Contents
24 Apr 2025 • 19:29
Image by Jeriden Villegas on Unsplash
We live in a time where anyone can create something valuable and share it online. But what separates the people who just consume from those who actually build something meaningful is visibility.
Not just the visibility of the final product, but the process itself.
This is what building in public is all about. It’s one of the most underrated strategies for creators, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to carve out a space online. And it’s something that quietly changed my trajectory.
Building in public means sharing the process of what you're working on as you go. Instead of hiding your ideas, your struggles, and your wins until everything is finished, you talk about them in real time.
You publish updates about what you're learning. You explain your thought process when you make decisions. You show the work, even if it’s not perfect yet.
By being consistent and open about your process, you naturally build a personal brand that reflects who you are and what you care about.
This approach applies to anything:
Writing a blog or newsletter
Launching a product or side project
Learning to code or design
Starting a business
People follow not just what you build, but how you build it.
In the past, you needed gatekeepers—degrees, titles, institutions—to validate your work. That world is fading.
Today, your work can speak for itself if you put it in front of people. The internet gives you distribution, and building in public gives you proof.
It builds trust. It shows consistency. It gives people a reason to care about what you’re doing because they’ve seen the progress. They’ve been part of the story.
If you're starting from zero, this matters even more.
I’ve never had a traditional job. I don’t come into this space with years of corporate experience or a big network. What I have is curiosity, a laptop, and time.
I write about the things I’m learning—how to work online, how to build digital income streams, tech concepts I’m exploring, and ways I try to stay productive.
I built and run this blog, Steady Bucks, where I document my thoughts and progress. I publish tutorials on Medium, maintain a portfolio website, and upload GitHub repositories. I make these public to stay accountable and to build what I think of as digital real estate.
Right now, I’m still figuring things out. I don’t have all the answers. But I’m building and writing anyway. I show up, even when it feels like no one is watching.
What I’m starting to see is that the act of sharing pushes me to do better work. Knowing someone might read it makes me care more about the quality. I learn faster, and I build things I can stand behind.
Little by little, people begin to notice. Not because I claim to be an expert, but because I’m present, consistent, and willing to keep learning in public.
That’s the value of building in public. It makes growth visible—for you and the people who are watching.
Let me break down what I’ve gained from this approach.
You do not need a job title to prove your value. You need work that speaks for itself.
When someone looks you up, they find your blog, your GitHub, your tutorials, your thoughts. That becomes your reputation.
Your work tells a story. It shows what you know, what you care about, and how you think. That is more powerful than a resume.
Learning in public makes you take the work seriously. You pay closer attention. You care more about the quality.
Writing about what you are learning forces you to understand it better. It turns vague ideas into clear thinking.
It also keeps you consistent. When you know someone might read your post or check your repo, you put in more effort.
You stay sharp because you are not just learning for yourself. You are learning out loud.
Building in public helps the right people find you. You do not need to chase attention or network the old way.
You draw in people who care about similar problems. They see your process and relate to your thinking.
Some might become collaborators or clients. Others might just drop a helpful comment or share your work.
The connection is more natural because it is built on shared interests, not cold introductions.
Most people are quiet online. You do not know what they are working on, or if they are working on anything at all.
But when you show up regularly, people notice. They begin to associate you with the topics you talk about.
They remember you when an opportunity comes up. They trust you more because they have seen you do the work.
You are not just visible. You are consistent. And that builds trust over time.
It’s important to clear up some misconceptions.
It’s not oversharing your personal life.
It’s not bragging.
It’s not about faking success or pretending to have it all figured out.
It’s simply about showing your work and telling the story behind it. That’s enough.
You don’t need an audience to begin. You don’t need a polished brand. Here’s how you can start today:
Pick one platform to share your progress. This could be:
Substack
Medium,
or your own blog.
Start where you’re comfortable.
Don’t just say “working on a startup.” Say what you’re building, what you’re learning, what’s working, and what isn’t. Be honest and clear.
Even something as simple as “I struggled with this bug for three hours and finally figured it out” can resonate.
You don’t need to pause your project to share it. Building in public is part of the work. It’s how you clarify ideas, attract attention, and improve faster.
You don’t have to post daily. But you do need to show up often enough that people notice the progress.
A weekly update is enough. The point is to stay in motion.
I’m not building in public because it’s trendy. I’m doing it because it works.
It helped me go from being invisible to being noticed. From having no portfolio to having one people can access. From being isolated to being part of a global conversation.
If you’re just starting out, or even if you’ve been building quietly for a while—I highly recommend trying this.
You don’t need to be an expert. You don’t need to go viral. You just need to be real, stay consistent, and let the work speak.
And if you’re not sure what to say, start with this:
I’m working on something. Here’s what I’ve learned so far.
That’s enough.
