Here’s something that still makes me uncomfortable:
Every week, I share my revenue numbers, my failures, and my half-baked ideas with thousands of people online. Some weeks I share wins. Most weeks I share struggles. And honestly? It feels vulnerable as hell.
But here’s what I’ve learned: that vulnerability is the entire point.
Let me explain why I build Building Out in public, and why you might want to consider doing the same—whether you’re launching a side hustle, growing a business, or just trying to escape the 9-to-5 trap.
Why Most People Hide (And Why I Used to Do the Same)
For years, I kept everything private.
I’d work on ideas in secret, polish them until they were “perfect,” and only then would I share them with the world. The traditional playbook, right? Build in stealth mode. Launch when it’s ready. Make a big splash.
Except that approach kept me stuck.
While I was perfecting things in private, I had no idea if anyone actually wanted what I was building. I had no feedback loop. No accountability. No community. Just me, alone, guessing at what might work.
That’s the startup graveyard, by the way. Roughly 90% of startups fail, and a massive chunk of those failures happen because founders build things nobody wants.
So I made a shift.
With Building Out, I decided to share everything from day one. The messy first draft. The revenue targets. The awkward pivots. The “I have no idea what I’m doing” moments.
And you know what? That transparency changed everything.
The 4 Real Benefits I’ve Discovered
Let me be honest about why building in public actually works:
1. Trust Builds Faster Than Any Marketing Campaign
When you share your wins AND your losses, you demonstrate you have nothing to hide.
I post my monthly revenue numbers—even when they’re embarrassing. I share the strategies that didn’t work. I talk about the days when I doubt everything.
This isn’t just vulnerability for vulnerability’s sake. It’s strategy.
Because in an era where AI can generate perfect marketing copy in seconds, authenticity is the only real differentiator. People don’t trust polish anymore. They trust humans who are figuring things out in real-time.
And when people trust you? They buy what you’re selling.
2. Your Audience Becomes Your R&D Team
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: product-market fit is incredibly hard to find.
You can spend months building something you think people want, only to discover you were completely wrong. Or you can share your ideas publicly and let your audience tell you what actually matters.
When I post about a new course module or a framework I’m testing, my followers respond. They ask questions. They point out gaps. They suggest improvements.
This transforms my audience into a live focus group. I get real-time feedback that helps me iterate faster and smarter.
The only way to validate a business idea is by talking to potential customers. Building in public makes that conversation continuous.
3. Community Formation Creates Emotional Investment
Building in public is storytelling in action.
When I share my goal to hit £20K MRR, I create tension. People wonder: “Will he actually do it?” That curiosity gap generates interest.
When I share setbacks, people root for me. When I share wins, people celebrate with me.
Humans love underdog stories. We love seeing how things are made. When you bring people along on your journey, they become emotionally invested in your success.
And that emotional investment leads to organic growth. Early adopters. Word-of-mouth. Customers who feel like they were part of building the thing they’re buying.
4. Accountability Partners Everywhere
If you want to build something worthwhile, you need accountability.
By keeping my followers in the loop, I turn them into accountability partners. When I say I’m going to publish a new module by Friday, I know people are watching. That motivates me to actually do it.
Public goals drive consistent action. There’s something powerful about knowing your community is counting on you.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About
Right. Let’s talk about the downsides, because they’re real.
The Competitor Advantage Risk
When you share your strategy publicly, you risk giving competitors an information advantage.
They can see what’s working for you. They can steal your ideas, refine them, and potentially beat you to market.
This is a real concern, especially if you’re in a highly competitive space. You need to define boundaries. I share my revenue targets and my marketing strategies, but I don’t share proprietary technology or detailed financial models.
The key is strategic transparency, not reckless oversharing.
Time Drain vs. Deep Work
Building in public is labour-intensive.
Every week, I spend hours creating updates, responding to comments, and engaging with my community. That’s time I’m not spending working on the core product.
Too much context switching? That’s the death of deep work.
You have to be intentional about when and how you share. Set specific time blocks for community engagement. Don’t let it consume your entire day.
