How to get over myself and make the first step to build in public
Hi everyone!
I started exploring a SaaS idea about 9 months ago, aimed at helping teams and organisation improve the quality of their decision making. I've spent a lot of that time validating the problem and testing ideas within my private network as well as starting to build an MVP (while still being a full time, busy and passionate employee). I know I now need to get out there and talk about my idea in the open to put it to the test before investing a lot more time in it, but I'm facing a serious block and haven't been able to push myself to do that.
I think that my block is a classic mix of fear of failure, imposter syndrome, cringe of talking about a business idea in the open when I've barely created anything yet, and also not knowing how to engage on platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter.
I don't have much to share at this point except a landing page (ofmanyminds.com) and the will to hear from more people about their experience and pains with decision making.
Has anyone felt that way before they started talking about their project in public? How did you get over it? What was your first step?
It's completely normal to feel fear and self-doubt when launching a new project. Many entrepreneurs experience this before they put their idea out there. However, the key to overcoming this fear is to take action and push through it.
Here are some suggestions for getting over the fear and taking the first steps:
Start small: Don't feel like you have to jump in with both feet right away. Start by sharing your idea with a few trusted friends or colleagues and ask for their feedback. This will help you build confidence and refine your pitch.
Get comfortable with the uncomfortable: It's okay to feel uncomfortable when talking about your project. In fact, it's normal. The more you do it, the easier it will become. Practice makes perfect.
Set goals: Set small achievable goals such as reaching out to 5 people a week or posting one tweet a day. Having small goals will help you build momentum and gradually overcome your fear.
Celebrate small successes: Celebrate small milestones such as getting a positive response from someone or gaining a new follower. This will help you stay motivated and build confidence. For example, It's great that you posted this and It shows us you know you have this problem and that you want to change it. I think it deserves a celebration :D!
Remember, launching a project takes courage, and it's okay to feel fear and doubt. But the more you push yourself out of your comfort zone, the more confident you will become. Good luck!
Thank you, that's very encouraging :)
Since my post I've decided to share a public post on LinkedIn to call for user research participants - Feels like a comfortable first step
I definitely had the "I need the project to have X feature before I start promoting it" mentality for a while. For me, I just needed to experience the failure that mindset brings. Revenue can only come from talking to people.
With my latest project, I just started by talking to people and providing a service without software. I didn't even have a landing page until recently. I found that I needed to find something that was easy for me to talk about, which made it more likely for me to be convincing others that it was a great idea.
For your idea, I don't think you necessarily need software first. Remove the word "digital" and now you're providing a facillitator service. You can do that yourself manually. It doesn't scale like a SaaS, but you will get the practice you need to sell the SaaS once it is built. Not only that, you'll have some early customers who will likely convert.