Building in Public: Week One (The Good, The Bad, and The Expensive)

Hi there,

Earlier this week, I made a promise to build The Learning Stack in public. No ivory tower, no polished-only updates. Just the real, transparent journey of building a business from scratch.

Well, week one of focusing on this full-time is in the books.

And it’s been... a lot.

It’s been a mix of incredible highs and some very real “oh, right” moments. In the spirit of that promise, here are my takeaways from the first seven days.

Let’s start with the best news: I signed my first paying client.

I’ve spoken to many Learning Tech companies over the years, and even more in just the last few weeks. This week, one of them took a leap of faith with me.

This is more than just “first revenue,” as critical as that is. It’s validation. It’s a partner who believes in this mission of bringing clarity and honesty to our industry. I couldn’t be happier to start our work together.

On top of that, other tech partners have given me full access to their platforms. This is the bedrock of what I want to do: really dig into their offerings so I can provide the community with real, practitioner-led resources. No fluff.

The mission feels real.

Now for the reality check: Starting a business is expensive.

You just take it for granted when you’re in a corporate job. A high-spec laptop appears on your desk. Software licenses are just... there. Your phone bill? Never even saw it.

When you’re your own employer, you see every single line item. The laptop, the phone, the half-dozen software subscriptions you suddenly need just to be operational. It adds up, and it adds up fast.

The “startup cost” isn’t an abstract number on a spreadsheet; it’s a very real credit card bill. 😅

I’ve been absolutely floored by the support.

Referrals, positive thoughts, new connections, messages from old friends, and so many generous offers of help.

If you were one of the people who replied to my last email or reached out on LinkedIn with a kind word, thank you. Seriously. This path can feel lonely, but you’ve all made it feel like a true community effort from day one.

I have so much to learn.

I’ve spent 30 years as a learning professional, but this week I’ve had to be a strategist, a salesperson, a marketing lead, a contract lawyer (or at least, someone who reads contracts very carefully), a project manager, and a bookkeeper.

The learning curve is vertical. But I’ve always loved a challenge, and I’m treating this as my new curriculum. I’ll be sharing what I learn about all these new “jobs” as I go.

But for all the cost and the steep learning curve, I got my first taste of the real “why.”

I’m writing this post from Bude, in Cornwall.

This week, I’ve been able to get serious, deep work done... and also walk on the beach, get some inspiration from the crashing waves, and yes, have a sneaky pint of cider and a proper Cornish pasty.

This is the flexibility and freedom I was looking for. The ability to work how, when, and where I want.

So, that’s week one. A little bit of everything.

This is what building in public looks like. A mix of big wins, scary invoices, and quiet moments that make you remember exactly why you started.

I’ll be back soon with more updates.

But now, I have a question for you, especially for those who have gone solo or are thinking about it:

Hit reply and let me know. I’d love to hear your story.

All the best,

Mark