The Invisible Pressure of Building Your Business Online
You open your phone, and there it is: another post from a competitor celebrating their tenth client this month. You haven’t even updated your Facebook page in weeks. Suddenly, you feel like you’re falling behind. But here’s the reality: that feeling is manufactured by a culture that equates online activity with business success.
In a recent TechCrunch article, young founders shared how the pressure to “build in public” is crushing them. Arlan Rakhmetzhanov, a 19-year-old founder, describes a world where every move is public and every mistake is dissected. For him, it’s either win big or fail completely. While Malaysian SME owners may not be under the same venture capital microscope, the same dynamics apply on smaller scales.
You might be tempted to post every win, every milestone, and every pivot. But the cost is high. It takes time away from your core business, and it can burn you out. This post is about how to build your business in public without getting trapped by the show.
TL;DR
The pressure to perform success online is real, but it doesn’t have to control you. Building in public works best when you use it to serve your customers, not your ego. Focus on authentic engagement over public applause, and let your customers’ satisfaction be your main metric.
What This Means for Your Business
“Build in public” means sharing your business journey openly. This includes your challenges, failures, and lessons. The idea is to build trust and attract the right audience. But as the TechCrunch article highlights, this has become a performance. Founders are expected to show off constantly, with every Twitter thread and LinkedIn update scrutinized. The article quotes Ashley Smith, a general partner at Vermilion, saying that “everyone is looking for the next Cursor, even though that growth trajectory is an outlier.”
For Malaysian SMEs, this means the expectation to grow fast is unrealistic. You don’t need to be an outlier. You need to be consistent and reliable. The article also notes that young founders often lack fear, which leads to experimentation. But you have experience, which allows for careful decisions. Use it wisely.
“What they lack in experience, they make up for in excitement to experiment and lack of fear,” says Ashley Smith. For Malaysian SMEs, your experience is your crown jewel. Use it to build trust, not just buzz.
How This Applies to Malaysian SMEs
In Malaysia, SMEs are the backbone of the economy. Many operate in retail, food, and services. Platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram are key tools, but they can be double-edged swords. You might feel pressured to post frequently, but this can lead to burnout. The article mentions that founders under pressure sometimes inflate their numbers or create fake success. For your SME, honesty is always better. Your customers value integrity over flashy posts.
Consider a local bakery in Penang or a retail shop in KL. If they spend hours on Instagram reels instead of perfecting their product, their quality drops. Similarly, for a service provider like a legal firm or accounting office, trust comes from expertise, not social media activity. The article features Pranjali Awasthi, who says, “If you focus your time on what needs to get done, it’s not too hard.” This is a golden rule for SMEs: focus on delivering value, and online success will follow naturally.
Another point: young founders often raise capital, but SMEs usually rely on cash flow. The pressure to show growth can lead to risky decisions. In the article, Timothy Chen notes that founders now worry about their neighbors, not just incumbents. In Malaysia, collaboration with other SMEs can be more powerful than competition. For example, cross-promotions on WhatsApp groups or shared resources can help everyone without the need to constantly perform online.
Finally, the article discusses how AI tools have lowered barriers for young founders. For Malaysian SMEs, AI can automate customer service or streamline operations, but don’t let it distract you into creating more content for public show. The goal is to work smarter, not harder for social media likes. Use tools like simple chatbots from AutoRunBiz to handle queries while you focus on your core.
Practical Tips for Building in Public
Here’s a checklist to help you build in public without burning out:
- Start with listening: Before posting, spend time reading what your customers say online or on WhatsApp. Use their questions to guide your content.
- Set a schedule: Plan your posts weekly. Don’t let social media interrupt your work hours. Use scheduling tools like Buffer or Hootsuite.
- Share behind-the-scenes: Post about your process, including challenges. Customers love authenticity over perfection.
- Celebrate customer wins: Instead of your achievements, highlight your customers’ successes. This builds community and trust.
- Stop comparing: Unfollow accounts that make you feel inadequate. Your business is on its own journey, and slow growth is often sustainable growth.
- Measure engagement over vanity: Track how many messages or comments you get from clients, not just likes. This shows real interest.
The Bigger Picture
The trend of building in public is evolving. As the TechCrunch article concludes, the fundamentals haven’t changed: obsession with the customer, honesty, and conviction. For Malaysian SMEs, this is good news. You don’t have to chase every trend. By staying true to your values and focusing on your customers, you can build a business that thrives long-term. The future belongs to authentic businesses, not loud ones.
| Old Approach | New Approach |
|---|---|
| Focus on product in private | Focus on story in public |
| Customer through referral | Customer through discovery |
| Trust built over time | Trust expected instantly |
| Slow, sustainable growth | Fast, sometimes pressurized growth |
Remember, as a Malaysian SME owner, you have the advantage of community and credibility. Use building in public as a tool, not a trap. Let your work speak for itself.
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