Is talking about money in business taboo for you?
I’ve always wondered how different cultures, companies, or individuals approach financial transparency in business. Some stay silent, others overshare.
Here are some trends I’ve noticed:
There tends to be the most transparency around MRR, or how much money has been raised (VC funding).
And the least transparency when it comes to employee salaries.
Americans are more likely to share prices (I slightly observed this behaviour in French and German people).
I understand what salary transparency in employees can trigger (jealousy, feelings of unfairness, and so on).
What’s your approach to money sharing? Can you share why you chose (not) to be transparent?
In my opinion, the team at @folk (Folk) had a very transparent process when it came to salaries.
Replies
When I took over my dad's business, I used to avoid money talks, thinking it might make things awkward. But I’ve learned that being clear, especially about budgets and payments, actually avoids bigger issues later.
I’m still unsure about sharing salaries though. I still find salary transparency tricky. It seems fair, but without proper context, it can lead to misunderstandings or tension.
So now, I try to be open where it brings clarity but careful where it might cause confusion.
I absolutely love speaking in specifics and exact numbers. Otherwise, it’s a complete waste of time.
There have been cases where leads wanted to talk with me, and I’d ask about their budget. They wouldn’t give anything concrete. So I say, give me a range. Between X and Y. They reply, “Well, we can invest a lot, but we want to start small.” Okay, but what does “start small” actually mean? “Well, the smallest amount that can still bring results.” And after 15 minutes of this, you eventually dig out that what they really mean is 50 cents - figuratively speaking.
There are so many people who are genuinely afraid to talk about money. It doesn’t matter if you’re their employee, business partner, co-founder, investor, or anything else.
They refuse to be specific, and I see that as disrespect. At the end of the day, you’re asking for something. It’s only fair to say what you’re offering in return. Whether it’s money, time, or commitment.
That’s why I always appreciate conversations that include real numbers. It can be a specific amount, or at the very least, a clear range.
@byalexai :DDD sometimes I admire the way you work with people :D You are a great storyteller, no wonder you have been in my video cast 2 times :D
@busmark_w_nika Thank you for the kind words, Nika!
I really hope to make a third appearance on your podcast. xDD
@byalexai Hope so too! :D Just need to edit all my 30 videos for YouTube challenge, LOL!
@byalexai I think in cases like that, the real issue is trust or the lack of it.
Either the person doesn’t fully understand their own needs, or they’re not ready to admit it yet. That’s when you have to dig.
I think of it like a doctor–patient dynamic.
The patient knows something’s wrong, but can’t name it. It’s on the doctor to keep asking the uncomfortable questions, not to be polite, but to get to the root of it.
Money conversations work the same. If they can’t give a number, it’s usually not about budget, it’s about trust, or fear of facing the truth.
@byalexai @adam_martelletti I like this explanation also!
It's an important topic, thank you for starting a discussion! I believe that pay should be transparent, at least when it comes to the employer-employee relationship. Your salary should not depend on how well you can negotiate it in your interview. I witnessed multiple cases where workers were receiving significantly lower pay than their colleagues (up to 40-50% lower) while having the same titles and responsibilities (especially common in startups). This shouldn't be the case.
Btw, the Dutch government has recently introduced the new legislation (EU Pay Transparency Directive) that will require all companies to disclose the salary range for a position and how the salary is calculated. (Source) It should come into effect in 2026. People have mixed opinions about this, but I think it's a rather positive change for employees that will make the workplace fairer.
Would be curious to learn more about the other countries, though!
@lauragenno It is sad that some people who can negotiate better but do not bring such value as "less paid workers" are still in the company tbh :D I once had a project manager. She was older (~7 years)... she was a senior, better paid. I was a junior (at that time 24 yo, an undergraduate)... she asked me how to do things. :D
I ended up unmotivated lol
BTW, interesting news about the Dutch gov. Thank you for letting me know :)
@busmark_w_nika I had that too, was super frustrating :(
@lauragenno 🙈 Feel your pain.
Transparency isn’t a virtue by default; it’s a tool. In some cases, sharing numbers builds trust. In others, it creates distraction or resentment. I’m actually building a dashboard right now for a team’s bonus system, and no matter how many versions they’ve tried, there’s always a sense of imbalance. Salary transparency without a solid framework doesn’t create clarity. It creates confusion. Transparency without context is just chaos. I think it all comes down to context and the purpose or objective.
