I Didn’t Learn This From Tutorials. I Learned It From Building in Public

A year ago, I was stuck in tutorial hell.
Courses. Docs. Videos. Notes. Still… no momentum.

Everything changed when I started building small things and sharing them publicly.

Not polished products.
Not startups.
Just tiny experiments:

• A Chrome extension for job seekers (I built this to fix my own frustration with messy LinkedIn job posts)
• A micro tool that solved my own problem
• A half-broken side project I still shipped anyway

This is what that Chrome extension looks like in action:

Here’s what surprised me:

1. Building publicly creates real accountability

When people see your work, you show up differently.

2. Feedback arrives faster than motivation ever will

Strangers pointed bugs I missed.
Some even suggested better features.

3. Opportunities come from proof, not resumes

Nobody asked for certificates.
They asked: “Can I see your work?”

The internet is full of people waiting to discover useful things.
But they can’t find what you never publish.

So if you're learning:

• Don’t wait to be ready
• Don’t wait for perfection
• Don’t wait for permission

Just build something small.
Then ship it.
Then repeat.

If someone wants to explore the extension, here it is:
https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/linkedin-joblens-%E2%80%94-smart/ffkelfoaaejkhdldmlbnglhpgpobiigp
I’m still improving it while learning in public.

What’s the smallest thing you’ve built that taught you the most?

Comments

[oyinade olawoyin]

Thank you for this article!

[Salaria Labs]

Thanks for reading! Glad it resonated with you 🙌