What do open startups share, and why?
Open startups publish their numbers: visitors, signups, revenue and more. What's common to share, what to keep private, and how to start with one page.
An open startup publishes its key numbers for anyone to see: usually traffic, signups and revenue, sometimes costs and churn. Founders do it to build trust, keep themselves accountable and give people a reason to follow along. You can start small, with traffic only, and add more when you're comfortable.
What open startups commonly share
| Number | Why people share it |
|---|---|
| Visitors and page views | Easy to share, shows reach |
| Signups or users | Shows people actually want it |
| Revenue or MRR | The number people find most interesting |
| Customers | Growth that money backs up |
| Churn | Honest, but harder to share |
| Costs and profit | Rare, very transparent |
How to start
- Start with traffic. It's the least sensitive and still interesting. Set up a public stats page.
- Post milestones. "First 1,000 visitors", "first paying customer". Link your page.
- Add revenue when you're ready. Many founders share MRR monthly in a post, even if their dashboard stays private.
- Stay consistent. Share bad months too; that's what makes it believable.
What to keep private
- Anything about individual customers or visitors.
- Numbers that could hurt a customer if shared (a big client's revenue share).
- Your internal notes and plans.
Is it right for you?
It works well when your audience is other makers, or when trust matters to your buyers. It's less useful when competitors could copy you faster than you grow, or when your numbers involve clients who'd rather stay private.
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