@adam_martelletti How do you communicate those imbalances with them? :)
@busmark_w_nika That’s exactly what we’re trying to solve with the dashboard.
In this case, the imbalance came from task difficulty, some days were easy, others brutal. When certain people kept getting the harder days, resentment built.
Leadership also overshared revenue without a clear reward system. So people started doing the bare minimum. Then they added bonuses, but payouts got too high. So they introduced caps, which killed morale.
What started as “reward = production” turned into “reward = control + tension.”
To fix it, we’re building in two things:
1. Target goal + bonus only after that
2. Difficulty multipliers — Easy = 0.8x, Normal = 1x, Hard = 1.2x
The multiplier helps balance payouts. But the real shift is visibility, the dashboard logs task difficulty over time (7, 30, 90, 365 days). What used to be vague and emotional is now tracked.
Most teams struggle with this. The real problem, I believe employees don’t have visibility and when people start guessing, they start resenting, so a double edge sword when it comes to sharing "money" in a business.
@busmark_w_nika I’ve always believed that there’s nothing wrong with being transparent about your salary. If someone feels uncomfortable or jealous after hearing it, that reflects more on their mindset than on the person sharing honestly. Sharing your numbers doesn’t reduce your skills or achievements - and it definitely doesn’t take away the hard work behind it.
In fact, I’ve noticed many people tend to understate their actual income or salary. I'm not sure why - maybe it’s due to social pressure, fear of judgment, or cultural norms. But personally, I believe in openness. If my transparency can help someone negotiate better, gain clarity, or feel more confident, I’m happy to share.
However, intention matters.
If you’re sharing your salary just to show off or make someone else feel small — that’s totally wrong. Financial transparency should come from a place of helping, not hurting.
In the end, it’s not about numbers. It’s about mindset.
@sania_khan10 Love your words in the last two paragraphs. :) Thank you for contributing such a deep thought.
@busmark_w_nika I am glad you like it. Please share more questions so that we can enagage more :D
@sania_khan10 I will be sharing more topics you can engage with LOL :D
@busmark_w_nika Thanks :)
Fantastic discussion topic, Nika! The cultural differences in financial openness fascinate me. While I personally value transparency (after all, isn't profitability one of business's core purpose?), Indonesia's reality proves challenging - salary disclosure remains rare here.
Our corruption issues have institutionalized financial secrecy, worsening inequality and distorting how foreign investors perceive local talent. I've witnessed how this opaque system enables exploitation while often sidelining actual business growth. What's most disheartening is seeing startups replicate these unhealthy patterns.
Would love to hear how other countries navigate these challenges more effectively!
@rani_zagita Just out of curiosity and observation... which positions are the best paid in your country?
@busmark_w_nika Haha, let's talk about Indonesia's salary champions! 🏆
Corporate Hotshots – Because why wouldn’t the boss make 100x the intern?
Finance Wizards – Foreign investors love funding our GDP while sipping lattes.
Tech Nerds – Code monkeys now outearn actual monkeys (RIP, banana budget).
Doctors – 10 years of med school just to hear “But can’t you discount this appendectomy?”
Oil/Gas Cowboys – Hazard pay = “Please ignore the existential dread!”
Lawyers – Our ever-changing laws are basically a job-creation program.
Pilots – Fly high, earn higher (unless you’re economy class, then… oof).
Translators – Thank you, colonial hangover, for this niche! 🙏
And teachers/NGO heroes? “Noble” = code for “Paycheck so small, corruption starts looking suspiciously like a survival skill.” 💸
Disclaimer: This rant sponsored by 20 years of watching civil servants ‘suddenly’ afford Bali villas or LV handbags and a private jet.
@rani_zagita The same here, firefighters, teachers, and people in the health industry don't earn much money.
Great question! When I was younger, definitely yes, but it’s like getting reps in, the more you talk about it and normalize it, the less weird it feels. Over time, it gets easier. For me and my co-founder, everything changed when we realized that money isn’t something to fear or see as a evil thing. It can be a tool, an asset to help, to provide, and to create impact. :)
@chaosandcoffee How do you communicate these things with your employees? Or are only only you and co-founder in the team?
IMO It's mostly to avoid any ego or just unfairness feelings among the same team, it does have a potential to ruin a really great team.
@gsrathoreniks How would you solve it? Do not share any information about salaries between them at all?