I built 3 companies before a single one made me a dollar. And instead of hiding until the money shows up, I'm building in public before revenue, and I'm doing it on purpose.
Most founders do the opposite. They stay quiet, work in private, and only start talking once the numbers look good and the story feels safe. By then the hard part is invisible. You get the highlight reel and never the build.
I want you to see the build.
Why build in public before revenue?
Because self belief is the one asset that never runs out. Money can run out. Momentum can stall. But my belief that I'll figure it out is something I control completely, and I'm not going to sit around waiting for revenue to give me permission to back myself.
So I'm documenting all 3 companies in real time: VIXA, my dating clarity app for women, HAVENLY, my Gen Z makeup remover wipe brand, and LUMAPROMPT.AI, my human written prompt library for women. None of them has to be finished for the story to be worth sharing.
Why document the failures and not just the wins?
Because the failures are the part nobody shows you, and they're the part that actually teaches you something. I've launched a business before that didn't work. I'm not ashamed of that, and I'm not embarrassed by it either. Failing is part of the process, and I'm not afraid of it.
The internet is full of success stories told after the fact, with the messy middle cut out. I'd rather give you the honest version: the good days, the hard ones, the ugly ones, and eventually the amazing outcome. Wins and corrections included.
What does failing forward actually mean?
To me it means every stumble and every study session is tuition. Every single day I watch a founder story or a marketing video, and I walk away sharper. A better founder, a better marketer. Even on a day when it looks like nothing happened, I picked up knowledge I didn't have yesterday.
So if one attempt falls short, I haven't lost anything. I've gathered what I need for the attempt that finally works. As long as you're still learning, you're not standing still.
The part most people will not admit
I love this. I love the work. I love sitting at my computer, sometimes with my laptop and my desktop running at the same time on 2 different tasks, and I'm genuinely happy doing it.
Of course I want the outcome. I want to build real wealth and a legacy for my 3 daughters. But I stopped letting the outcome be the only thing that matters. When you love the process this much, you've already won the part most people are still chasing.
The faith underneath all of it
This is what I believe. Put your whole effort into your daily habits and success becomes a matter of time, not luck. The harder you work, the more you learn. The more you learn, the more doors open. And the more doors open, the closer you get, as long as you don't quit and you don't let one failure write the ending.
That's the faith I have. I didn't get it from blind hope. I earned it, and I reinforce it every day by showing up.
So I'll keep building in public before the revenue comes in. I'll keep documenting the parts other founders hide. And I'll keep believing, out loud, that something is going to work, because it is.
If you're a woman building something of your own, take this with you. You don't have to wait until you've made it to start. Start now, and let people see you trying. Invest in yourself now. 💸
"Embrace what you don't know, especially in the beginning, because what you don't know can become your greatest asset."
~ Sara Blakely