Public Failure Anxiety
Here’s the terrifying part: you might fail publicly.
You’ll receive feedback you’re not ready for. You’ll face criticism. People will watch you struggle, and some will enjoy it.
I won’t lie—this requires stamina. You need thick skin and the ability to roll with the punches.
But here’s what I’ve learned: public failure is also public learning. When you share your mistakes, you help others avoid them. That builds trust and credibility in ways that polished success stories never can.
Industry Considerations
Building in public isn’t for everyone.
If you’re in a highly regulated industry, waiting on patents, or working on deep tech where secrecy is core to your value proposition, full transparency probably isn’t wise.
Know your constraints before you commit.
My 6-Step Framework for Building in Public
If you’ve decided the benefits outweigh the risks, here’s how I actually do this:
1. Consistency Over Perfection
I post updates every week, even when I don’t feel ready.
Consistency builds habits and trust. Your audience would rather see regular, authentic updates than wait for the “perfect” post that never comes.
Set a rhythm—weekly or monthly—and stick to it.
2. Story-Driven Updates, Not Technical Logs
Here’s what I’ve learned: people don’t care about your technical specifications.
They care about how you feel. Your struggles. Your doubts. Your small wins.
If you only post metrics and progress bars, you’re broadcasting, not marketing. You’re not starting conversations.
Share your emotions alongside your numbers. That’s what creates connection.
3. Clear Roadmap Articulation
Give your audience a roadmap.
I share my goal to help 100K busy professionals achieve time and financial freedom. I share my MRR targets. I break down my funnel: lead magnets → low-ticket offers → core course → high-ticket program.
When people understand where you’re going, they can follow along. And when they follow along, they become invested.
4. Strategic Channel Selection
You can’t be everywhere.
Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, newsletters, Reddit—it’s too much. Pick one or two channels where your target audience already hangs out.
For Building Out, I focus on LinkedIn and my newsletter. That’s where busy professionals spend their time. I’m not trying to master TikTok or Instagram because that’s not where my people are.
Focus beats distribution.
5. Active Engagement
Posting updates isn’t enough.
You have to respond to comments. Run polls. Ask for feedback. Invite suggestions.
Your community should feel like collaborators, not just observers. That’s what transforms followers into customers.
6. Boundary Definition
Decide upfront what you’ll share and what you’ll keep private.
I share:
- Things that I’m learning around personal finance and business startup
- Marketing strategies and content approaches
- Struggles and setbacks
- Lessons learned
I don’t share:
- Proprietary course content before launch
- Private client information
- Strategic partnerships in negotiation
This clarity protects you while maintaining transparency.
Real Results from Real Founders
This isn’t just theory. Here’s what building in public has done for others:
GrowSurf shared their revenue and metrics publicly. They grew from $66 MRR to $34K MRR and over $400K ARR—100% bootstrapped.
CopyAI grew from $1 to $50K MRR organically in just four months by posting monthly updates on Twitter. Founder Paul Yacoubian says prioritizing community value creates a “flywheel effect.”
Buffer is the gold standard. They’ve been transparent about salaries, diversity, and their product roadmap since 2013, generating massive traction and loyalty.
Building in public is a long-term game. It won’t yield results overnight. But if you do it consistently, it generates word-of-mouth, referrals, and ultimately, big dividends.
The Bottom Line
Here’s what I want you to understand:
Building in public isn’t just a marketing strategy. It’s a mindset shift.
It requires vulnerability. It demands consistency. It forces you to be accountable.
But it also creates trust, accelerates learning, and builds community in ways that traditional marketing never could.
Your journey IS your marketing.
So stop waiting for perfection. Start sharing. Be real. Be consistent. Define your boundaries.
And watch what happens when you let people in.
Ready to build your own life of time and financial freedom? Sign up for my weekly newsletter where I share exactly how I’m building Building Out—the wins, the losses, and everything in between: www.building-out.com
This post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research and, if needed, seek guidance from a qualified financial adviser regulated by the FCA.
For more topics on building a life of time and financial freedom sign up to our weekly newsletter at www.building-out.com
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