The Content Nobody Wants To Publish (And Why It's The Content That Works)
The content founders are most afraid to publish, a real number, a real mistake or a real opinion, usually outperforms safe content because it's specific enough to be worth reading. The line is honesty versus recklessness: share it if you'd calmly discuss the post with the person it describes.
Ask most founders what they're afraid to post and they'll name something true, specific and a little uncomfortable. A launch that flopped. A number they're not proud of. An opinion they've been sanding down for months.
That discomfort is the signal. Not something to avoid. Something to pay attention to, because it usually points straight at the post worth writing.
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Safe content sounds like everyone else's safe content. Readers have learned to scroll past it without absorbing a word.
The post you're hesitant to publish is often the one saying something specific enough to be worth reading. Specific beats polished. A real number beats a general lesson. A real mistake beats another win.
This isn't a case for manufactured controversy. It's a case for telling the truth about a real number, a real mistake or a real opinion you've been softening for fear of pushback. If you've already moved on from something you used to believe, say so; arguing with last year's version of you is one of the most useful posts you can write.
Should founders share failures publicly?
Yes, when the post is about what you learned and what changed, not about getting sympathy.
A founder who only posts wins reads as someone managing perception. The readers most likely to buy something significant are sophisticated. They notice the pattern and discount it.
A specific account of what didn't work, and what changed because of it, builds more credibility than another highlight reel, because it carries the kind of detail a highlight reel never includes.
Where is the line between honest and reckless?
There's a real difference between uncomfortable because it's honest and uncomfortable because it's reckless.
| Honest (post it) | Reckless (don't) |
|---|---|
| A launch underperformed and here's what you learned | Attacking a named person or company to generate outrage |
| The real number behind a result, good or bad | Sharing a client's private details without permission |
| An opinion your industry won't like, with your reasoning | A hot take you don't believe, built only to trigger replies |
Reckless content can work in the short term. It still costs more than it earns.
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Run one question before you hit post: would you calmly discuss this exact post with the person or situation it describes, if they saw it?
If yes, it's probably honest content. If the answer is no, it's probably reckless content dressed up as honesty. That one question filters out almost every version of this that would backfire.
The same rule applies when you're building in public: share the lesson and the number, keep the private details private.
The objection: "Won't this make me look weak?"
The pushback: if I admit a mistake or share a weak number, doesn't that undermine confidence in my business?
For most readers it does the opposite. Admitting a miss shows you know what a miss looks like, which is exactly what a buyer wants from someone they're about to trust with money.
Picture a hypothetical founder whose best post of the year isn't a win announcement. It's a breakdown of a $40,000 marketing campaign that produced almost nothing, with the exact numbers and the one assumption that turned out wrong. It pulls more replies and messages than the previous six posts combined, and several come from prospects who say the candor is what made them reach out.
That's the pattern. The uncomfortable post gets remembered. And if the thing you're avoiding is a video, the logic holds there too: the founder video you're avoiding is probably the one that would work best.
What to do this week
Write down the post you've been avoiding: the honest, specific one, not the reckless one. Run it through the one-question test, then publish it this week.
Key takeaways
- Safe content blends in; specific, uncomfortable content gets read and remembered.
- Share failures for the lesson and the number, never for outrage.
- Before posting, ask if you'd calmly discuss it with the person involved.
Frequently asked questions
Should I post about my business failures online?
Yes, if the post shares what went wrong, the real numbers and what you changed. Specific failure stories build more trust with serious buyers than a steady stream of wins, which reads as managing perception.
How do I share mistakes without hurting my brand?
Keep the focus on your decision and the lesson, not on blaming anyone. Leave out private client details, and run one test first: would you calmly discuss this exact post with the person or situation it describes?
What is the difference between honest and controversial content?
Honest content tells the truth about a real result or opinion you hold. Manufactured controversy attacks a named target or pushes a take you don't believe just to trigger replies, and it costs more trust than it earns.
Mike Nathan
Founder & CEO, Impero Ventures · Founding Partner, Exit 156 Capital
20+ companies. $170M revenue. $55M raised. 3 exits. 2 VC funds. 1M+ YouTube subscribers.
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