Journal Entry #3: A Deeper Dive into Personal Branding

The concept of building a personal brand has been buzzing in my mind lately. With the increasing impact of AI and automation, the way we work is evolving rapidly. It's no longer enough to simply be good at what you do — people need to see you, trust you, and connect with you on a personal level. That realization hit me hard, and it’s what has propelled me to start sharing my journey publicly through BuildWithMatija.com.

This date marks a deeper shift in how I see my role, not just as a creator or entrepreneur, but as someone who needs to document and share their story. I used to think that building things in isolation was enough, that results would speak for themselves. But the reality is different: people trust people, especially those who are transparent and take them along for the ride.

Lessons from Noah’s Book

A big influence on this shift has been a book I’ve been reading, written by Noah Kagan. It emphasizes a few key ideas:

Take your audience on a journey — Don’t just lecture or instruct; involve them. Make them feel like they’re part of the story.

Teach something useful, relevant, and surprising — People are drawn to those who can simplify complexity and offer practical insights.

The book also challenged me to define my unique angle — my “why.” This exercise made me reflect deeply on my journey so far and the values I want to bring into my work. Here’s what I came up with:

Who Am I?

I’m Matija, a self-taught software developer and entrepreneur. My path to this point hasn’t been traditional, but it has been deeply meaningful.

I studied accounting and audit, one of the driest fields in business, and quickly realized it wasn’t for me. After an interview with a bank, I knew I couldn’t spend my life doing something that drained me. So I left Slovenia and went abroad, taking a sales job at a cannabis startup — the only job I could get with zero experience.

That first job was humbling but transformative. I realized that what set me apart wasn’t my education but my side projects. After just one month of cold-calling (which I hated), I transitioned to email marketing. There, I fell in love with tools, automation, and building systems.

From there, I dove into coding out of necessity. I started with SQL while creating reports for the sales team. Then Python, as I began automating tasks and connecting tools. By 2021, I quit my job to pursue building SaaS products full-time. Fueled by Scott H. Young’s Ultralearning, I created my own curriculum and dove into full-stack development. I wanted to learn how to build apps from scratch — not because I had a clear goal, but because I felt this deep need to create something meaningful.

Why Should People Listen?

I’m on a journey to figure out how to create products that solve real problems and are worth paying for. I’ve built this foundation as a self-taught developer using near-zero-cost resources like YouTube and Udemy.

I’m not here to claim that human coding is superior to AI. In fact, I’ve embraced AI tools to develop faster and more effectively. My focus is on identifying problems, validating them through MVPs, and solving them as quickly as possible.

This approach isn’t for everyone. It’s unconventional. I rejected the security of a traditional job because I believe that taking the hard road now will lead to greater freedom later. This isn’t about shortcuts; it’s about long-term fulfillment through creation.

What Am I Passionate About?

I love talking to people, uncovering their challenges, and spotting opportunities where others see blind spots. The process excites me:

Capturing an idea while on a run.

Jotting it down in IdeaOtter, a tool I’m building.

Coming back to it later, brainstorming, refining, and defining it with the help of tools like ChatGPT.

Developing the MVP — getting into flow, coding with intensity, and feeling the neurons fire with excitement.

The rush of taking an idea from concept to completion is unmatched. It’s what drives me, and it’s why I’ve committed to documenting this journey in public.

What Will I Do for People?

I’ll share my process openly — the ups, downs, and everything in between. I’ll document the steps I take, the tools I use, and the lessons I learn. Whether it’s building an MVP in two days, validating a problem, or navigating challenges, my hope is that my journey will inspire others to take action on their own ideas.

Key Takeaways:

People don’t follow brands; they follow people they can relate to.

Building in public isn’t just about transparency; it’s about creating connections.

The ultimate goal of BuildWithMatija.com is to inspire and empower others to start, continue, and succeed on their own journeys.

This is where my personal branding journey begins. BuildWithMatija is more than just a website — it’s a commitment to share, connect, and create.