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🎥 Building my startup in public

👤 Channel: Will Wang
⏱️ Duration: 22:07
🔗 Watch on YouTube

Overview

This video is a behind-the-scenes vlog documenting the journey of a startup team
as they navigate building their product, going viral on social media, and
raising early-stage funding. The founders share honest reflections and practical
lessons from their fundraising experience, product development process, and
efforts to build in public. The video also provides insights into startup life
in San Francisco, the importance of community, and actionable advice for other
founders.

Main Topics Covered

• The startup’s recent viral launch and social media strategy
• Early fundraising efforts and challenges
• Product development updates and MVP iteration
• Reflections on building in public and personal branding
• The importance of community and being in San Francisco
• Advice for aspiring founders and creators
• Networking, events, and peer interactions in the startup ecosystem

Key Takeaways & Insights

• Fundraising is Difficult and Requires Volume: Successful fundraising is a numbers game—many VCs will say "no" before a "yes," and getting a lead investor is often the hardest part, after which others may follow more easily. Momentum matters; losing it can stall the round.
• Founders Should Guide Fundraising Conversations: Instead of treating investor meetings like job interviews, founders should proactively lead the conversation and not just answer questions.
• Go Viral Early to Validate Demand: Launching early—even with an imperfect product—can help validate demand, gather user data, and inform product direction, despite the discomfort of public scrutiny.
• Building in Public Is Powerful: Sharing the journey openly can boost distribution, build an audience, and attract support. However, focus on one platform initially to avoid burnout.
• Community and Location Matter: Being physically present in startup hubs like San Francisco accelerates growth through serendipitous meetings, learning, and motivation from peers.
• Iterative Product Development: Continuous user feedback and rapid iteration are key, even if the initial version is rough. Prioritize traction and user retention before returning to fundraising.
• Mental Resilience Is Vital: Dealing with rejection, public criticism, and the emotional ups and downs of startup life is part of the process.

Actionable Strategies

1. Batch Fundraising Meetings: Schedule as many investor meetings as possible within a short window (2 weeks) to maintain momentum.
2. Lead the Investor Conversation: Prepare to guide discussions with VCs rather than passively answering questions.
3. Build and Launch Early: Don’t wait for a perfect product; launch an MVP to validate demand and learn from real users.
4. Focus on One Distribution Channel: When building in public, pick a single
   platform (e.g., YouTube, Twitter) and master it before expanding.
5. Iterate Based on Data: Use feedback and usage data from early adopters to
   improve the product quickly.
6. Engage with Community: Attend events, network, and immerse yourself in
   environments with other founders for faster growth.
7. Prioritize User Retention: After validating demand, focus on building a
   product that encourages continuous use.

Specific Details & Examples

• Social Media Metrics: The startup’s launch video received 750,000 views on Twitter, 200,000 on Threads, and 100,000 on Instagram.
• Fundraising Progress: They raised $100,000 so far, short of their initial $1 million goal, but learned valuable lessons for future rounds.
• Product Overview: The core product allows users to edit videos using text prompts, aiming to simplify and speed up the editing process compared to traditional timeline editing.
• Technical Challenges: The team encountered bugs (e.g., a thumbnail bug, schema changes due to Gemini model updates) and discussed the iterative nature of their development.
• User Feedback: The product went viral before it was fully ready, leading to valuable feedback and data on user behavior and prompting styles.
• Events & Networking: The founders attended YC launch parties, engaged with other startups, and highlighted the benefits of being at Founders Inc. and in San Francisco.
• Personal Branding: The founder recommends putting out 10–15 pieces of content on a chosen platform before focusing on quality, and always considering the audience's perspective over algorithmic tricks.
• Peer Advice: Other founders in the video discuss their viral experiences, technical products, and the importance of starting within a niche before scaling.

Warnings & Common Mistakes

• Spreading Yourself Too Thin: Trying to be present on multiple social platforms from the start leads to burnout—focus on one first.
• Waiting for Perfection: Delaying launch until the product is polished risks never getting real user feedback and missing market demand validation.
• Letting Fundraising Drag On: Prolonged fundraising reduces momentum and distracts from building and selling the actual product.
• Overemphasizing Algorithms: Focusing too much on gaming social media algorithms instead of understanding and serving your target audience.
• Taking Rejection Personally: Not being prepared for the volume of "no's" in fundraising can be emotionally taxing; resilience is key.

Resources & Next Steps

• Product Access: The MVP is live and available for feedback; viewers are encouraged to try it with their own video clips.
• Community & Events: Founders are attending and recommending startup events and networking opportunities, particularly in San Francisco.
• Advice for Building in Public: Start with a single platform, iterate quickly, then analyze and optimize based on which content resonates with your intended audience.
• Peer Tools: Mention of gabber.de as a real-time app development tool.
• Future Plans: The team aims to improve their product’s retention metrics and user experience before returning to aggressive fundraising, and to continue sharing their journey via vlogs and social media.