Why Building in Public Changed My SaaS Journey Forever

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.

What Is Building in Public?

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.

How I Started Building in Public

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.

The Wins of Building in Public

1. Feedback, Feedback, Feedback

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%*.

2. Accountability

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.

3. Building an Audience Before a Product

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.

The Challenges of Building in Public

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.

Key Takeaways From My Journey

• Start Small: You don’t have to be super active or share every detail. Even occasional updates can spark engagement.
• Engage With Your Audience: Building in public isn’t a monologue; it’s a conversation. Reply to comments, ask questions, and listen.
• Be Authentic: People resonate with honesty. Share your wins, but also share your struggles.

Stats That Prove It Works

• A report by Hypefury showed that SaaS founders who build in public grow their audiences 3x faster than those who don’t.
• According to Open Startup, companies that share their metrics publicly experience a 20-30% increase in user trust.
• Personally, my app’s launch revenue was 5x higher the second time around—thanks to the audience I built.

Final Thoughts

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!