Does build in public really work?
by•
Every day, I notice fewer people sharing their projects here.
A couple of months ago, build in public felt unstoppable: everyone was posting updates, numbers, roadmaps. Now? The hype seems to be fading… or maybe makers are just shipping quietly.
And here’s another angle: sharing MRR.
Some people love it. They say it inspires, creates transparency, and helps others learn. But to me, most of the time it feels like pure flexing. It rarely provides real value unless it’s paired with context (what worked, what didn’t, lessons learned).
So I’m curious:
👉 Do you think build in public is still worth it?
👉 And do you find value in seeing MRR numbers or is it just vanity?
Would love to hear your thoughts 👇
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I think it still works, but the way it's shared really matters. There are many successful creators I've seen building in public on TikTok. It seems to work for them, based on their apparent momentum.
I've done quite a bit of building in public on TikTok, but frankly it hasn't worked out as well as I'd like yet. Been pretty consistent with posting (now doing every day, previously doing a couple times a week) but the numbers aren't there yet in terms of feedback/user testing/followers.
For me, I see it as 1) a long game and 2) something to keep me honest - constantly push forward.
@matthew_glossop Can you name some of those TikTok accounts so I can follow them?
@byalexai for sure!
@matt.glossop
@compound.interests
I still think building in public is super valuable, especially for small teams. But it doesn’t always have to be about numbers — sometimes sharing the team’s story or product insights can be even more meaningful.
@leah_l I agree, but I hardly see such posts. Or maybe you could recommend some?
@byalexai I haven’t seen any posts about this here, but I feel like it could work.
Cal ID
This post just boosted my overthinking @byalexai as I'm starting to build in public 😭
This used to be impossible to ignore but you’re right, it’s quieter now.
Most of what I see lately is less about genuine sharing and more about broadcasting numbers, which honestly does nothing for me. And I noticed, nobody is poor on X, everyone has a shiny MRR!
I’m way more interested in the “how” and the “why” than the “what.”
If someone’s actually honest about their failures, the hard calls they had to make, or what surprised them along the way- that’s when I pay attention.
@sanskarix That’s true. Unfortunately, everyone started posting just random screenshots without any value.
I think “build in public” still works — but like any trend, the surface-level hype fades and what’s left are the makers who share with real depth. Just posting MRR without context feels like flexing, but pairing numbers with the story behind them (what experiments worked, where things broke, what you’d do differently) is what actually creates value. For me, the magic is less about exposure and more about connecting with people who resonate with your journey.
i think it can work, but its not a magic pill. Still need to provide value, still need to build a good product. Just telling people what you are building doesn't matter if they don't want what you have.
I think build in public still works, but only if there’s real context and lessons shared.
Tbh I have been in marketing for a few years and pretty new to software development and have no experience for building in public in software development.
What I can tell you that In my 2 years of building my own Social Media Agency a build in public has been essential. Through building in public I was able to hit 25K Followers on one of my 14 Accounts in just under 3 Months which also generated me about $7'000 in Revenue.