When I first started my SaaS journey, I had this grand plan: build quietly, launch with a bang, and let the customers pour in. Spoiler alert: it didn’t work that way. My launch was quiet, the bang was more like a pop, and the customers didn’t come knocking.
But then I stumbled upon the concept of "building in public," and it changed everything.
For those unfamiliar, building in public is about sharing your progress, struggles, wins, and everything in between as you work on your project. It’s transparent, raw, and often uncomfortable—but it’s also incredibly rewarding.
Initially, I wasn’t sold on the idea. Why would anyone care about my journey? Wouldn’t sharing too much hurt my credibility? But with nothing to lose and everything to gain, I decided to give it a shot.
I started small. I posted updates on social media about what I was working on—a no-code SaaS I was building using Fuzen.io (a shoutout to the tool that made things so much easier for me). My first post? A screenshot of my app’s dashboard with a caption: “Day 1: Building Grayskale! Let’s see where this goes.”
It didn’t go viral, but a few people liked it, and one even replied with, “What’s it about?” That one question pulled me into a conversation that gave me clarity about what my app should focus on.
When you’re building alone, it’s easy to get stuck in your own head. Sharing my progress helped me get invaluable feedback from the community. A tweet about my pricing model led to a great discussion, and I realized I had overpriced my service for my target audience. That tweak increased sign-ups by 40%.
Every time I posted an update, I felt more committed to my goals. I didn’t want to let down the people following my journey. When I faced challenges—like a bug that took days to fix—sharing the struggle motivated me to keep pushing.
By the time my app was ready, I already had a small but engaged audience. They weren’t just followers; they were potential customers. When I launched, I made my first 10 sales in two days—a feat that felt impossible during my first quiet launch.
Let’s be real: it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. Building in public is also about sharing your failures, and that’s tough.
I remember posting about a feature I was super excited about, only to later scrap it because it didn’t align with the app’s core value. The post explaining why I pivoted felt like admitting defeat. But the support I received from the community was overwhelming. One person even DM’d me saying, “I’ve been there. You’re making the right call.” That’s when I realized that building in public isn’t about showing perfection—it’s about showing progress.
Building in public isn’t just a marketing strategy; it’s a mindset. It taught me to embrace vulnerability, celebrate small wins, and connect with others on a deeper level. More importantly, it reminded me that success isn’t a solo journey—it’s a shared experience.
If you’ve been hesitating to share your journey, consider this your sign to start. Post that first tweet, share that first update. You never know who might be inspired by your story—or how much you’ll grow in the process.
What about you? Are you building something in public? Let’s hear your story!
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishgilda/
X- https://x.com/GirishGilda99
good post
Girish, your insights on building in public are inspiring! Sharing the journey and challenges transparently not only builds trust but also creates a valuable community around your SaaS product.
Thank you so much for the kind words! I couldn’t agree more—transparency and community are such powerful aspects of building in public. Glad the article resonated with you!
Great insights, Girish! Building in public turns challenges into connections and progress into momentum. Loved the focus on authenticity and community. Quick question: How do you balance transparency with protecting competitive edges?
Thanks so much! I completely agree—building in public is all about turning challenges into connections.
For transparency vs. competitive edges, I try to focus on sharing what I’m doing and why instead of the detailed how. It’s about being open while keeping some specifics (like exact strategies or proprietary details) private.
i have learned how how to build public from your article thanks.
Thank you! I’m really glad the article was helpful. Wishing you the best on your building-in-public journey.
My co-founder and I are developing a new project/business. We're considering creating YouTube content to promote it, but we have some concerns:
Are we risking our idea being copied if we share it publicly on platforms like YouTube?
Is our idea unique/innovative enough that it would be difficult for others to replicate it?
So we don`t really know how to continue.
Thanks for sharing your concerns! Honestly, ideas are rarely the secret sauce—it’s all about execution. Sharing your journey can actually help you build an audience and get valuable feedback early on.
If you're still worried, you can focus on sharing insights or progress without revealing too much of the “how.” Start small, maybe with Twitter, Bluesky or LinkedIn, and see how it feels.
Hope that helps!
I was trying to learn about how to build in public, and came across your article here. It would be beneficial if you can share any template you followed for sharing posts social media.
Like any hashtag. Also which social platforms are ideal for building in public.
Thanks for reading and asking! I usually keep it simple: start with a hook, share what I’m working on or learning, and end with a question.
For hashtags, #BuildInPublic, #IndieHackers and #SaaS work well for me. Twitter/X and Bluesky are my go-to platform, but LinkedIn is also great if you want to reach a professional audience.
Hope that helps!
Building in public transformed my SaaS journey by fostering transparency, accountability, and genuine connections with my audience. Sharing progress and challenges openly attracted valuable feedback and support, fueling product improvement and growth. This approach turned customers into collaborators, creating a stronger, more trusted brand.