On Building in Public
March 20, 2026
Building in public is one of the most underrated strategies for early-stage founders.
The conventional wisdom says you should stay quiet until you have something polished. Don't show weakness. Don't let competitors see your roadmap.
I think this is mostly wrong.
The Compounding Effect
Every post you write while building is a future search result. Every thought you share becomes a signal to potential users, teammates, and investors that you're real, that you're thinking deeply, and that you're moving.
The founder who has 50 public posts about a problem space before they launch has an enormous head start on trust and distribution compared to the one who went dark for 18 months.
The Feedback Loop
Building in public forces clarity. You can't post vague thoughts — your audience will push back or check out. That pressure makes you sharper.
Some of my best product decisions have come from someone responding to a tweet with "have you considered X?"
The Filter
Not everyone will like what you share. That's the point. The people who resonate with your thinking early are often your first best customers.
The downside risk is low. The upside is high. Just write.