Building in Public: My Journey
Why I decided to share my learning process and build projects openly.
A few months ago, I made a decision: I would start building in public. Instead of working on projects in private and only sharing the finished product, I'd document the entire journey— the wins, the failures, and everything in between.
Why Build in Public?
The traditional approach to building products is to work in stealth mode, perfect everything, and then launch with a big reveal. But I've found that approach to be isolating and, frankly, less effective.
Building in public offers several advantages:
- Accountability - When people are watching, you're more likely to follow through
- Feedback - Get input early and often, not just at launch
- Community - Connect with others working on similar problems
- Learning - Teaching others reinforces your own understanding
- Opportunities - Unexpected connections and collaborations emerge
The Challenges
Of course, it's not all upside. Building in public comes with its own set of challenges:
Fear of Judgment
Sharing unfinished work feels vulnerable. You're exposing your mistakes and showing that you don't have all the answers. But I've found that people are generally supportive and appreciate the honesty.
Overthinking Everything
When you know people are watching, it's tempting to polish every update and present a perfect image. I've had to consciously fight this urge and remind myself that authentic progress beats curated perfection.
Time Investment
Documenting your work takes time—time that could be spent building. The key is finding a sustainable rhythm that doesn't slow down your actual progress.
What I've Learned
After a few months of building in public, here are my key takeaways:
- Start before you're ready - You'll never feel 100% prepared, and that's okay
- Be consistent - Regular updates build momentum and audience
- Share the struggles - People connect with challenges more than successes
- Ask for help - The community wants to support you
- Celebrate small wins - Every step forward is worth acknowledging
How I'm Doing It
My approach to building in public is multi-channel:
- This blog - For deeper reflections and technical posts
- Twitter - Quick updates and conversations
- GitHub - Open source code and progress
- Newsletter - Weekly summaries for subscribers
The Results
While I'm still early in this journey, I've already seen benefits:
- Made several valuable connections with other builders
- Received feedback that improved my projects
- Stayed more motivated and accountable
- Learned more by having to explain my work clearly
Should You Build in Public?
It's not for everyone, and that's perfectly fine. Some people do their best work in private, and some ideas require stealth. But if you're on the fence, I'd encourage you to try it.
Start small—share a single project update. See how it feels. You might be surprised by the positive response and the doors it opens.
The future belongs to people who are willing to learn and adapt in public. Why not join us?