The Quiet Flex: How You Can Protect Your Privacy While Positioning Yourself as an Expert

There’s this interesting dance that many millennial and Gen-x women entrepreneurs learned to master.

A quiet shuffle between celebration and silence. A calculated pause before hitting “post.” A tug-of-war between “I’m proud of this” and “but what will they think?”

And I get it.

We’re told to show receipts, but not too many. To “be transparent,” but don’t make anybody uncomfortable. To be an example, but never a target.

So what happens when success finds you? When the overflow you prayed for finally arrives? When the sacrifice starts to pay off?

Do you go loud? Do you go low? Do you hide the very story that could spark someone else’s shift?

Here’s a truth social media hides: You don’t have to expose every dollar or every detail to share the beauty of your testimony. You don’t have to trade in your boundaries for a branding opportunity. There is a way to be powerful and private at the same time.

Here’s how.

Share the Transformation, Not the Transaction

Let’s be honest: most people don’t really care about your revenue. They care about your reasons. Your relief. Your rebirth. So instead of saying “I finally hit $200K this year,” say:

• “I finally broke the cycle of over-delivering and undercharging.”
• “I walked away from work that wasn’t aligned and still saw increase.”
• “This was the first year I didn’t hustle myself into burnout.”

Your peace is proof. Your increased visibility is the testimony.

Speak to Values, Not Vanity

One of the most beautiful things about abundance is the freedom it brings. You don’t need to itemize your income—just tell us what it’s made possible:

• “I take Fridays off and still meet my goals.”
• “My kids see me more now that I’m the boss.”
• “I hire Black women. I pay them well.”

Let your wins be measured by meaning, not just money.

Use Language That Protects and Connects

You can absolutely tell your story with style and discretion—especially in an interview setting.:

• “I hit a milestone that once felt impossible.”
• “I replaced my 9-5 salary with something that honors me more.”
• “Let’s just say the numbers are finally catching up to the vision.”

If it sounds like a brag and a blessing, you’re doing it right.

Don’t Just Tell the Win. Tell the Walk.

The part people need most isn’t the amount. It’s the arc.

• “Two years ago, I was writing articles on my cracked iPhone. This year, I’m designing campaigns for national brands.”
• “I started this business from my living room floor. Now I’m on stages I used to dream about.”

Show off your scars and your sparkle.

Turn the Spotlight to the Ripple Effect

One of the safest ways to honor your success? Show how it’s feeding others.

• “My client just booked her first media feature.”
• “I’ve helped 10 women raise their rates this month.”
• “I created something that’s changing how people see Black-owned brands.”

Position yourself as the proof and a pipeline.

Let the Praise Come From the People

In case no one told you: you don’t have to toot your own horn anymore. Let others do it.

• Share client testimonials that speak volumes.
• Screenshot that DM that made you cry.
• Post the podcast clip where someone calls you out—in love and admiration.

In PR, there is power in the opinions of others. 

Make Privacy a Practice, Not a Performance

Can I free you from the shackles of overstating? You're allowed to say:

• “Some things are just for me.”
• “I’m private, not secretive.”
• “I’ll share the strategy, not the spreadsheet.”

Power doesn’t always have to be proven. Let them feel it in your posture.

And Finally, You Don’t Owe the Internet an Explanation

Period.

The work will speak.

The fruit will fall.

The favor will find you.

And when it does, don’t you dare dim it just to make the room more comfortable. There’s a way to guard your story while still giving someone else permission to believe in their own.

Tell the truth. Keep some details sacred.

And let your life—quietly, boldly—preach.