pull them into your peace.”
Kimberly Jones
5. Have a Crisis Response Plan
Prepare for worst-case scenarios by creating a crisis response plan. Outline how you’ll handle online harassment, defamatory reviews, or fake accounts impersonating your business. A clear plan ensures you can act quickly and confidently when needed.
Pro Tip: If the bullying escalates to defamation, stalking, or threats, it may be time to consult a legal professional to help you understand your rights and take appropriate action. Document all incidents, including screenshots, timestamps, and links, to build a strong case if needed.
Maturity is knowing when to engage, when to walk away, and when to laugh about it later.
6. Leverage Platform Tools
Most social media platforms have built-in tools to help you manage unwanted interactions. . Use tools like muting, blocking, filtering, flagging or reporting to moderate or minimize their impact and take away their "microphone"
Pro Tip: Regularly review your privacy and security settings to ensure you're using all available protections.
Don't be afraid to speak up. Remember, the fear of getting negative comments is so much worse than the reality. Your mind will conjure up scenarios, but time and practice will usually show that you are stronger than you think.
7. Focus on Your Loyal Audience
For every troll, there are likely dozens of fans and supporters who sincerely appreciate your work. There are people who genuinely want the best for you: those who will cheer you on, uplift you, push you towards your highest potential. Focus on THEM. Share your truth and stories authentically, let your values shine through, and keep working to build genuine relationships.
Pro Tip: Encourage happy customers to leave positive reviews and testimonials to counterbalance negative comments.
"Happiness is the feeling of contribution.The courage to be happy also includes the courage to be disliked."
Ichiro Kishmi and Fumitake Koga
8. Prioritize Self-Care
Dealing with online bullying can take a toll on your mental health. Set boundaries around your screen time, turn off notifications outside of work hours, take extended breaks when needed, and remind yourself of your purpose and accomplishments.
Pro Tip: Social media often lacks a balanced energy exchange, often taking from creators more than it gives. As such, sometimes leaving social media altogether is the best way to reclaim your energy and align with what truly serves you. Stepping away to other channels or in-person systems, allows for greater authenticity, deeper connection, creativity, and growth in spaces that feel more fulfilling, free from the algorithms that prioritize trends over truth, profit over people.
"Sometimes leaving is an act of love. A love for your time, your energy, and your soul's deep knowing of what truly matters."
Maia Toll
Bite Back
While not always the best course of action, sometimes a quick, witty comeback is exactly what is needed to disarm an online bully, shift the power dynamic without getting into in a pointless argument. Get the last word in and leave them squirming, without draining your valuable energy.
For those who are mean for no reason other than to get a reaction out of you: face their energy head-on and send it back to them with simply: "How did that feel?"
Other effective comebacks:
"A fact is information without emotion. An opinion is information shaped by experience. Ignorance is an opinion formed without knowledge. Stupidity is an opinion that rejects facts."
“This is not an airport. You don’t need to announce your departure.”
"I hope you're proud of your disappointing behavior"
"Once a troll always a troll, amiright?"
"Oh no, a stranger on the internet doesn’t like me/agree with me. However will I recover?"
"Your dedication to misunderstanding me is not worth my energy at this time"
"Please hold while I file this under 'things that don’t matter.'"
"I'm going to need a moment to process the sheer irrelevance of this comment."
"That was a fascinating attempt. Can you try supporting your arguments with facts next time?"
"I have no time for your bullshit"
"You're proving my point better than I ever could."
"Be careful, your bitterness is showing."
"Bold assumption of you to think that I care what you think?
"Sending you love, and a more fulfilling hobby."
"Your projection is showing"
"To F Around is human, to Find Out is divine"
"You had a 400 year head start and all you have to show for it is mediocrity"
"Behold my field of f*cks and see that it is barren"
"Why would I care to be liked by a terrible person with bad taste?"
"I hope you heal from whatever made you like this."
"I miss the old days when men would go to war and die."
"My mom told me to never argue with someone whose TV was bigger than their bookshelf."
Trust your instinct, protect your energy, and don’t be afraid to say no or walk away. When you stand firm in your authenticity and value, the right people will find you, and you will thrive where you're truly meant to.
Know Your Worth
Beware of the silent lurkers who try to manipulate you into doing unpaid labor.
The “Let’s grab coffee, “I’d love to hear about what you do!” types are often enemies disguised as fans - here to siphon your energy instead of offer genuine connection or idea exchange.
A seemingly innocent invite can quickly turn into free business consultation, draining your knowledge and energy without any reciprocity or mutual benefit. The best energy exchanges are fair and even, not one-sided backdoors or loopholes for free access.
Remember, your energy and expertise are valuable because you've spent years of time and money refining them.
Your best approach:
Want to "pick my brain"? Book a session.
Want to "learn my process"? Invest in my work.
Want to "collaborate"? Bring the same energy you expect from me.
"Always consider the source of feedback. Never accept criticism from someone you wouldn't go to for advice."
The Courage to Be Disliked
In life and work, you will inevitably encounter critics, haters and naysayers and that's ok - not everyone will like you. The key is to make sure their presence doesn't overshadow those who actually matter.
True freedom comes from living authentically, without seeking constant approval or praise. The fear of being disliked can stifle creativity, self-expression, and personal growth, keeping us trapped in the need for external validation or positive feedback. Emotional liberation begins when we accept that not everyone will understand or accept us—and THAT'S 100% OK.
Overcoming a toxic people pleasing habit requires maturity, emotional awareness and a willingness to rewrite our narratives, free from past wounds.
Anyone can comment on your ideas or work - but only YOU can decide if that comment is helpful or not. Learn how to rise above the noise and ignore the opinions of others
Filter Feedback: If it’s false or cruel, let it roll off like water on a duck's back.
Know the Source: Hurtful words reflect their owners, not the receivers.
Guard Your Energy: Ask: Will this matter in a year? If not, LET IT GO.
Affirm: What they hate in me is what's missing in them. I have everything I need, and nothing to prove.
Wrapping it Up
Building a digital presence as an entrepreneur is an exciting journey, but it comes with its challenges. By taking proactive steps to protect yourself and your brand, you can maintain your focus, uphold your values, and continue building a positive and impactful business.
Keep in mind, you are not alone. We all go through this. And remember, each challenge you face as a public figure or community leader helps build your resilience and strengthens your ability to create meaningful change. Keep doing your best work. Your voice, your gifts, your contributions - all of it matters!
The more you step into your power, the more people will try to dim your light. But your soul doesn't care about approval, it cares about authenticity and alignment. And your sacred inner flame doesn't care about likes or engagement. It cares about continuously burning bright.
Whatever happens- keep going, keep creating, keep working.
They hate ... You work.
They criticize... You work.
They judge ... You work.
They copy ... You work.
They sabotage... You work.
They ridicule ... You work.
They laugh ... You work.
They plot ... You work.
In good and bad, in sickness and in health, in favorable & unfavorable times ... YOU WORK.
Erin Ratliff is a holistic, organic growth + visibility business coach and consultant serving energy-sensitive soul-preneurs, heart-led self-starters with the mission of personal and planetary healing.
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