GNT #007: Build in silence or share the journey?

Read time: 4.5 minutes

Silence vs. sharing.

Lately I've noticed extreme opposite opinions on whether to build your business silently - or share the journey as you build it.

It goes something like this...

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"My No. 1 piece of advice for entrepreneurs is to build in silence. A common mistake entrepreneurs make is that we get so excited about an idea or business venture we have, and we start sharing our vision with people around us and close to us. The bad part about that is not everyone is meant to know your vision."

- Quiane Crews, Chairman, Stealth Performance Communications

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And on the other extreme...

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"The best way to find someone who can be helpful is to share what you're working on in public, on social media, and attract interested people. Talk about your trials and tribulations and make connections with people who can be helpful." - Justin Welsh, Founder, Solopreneur

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This is really important because advice is sometimes contextual, and we need to know when to apply it.

Today I'm exploring and discovering in what types of scenarios should one share their business building vs. keep the work close and under wraps.

The Argument for Sharing While Building

My husband Ed and I built a 4-seat airplane in our garage. It took us 3.5 years and 2800 hours to complete.

Our airplane building journey was a whole lot of literal blood, sweat, and tears.

We shared the whole experience on YouTube and with our email subscribers in time lapse video. Now we share travel videos of our adventures as a flying family.

Why?

Because as we embarked on the adventure of building an airplane, we realized not many people are aware building your own airplane was a thing you could do.

We wanted to educate, entertain, and create a community around our journey. We also knew having our friends, family, and strangers following us would keep us going, even when it got tough.

(Read more why we started building an airplane here.)

Now, the argument for sharing...

If you're looking to build a community of fans and customers around your business or startup, sharing your journey can be a great way to do that.

By providing updates and insights into your business, you can keep your audience engaged and create a sense of connection to your brand.

As you share, you receive important feedback and validation which helps ensure you meet the needs of your audience.

Sharing while building can also help you build trust and credibility with your audience.

According to Jodie Cook, contributor at Forbes, "Sharing Your Personal Story Can Transform Your Business And Change Your Life" because:

- Stories make people pay attention (stop scrolling)
- Your story is your only true unique selling point (everything else can be copied)
- Sharing your story inspires others (people contribute to what they believe in)

That's all great, but there are big cons to building in public too:

- Bad criticism can demoralize you
- Your ideas might be picked up by others
- What you're working on might fail, and fail publicly
- Sharing your plans before they come to fruition puts the onus on you to achieve them

 
The Argument for Building in Silence

I officially started working as a Fractional CMO and marketing consultant under my own business on Jan 1st, 2022.

No one knew it except for my first client, my family, and my accountant.

Over the course of 2022 I focused on figuring out my niche, website, content strategy, and worked to grow a tight tribe around me in my network. People that I have come to consider some of my closest colleagues, friends, and confidants.

(Also known as, my new boardroom.)

On January 1st, 2023 I announced my new business on LinkedIn. A "reveal" moment that I was working on behind the scenes for a year.

Here's my take...

Generally, if you're confident in your product or services and want to create a sense of excitement and anticipation for its release, then building in silence and releasing it to your audience when it's done can be effective.

Here are a few other benefits of building in silence:

- Less distraction
- Less risk if plans change
- Let the results speak for you
- Not everyone is going to genuinely support you
- There is a different level of peace in building silently

When Does it Make Sense to be Silent or Share?

The best approach for you will depend on your goals, target audience, and the type of business you are building.

You may also find that a combination of both approaches works best for you. Sharing certain parts of what you're working on, but keeping certain parts hidden.

For instance, is it a bigger priority for your audience to relate to you, or see you as the expert? Sharing about a weakness might seem authentic, but does it risk your expertise?

On the other hand, if you’re struggling to find motivation to begin or keep going on a huge project, sharing the journey might help with accountability.

If this is the case, make sure the output is something within your control. For example, your journey isn't trying to get published, it's you finishing your book and feeling good about it.

Share when your audience can take action. For example, when your audience can watch your video, order your book, or provide input.

Confide in Your Tribe

Whichever path you choose, find a shortlist of people with similar values, cultivate deep relationships, and build your boardroom of confidants.

Make introductions, learn from each other’s experience, and hold each other accountable.

I consider myself incredibly lucky to be learning from the best.

(Does this sound scary? If doesn't have to be. I wrote an entire newsletter on how to connect with anyone in 60 seconds or less. You can read it here.)

Final Thoughts

Think about a balance of keeping your next move or your big goals on a need-to-know basis.

Have the patience to hold off until the time is right.

But if community and momentum building is a goal, how can you tactfully share the journey in a way that builds connection with your audience?

Hope this was helpful. See you again next week!



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