Tactic 2 of 101 · Marketing

Build in Public: Turn Transparency into Distribution

Stop hiding behind the curtain. Share the journey, the messy middle, the micro-wins, and even the failures. Founders who build in public turn the process itself into priceless marketing.

By Justin Novak · Updated October 30, 2026

Ideal for
Startups, SaaS, DTC
Difficulty
Easy
Capital required
None
Time to execute
Mid-term (1 to 3 weeks)
Scalability
High
Risk / reward
Medium

Why it works

People don't just buy products. They buy people and stories. They root for underdogs. They want to feel like insiders. Building in public hits all three.

Every update (a revenue milestone, a roadmap pivot, a lesson learned) is a chance to deepen connection and compound attention. You're doing the work anyway. Why not capture it and share it?

How to run it

Don't overthink it. Post your numbers, share your launch roadmap, admit the screw-ups. Use X, LinkedIn, your newsletter, or all of the above with omni-channel distribution software.

Building in public makes you unforgettable, because most companies still act like black boxes. Shine a light, and people lean in.

Real world example

I built the 101 Growth Tactics playbook in public as I wrote it: posting on social media, inviting friends to read the drafts, sharing the process. The fruits of the labor were clear. It generated:

  • Many new clients
  • Hundreds of readers
  • Three people who verbally committed to sponsoring the book
  • Second and third order effects that are still showing up

People who do this really well:

  1. Pieter Levels, @levelsio on X
  2. Strawberry Milk Mob, @strawberrymilkmob on TikTok
  3. John Rush, @johnrushx on X

Related plays

25Medium · Long-term

Be Everywhere, All at Once: Omni-Channel Content Distribution

One piece of content should become 15-20. Turn a LinkedIn post into tweets, Reels, carousels, Stories, and podcast clips to multiply your surface area online.

StartupsB2BSaaS
16Medium · Long-term

Newsletter as a Growth Engine

Your newsletter is the seed for 10-30 pieces of content across every platform. Use it to build middle-of-funnel trust and stay top of mind until timing is right.

B2BSaaSDTC
12Easy · Quick win

Trend Hijacking: Drop Viral Comments on Trending Niche Videos

When a video in your niche blows up, the comment section is prime real estate. A sharp top comment rides the wave: millions of impressions without ad spend.

StartupsDTCB2B

The playbook keeps growing

Get new plays as they ship.

The playbook is growing to 101+ tactics. One email when new plays drop. No pitch, just plays.