“Building in public” has become a rallying cry among founders looking to stand out in a crowded startup landscape. The idea is simple: share your progress, wins, failures, and behind-the-scenes decisions openly on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, or newsletters. The appeal is obvious—founders can build a following, attract early adopters, and foster a sense of community around their product before it even launches.
But as the movement matures, cracks are starting to show. While the practice can foster transparency and momentum, some founders are discovering that building in public carries real, and often underestimated, risks.
The Benefits: Visibility and Validation
At its best, building in public turns a startup into a story. Public roadmaps, real-time feature updates, and candid reflections can humanize a brand and create emotional buy-in. This visibility often leads to faster user feedback, media attention, and even early investment interest from backers who admire the founder’s transparency.
It also holds founders accountable. Sharing progress publicly can act as a forcing function, pushing teams to move faster and stay consistent.
The Risks: Overexposure and Burnout
But there’s a darker side. Founders who build in public often feel pressure to deliver constant updates, even when progress is slow or setbacks occur. This can lead to burnout, performative transparency, or rushed decision-making driven by audience expectations rather than business strategy.
Competitors may also be watching closely. Sharing technical choices, pricing strategies, or feature timelines can hand rivals a blueprint of your roadmap—without any of the execution risk. In hyper-competitive markets, that openness can backfire.
The Hidden Costs: Narrative Lock-In and Missed Pivots
Perhaps the most subtle danger is narrative lock-in. Once a founder publicly commits to a specific vision or direction, pivoting becomes psychologically and reputationally harder. Startups thrive on agility, but building in public can make it difficult to change course without appearing inconsistent or untrustworthy.
There’s also the risk of building an audience that loves your content but never becomes customers. Vanity metrics—likes, shares, and followers—can distract from real business fundamentals like user retention, product-market fit, and sustainable revenue.
A Strategic Middle Ground
None of this means startups should avoid transparency—but it does suggest that the “build in public” movement needs more nuance. Selective sharing, internal validation, and long-term thinking may serve founders better than chasing internet applause.
Ultimately, the best strategy may be to build for your market first—and let the story unfold only when there’s a real story to tell.
