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
Building in public transformed my SaaS journey by fostering transparency, trust, and community engagement. Sharing progress, challenges, and successes openly attracted a supportive audience and valuable feedback, accelerating product improvement. This approach created authentic connections with users, turning them into advocates. It also established credibility, helping the SaaS gain traction and stand out in a competitive market. Building in public emphasized learning over perfection, enabling faster iterations and innovation. Ultimately, it shaped a journey rooted in collaboration and continuous growth.
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!
I know this is an inconvenient question but I am sorry I couldn't help but ask:
If we're building in public, What if our idea is stolen?
No worries—it’s a valid concern! Honestly, ideas are rarely the hard part; execution is what truly matters. Building in public lets you build trust, community, and momentum, which are much harder to replicate than just the idea itself.
Hope that helps ease your concern!
Thanks @GirishGilda for replying
I'm on the same path myself :)
People trust you when they see transparency and authenticity.
That’s awesome—great to hear you’re on the same path! Totally agree, transparency and authenticity go such a long way in building trust. Wishing you the best on your journey!
I started to build in public 2 days ago. The process is exactly as you described. One or two likes, some reactions from people and encouragement.
I thought that I had to be quiet, do everything in the shadows and then come with the best product ever in the industry. It never worked that way. I have nothing to lose right now, and a lot to gain. 100% agree with you.
Let's see how it goes. Thank you for sharing your experience.
That’s amazing—congrats on starting your building-in-public journey! It’s such a game-changer, and I love your mindset of having nothing to lose and everything to gain. Wishing you all the best—excited to see where it takes you!
Nice, congratulations. I am all-in to building a SaaS in public starting small and growing through feedback and iterating.
Thank you, and that’s awesome to hear! Starting small and iterating with feedback is the way to go. Wishing you the best on your journey—excited to see what you build!
Thank you for sharing. The advantages of building in public outweighs the disadvantages imo. Some of the most valuable insight comes from your potential customers and I am glad you had the courage to share your journey.
Thanks so much for your kind words! I completely agree—building in public brings so much valuable insight from potential customers. It’s been a rewarding journey for sure.
Building in public has completely transformed my SaaS journey by fostering transparency, community engagement, and valuable feedback. Sharing progress and challenges openly not only helps build trust but also attracts loyal users. For hosting your SaaS projects with reliability, Ninzahost offers fast and secure solutions!
Thanks for sharing! Totally agree—transparency and community engagement are incredible assets for SaaS growth. Appreciate the hosting recommendation too!
good post
Thanks @johndeyoung
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.
I love how you’ve put this—it perfectly sums up the magic of building in public! Turning customers into collaborators is such a powerful shift. Thanks for sharing your experience!