There’s a moment in building something where you have to decide who you’re optimizing for.
Early on, it’s just you. Then maybe a small set of ideas, sketches, or prototypes. Eventually, you reach a point where the work is real enough that keeping it completely private starts to hurt more than it helps.
I think I’m at that point now.
The Tension Between Polish and Learning
There’s a strong pull to wait until something feels “done” before letting anyone see it. Polished. Documented. Fully formed.
The problem is that polish often hides the most important feedback.
What I care about right now isn’t applause or adoption. It’s learning. I want to know where people pause, what they misunderstand, and which assumptions don’t survive first contact with reality.
That kind of insight doesn’t come from dashboards or signups. It comes from thoughtful eyes on unfinished work.
Choosing Who Gets to Look
I’m not interested in opening the floodgates yet. Early feedback shapes products, whether you want it to or not, and I’m being intentional about who helps shape this one.
Peers. Builders. People who understand tradeoffs. People who are comfortable saying, “This part feels off,” instead of just asking for features.
That’s who I want looking right now.
Comfortable, Not Rushed
Letting people see something before it’s ready isn’t about being early. It’s about being honest about where the work actually is.
I’m comfortable with people looking. I’m comfortable with it being incomplete. I’m comfortable saying, “This is close, but not finished.”
What I’m not interested in is rushing past that phase just to say it’s launched.
There will be a time to open the door wider. I’m not there yet.
But I’m close enough now that letting people see the shape of it feels like the right next step.
Jake Dubin 