Lots of new faces here—welcome!
This week we’ll preview a few recent events, highlight a strategy used by big brands, and get into the tactical weeds of building in public. Let’s start in 3…2…1…GO!
Recent Events
I took a break from small business last week to explore the venture and startup world. Here are two things I found interesting:
After saving 40,000 businesses $10 billion and 27.5 million hours, fintech company Ramp is #6 Disruptor on CNBC’s top 50 innovative companies. Ramp is popular with startups, but do small businesses know about them?
Move over Unicorns, Elephants are the new kings of startup culture. Defined by three traits: member-oriented, mission-based, and builds in public, Elephant companies can be found all over social media.
New Marketing Strategy
Big brands value user generated content (UGC) by content creators as better value than professionally produced media. In other words, influencers aren’t on the rise anymore—they’re mainstream.
Moving forward, small businesses and non-profit organizations should consider adding UGC in their marketing plans.
Let’s Dive into Building in Public
What is building in public and how does it help businesses grow?
Building in public is a strategy entrepreneurs use to openly share their journey of building a company. Usually done through social media or blogs, entrepreneurs make posts to connect with their audience, and grow a dedicated community around the business.
What if I want to build in public but I’m not good at social media?
I argue it’s our advantage if we’re not polished on social media because audiences value authenticity over corporate cleanliness.
Can RL make a beginner’s guide on how to build in public?
1. Choose your favorite way of communicating online: written word, pictures, videos.
2. Choose one platform to post on: LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Email Newsletter, Blog, YouTube.
3. Choose how often to post: daily or weekly.
4. Using your favorite method to communicate online, answer these questions:
What did we accomplish today or this week?
What challenges are we currently facing?
What will we do to overcome these challenges?
What milestone(s) are we looking forward to achieve?
5. Post your answers!
6. Repeat steps 1-5 daily or weekly.
Do these steps for 3-6 months, and I’ll bet you’ll be an influencer by the end of the year.
Also, building in public isn’t only for founders. Employees and student interns can also benefit by showcasing their work or lessons they’ve learned, attracting potential promotions and job offers.
Trivia
Did you know that Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) broke his toe when he kicked a helmet in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers?
See you next week!
Romi
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