What a year of building in public actually taught me

When I started posting work-in-progress instead of polished launches, I expected embarrassment. What I got was feedback loops measured in hours, not weeks.

The mechanics matter less than the habit. Ship a small thing, write down why, and let people poke holes in it. Most won't. The few who do are worth more than any course.

Over a year this compounded: better defaults, a small audience that trusts me, and a body of work I can point clients to instead of a résumé.