Day 60: At What Point Does Ignoring One Shareholder Become a Corporate Strategy?

Day 60.

Yes, I marked the occasion with some spectacular signage. If we're going to reach a milestone this ridiculous, it deserves appropriate recognition.

But underneath the humor, I'm genuinely wondering:

Where is Jacob Chavis?

Today, Nextdoor published a LinkedIn post featuring content from Groundworks:

The Hidden Cost of "I'll Deal With It Later"

🔗 Read the post/article:

https://www.groundworks.com/resources/the-hidden-cost-of-ill-deal-with-it-later/

The irony of that title isn't lost on me.

The article, credited to Leah Leitow as Content Writer, focuses on the costs homeowners can face when they postpone addressing problems.

"I'll deal with it later."

Really?

Because I've been asking Nextdoor to deal with something for 60 days.

What caught my attention is that this type of business-oriented content feels like exactly the kind of material where, historically, I might have expected to see research, insights, or someone such as Jacob Chavis referenced.

Instead, nothing.

I've previously noted that I haven't seen a new Nextdoor Insights post since July 6.

I haven't received the study.

I haven't received an email from Jacob.

And now we're at Day 60.

Maybe these things are completely unrelated.

Maybe Jacob is working on something entirely different.

Maybe Nextdoor reorganized responsibilities.

Maybe the company's research strategy changed.

I don't know—and that's precisely the point.

Nextdoor could clear up 60 days of speculation with a remarkably simple act:

Communicate.

Which leads me to a question that I find almost absurd to ask:

Can one individual shareholder with a relatively small position really create this much reluctance to engage at a multimillion-dollar public company?

I don't believe I have that kind of power.

So why does it feel like engaging with me has become harder than simply answering the original question?

I'm not asking for a board seat.

I'm not asking to approve the quarterly earnings.

I'm not asking Nirav Tolia to hand me the keys to headquarters.

I asked for a study.

If the answer is no, say no.

If it can't be distributed, please let me know.

If the study no longer exists, explain that.

If Jacob's responsibilities have changed, say so.

Sixty days later, the unanswered request has become far more interesting to me than the document itself.

And perhaps today's Groundworks headline provides the best leadership lesson of this entire experience:

There can be a hidden cost to "I'll deal with it later."

The longer an organization avoids a small issue, the greater the chance that the response—or lack of one—becomes the bigger story.

So, Nextdoor:

It's Day 60. Who wants to spill the tea? ☕

Join the discussion at NielFlamm.com/blog.

Leave some feedback. What is your perspective?