"When will it all be completed" is a question that many people can't imagine not asking.
"When will we start making money from this" is maybe a better question.
"Is this something worth investing more money and time in?" is maybe better.

But people are all hung up on software development as "buying a thing" instead of "growing a revenue stream" or "developing an audience of raving fans."

If you're "buying a thing" then "what will it look like and when will it be done" seem like the reasonable questions.

It's a mindset thing. It's reinforced by myriad business practices and internal policies which limit the thinking to "buying a finished thing" and this keeps other ideas from taking root.

"If I were buying a car," "if I were paying you to build a deck," etc.

So, maybe the brain-stretcher of the day:

What if software development is nothing like buying a thing?
What if it is a partnership to build a new business endeavor?

How would this change your mindset, your questions, your approach?