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1904 sats \ 15 comments \ @k00b 13 Jan builders

A lifetime ago, although if measured in third person, a few years ago, I started a telegram chat group with other bitcoin founders. Today, a pre-fundraise founder asked:

Anyone have any experience with building in public? If so, was it worth it?

I loaded my wind and replied:

What reason do you have for not building in public? Ime rationalizations are usually predicated on

thinking your ideas are super valuable alone

thinking other people can spot how valuable they are without your context

undervaluing how expensive your execution has and will be and how unlikely it is others can/will pay the cost of executing.

Ime more often stealth building is a symptom of fantasies of success that we feel are too precious to expose to the public because we subconsciously know they’re just fantasies. If the idea is super valuable, we think, then most of my work is already done! Also, a fantasy that the world is full of energetic builders just waiting for the right idea.

I’m guilty of this kind of thing myself all the time btw. It’s normal. I just know that if I don’t build in public I risk losing time I could spend making something valuable all so I can continue entertaining a fantasy. Build in public because it is easier to make something valuable when people know about what you’re building and are giving feedback.

You might surprise the world with a secret masterpiece, which would be awesome, but more likely you release to the public only to learn they don’t care and you made the wrong thing or made it in the wrong way.

@Jestopher_BTC (who I will beg for forgiveness if they built this reply for private) added:

On the other side of things, building in public is best when you can align your audience with your customer base.

Sometimes the feedback from an audience other than your customer base can be a big distraction.

That said, if you're not getting feedback, you're not learning. Learning is critical for finding product-market fit and that's where stealth projects often suffer.

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161 sats \ 4 replies \ @Fabs 13 Jan

If you're starting out in an industry that already knows established players, then it's better to keep that bomb idea you have to yourself - at least, until you're fully set-up and have "first-mover" advantage.

Otherwise, said players could snatch one's idea / take, and simply implement it themselves WAY faster and efficient than you, as they are already well-connected and up-and-running, thus ruining your start.

I wouldn't call that "entertaining fantasies", but "self-preservation".

0 sats \ 3 replies \ @k00b OP 13 Jan

I would call believing you have a bomb idea that's so bomb other people will "snatch" it, a fantasy. There are cases where ideas are bomb and execution is relatively easy, but they are the exception and believing your idea is the exception is usually a fantasy.

0 sats \ 2 replies \ @Fabs 13 Jan

In essence what I'm saying is that people might try to front-run you, putting you at a disadvantage.

There's people who simply like letting other people figure things out, and then copy it (China).

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @k00b OP 13 Jan

In essence what I'm saying is that people might try to front-run you, putting you at a disadvantage.

I'm speaking in generalities, not exceptions. Everyone thinks they're the exception. By definition, odds are they aren't the exception. But yeah, exceptions exist. And exceptions in the case are likely when execution is extremely easy relative to having/finding the idea.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Fabs 13 Jan

Exactly. If you have the sketch for a better part, but don't have a line of production set up already, someone else can take said sketch and start producing.

122 sats \ 0 replies \ @justin_shocknet 13 Jan

Depends on what you're building, why you're building it, and how you're wired naturally. I guess I reject the question, because answers inherently contain lots of projection and not advice.

Could easily flip the responses around:

lack of conviction of what you're building means you need a daily attaboy from internet strangers with no skin in the game
fearing people might think you have something to hide so overcompensating with platitudes of transparency
fear of being out-maneuvered by competitors and so planting a decorative flag without even having shipped

Given that Steve Jobs is looked back upon as founder-Jesus, does anyone really think he paid any mind to what internet strangers would have thought about his products before the unveil?

Reality is the overwhelming majority of projects will die in obscurity, public or not. So all focus ought be simply not dying.

129 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined 13 Jan

That is really goddamn insightful.

118 sats \ 2 replies \ @siggy47 13 Jan

This is excellent. This may apply to all creative projects online. I feel like writers go through this by putting their stuff behind a paywall that, in the vast majority of cases, no one will ever read.

41 sats \ 1 reply \ @k00b OP 13 Jan

IMHO If you want to grow fast creatively and can afford to give your work away, you should. Skills/intuition/experience are better than money to me, even bitcoin (that could be my sunk cost speaking). Artists get taken advantage of all the time doing this though, so it’s probably just easy for me to say given my “art” pays relatively well.

111 sats \ 0 replies \ @Aardvark 13 Jan

That sounds absolutely terrifying to me. I can barely make a social media post without feeling like a complete moron, let alone putting myself out there creatively.

I agree that it's probably a fantastic way to grow, but good God, you better have big balls to do it.

21 sats \ 1 reply \ @cryotosensei 13 Jan

It’s like teaching a classroom of students. You get immediate feedback n think about coming up with the next better iteration that is customised to their needs. Building in public calls for a shedding of the ego, but it is only when you make yourself vulnerable that you are able n receptive to learning

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Msd0457890 13 Jan

You are absolutely right in what you say, friend @cryotosensei, and have you already tried to apply it?

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Msd0457890 13 Jan

Although it is certainly not easy, it is not impossible either; when everything is developed in a group, more solutions or alternatives arise.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @BitcoinIsTheFuture 13 Jan

This is great! Follow your path and vision!

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @sasasuina 13 Jan

Great insights on building in public! It’s a powerful way to let your product face potential users earlier, gain valuable feedback, and avoid costly mistakes. Feedback is invaluable for refining ideas and finding product-market fit. Balancing audience alignment with customer focus seems crucial—learning from the right people can make all the difference. Thanks for sharing these perspectives!