Building CAUSL - Episode 4: Building Publicly
Why I'm building publicly
Against my better judgement
I'm not an idiot. I know that building a company publicly leaves me exposed to the risk of humiliation if it all goes wrong, which it very well could; especially given that I've never done something like this before. Part of me thinks that I should just fly under the radar, but against my better judgement, I'm going to do it publicly.
Why risk failing so openly?
Simple, I believe in the power of stories. Especially underdog stories and origin stories (Marvel fan). This feels like a bit of both.
Stories have a way of staying with us. People remember them. A good story can inspire us, teach us valuable lessons or give us a warm fuzzy feeling. Of course sometimes they're just entertainment wrapped in different genres, but there's value in that too! Entertainment is sometimes just the distraction we need.
Will this be a comedy, horror, thriller or simply a fantasy? Who knows? Right now it feels like a "coming-of-age" drama with an uncertain outcome for the main protagonists. I, of course however, am rooting for a romance with a fairy tale ending.
Being authentic
Authenticity is important. Writing about what I'm doing as I'm doing it shows authenticity and I can't stress the importance of that. Writing about it after the fact puts the authenticity of this story at risk and people will see through that. I've seen far too many rags to riches stories which later turn out to be a fabrication of reality just to sell a course, book or product, or, as it has come to transpire recently, become a Dragon on Dragon's Den. There is no way for me to fabricate anything right now, nor is there any motivation for me to do so. What you see is what you get. Naturally I won't be sharing anything about my clients.
Final words
I'm sure there are a few people out there who want to see us crash and burn for no reason other than entertainment, that's natural (hopefully there aren't too many of you). But there are also an overwhelming majority of you who do want to see us succeed and are now on this journey with us. That may be because you like happy endings, you need the inspiration, or simply because, like me, you hope for the best for everyone. Regardless of the reason or the outcome of our story, I'm hoping that sharing it publicly will inspire others to take a leap of faith and give people something to cheer for and that in itself is worth the risk.