On Building in Public
On Building in Public
There's something powerful about building in public — sharing not just the wins, but the pivots, the failures, and the uncertainty that comes with creating something new.
Why It Matters
Most product stories are told in retrospect. Clean narratives about vision, execution, and inevitable success. But that's not how building actually works.
The real story is messier. It's filled with:
- Hypotheses that didn't pan out
- Features that users didn't care about
- Pivots that felt like starting over
- Learning what not to build
The Case for Transparency
Building in public isn't about oversharing or performative vulnerability. It's about creating a record of decisions, context, and trade-offs.
When you share the journey:
- You attract people who believe in the problem, not just the solution
- You get feedback earlier, when it's cheaper to change direction
- You create accountability to keep shipping
- You help others learn from your mistakes
What I've Learned
Through Icebreaker, SZNS, and other projects, I've learned that product-market fit isn't designed — it's discovered. And discovery requires being honest about what's working and what isn't.
The best insights don't come from success stories. They come from founders willing to share what they tried, why it failed, and what they learned.
The Hard Part
The tension is real: being transparent about challenges while still inspiring confidence. Sharing uncertainty while maintaining conviction. Being honest about the present while staying optimistic about the future.
There's no perfect balance. But I'd rather err on the side of authenticity than curated highlights.
Moving Forward
This is my commitment to building in public. Not every post will be polished. Not every update will be a win. But it will be real.
If you're building something, I'd encourage you to share more than you're comfortable with. The people who matter will respect the honesty. The ones who don't were never your audience anyway.
Have thoughts on building in public? Find me on Twitter or Telegram.