Skip to content
Sign In Subscribe
building in public — creator economy — startup transparency — content marketing — audience growth

Building in Public: How to Share Your Creative Journey and Win Big

Building in public turns your creative journey into an audience-driven adventure—here’s how to do it right, with success stories, pitfalls, and pro tips.

,   and  Systems Cowboy
3 min read

Once upon a time, creators toiled in secrecy, unveiling their masterpieces only when polished to near perfection. But the internet, being the chaotic spectacle that it is, had other plans. Enter "building in public"—a movement where entrepreneurs, writers, developers, and creatives share their process, wins, failures, and lessons in real-time with their audience.

At first glance, it sounds terrifying. "You want me to show my unfinished work? To actual humans? Before it's ready?!" Yes. And it's brilliant.

Why Build in Public?

Aside from the adrenaline rush of public accountability (read: pressure), building in public offers huge advantages for creators:

  1. Instant Feedback Loop – When you share progress, people engage, offer ideas, and even steer you toward a better product.
  2. Trust & Authenticity – Being transparent builds credibility. Audiences connect with humans, not faceless brands.
  3. Organic Marketing – Instead of spending thousands on ads, your journey itself becomes a compelling story that attracts people.
  4. Serendipity & Collaboration – You never know who’s watching. Many successful partnerships, funding opportunities, and job offers emerge from casual tweets about "figuring it out."
  5. Early Sales & Support – By involving your audience early, you create superfans who are eager to buy, use, and champion your product.

Success Stories: From Tweets to Triumphs

Some of the biggest names in tech and content have turned "building in public" into rocket fuel:

  • Sahil Lavingia (Founder of Gumroad) – Documented Gumroad’s journey openly, even sharing revenue numbers, struggles, and course corrections. This transparency built an engaged community and loyal customers.
  • Pieter Levels (Founder of Nomad List & RemoteOK) – Shares everything, from product ideas to revenue, in real-time on Twitter. His audience doesn’t just watch him build businesses—they actively help shape them.
  • Ali Abdaal (YouTuber & Entrepreneur) – Grew from a small YouTube channel to a multi-million-dollar business by openly sharing his strategies, mistakes, and learnings.
  • Daniel Vassallo – Quit his high-paying Amazon job, started sharing his indie creator journey, and turned it into a full-time business—making more money by selling knowledge and digital products than at his former corporate gig.

Each of these creators embraced transparency, leveraged their audience, and turned their journey itself into a product.

The Pitfalls of Building in Public (And How to Dodge Them Like a Pro)

Of course, it’s not all sunshine and viral tweets. Here are some common traps and how to avoid them:

1. Oversharing & Burnout

🔴 The Trap: Feeling like you have to document everything, leading to exhaustion and loss of privacy.
✅ The Fix: Share selectively—highlight key moments, lessons, and takeaways, but keep some things private. It’s a storytelling tool, not a surveillance operation.

2. Public Failure Anxiety

🔴 The Trap: The fear that people will judge you for mistakes or failures.
✅ The Fix: Reframe failure as part of the narrative. People LOVE comeback stories, and your honesty makes you relatable.

3. Trolls & Critics

🔴 The Trap: The more you share, the more opinions you'll attract—including the unwelcome ones.
✅ The Fix: Develop a thick skin. If someone’s feedback is constructive, use it. If not, block and move on.

4. Copycats & Idea Theft

🔴 The Trap: Someone might steal your idea and execute it faster.
✅ The Fix: Execution beats ideas. Your unique take, community, and trust can’t be copied. Keep innovating.

How to Build in Public (Without Losing Your Mind)

  1. Pick Your Platform – Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and blogs are great for sharing updates and insights. Choose one that feels natural.
  2. Share Small Wins – A new milestone? A lesson learned? A mistake corrected? Share it! Momentum keeps people engaged.
  3. Teach as You Go – The fastest way to grow an audience is to share lessons that help them, not just updates about you.
  4. Engage & Respond – Make it a conversation. Reply to comments, ask questions, and involve your audience.
  5. Be Consistent – Show up regularly. A thread once a month won’t build much traction, but steady updates will.

Final Thoughts: Why You Should Start Today

If you’re waiting until your project is perfect before you share it, you’ll wait forever. Start now. Share your journey. Let people in. You never know who’s watching—or how they might help.

So, what are you building? And are you brave enough to build it in public? 👀

Latest