Rebuilding in Public: A Message from Toby McCosker

When the World Is Watching, Build Anyway

There’s a special kind of courage required to rebuild when people are watching. When the dust hasn’t settled. When critics still whisper. When Google still shows headlines that don’t tell the full story.

But I’ve learned something from that fire: you don’t need to wait for the world to forget before you begin again. You just need to decide that your future matters more than their memory of your past.

I’m Toby McCosker, and this is a message for anyone rebuilding in public: you’re not alone—and you’re not done.

The Fall Isn’t the End—It’s the Reset

For a long time, I thought failure had to happen in the shadows. Quietly. Privately. Without the sting of judgment or the noise of online noise.

But business doesn’t always give you that option. When things collapse—when partnerships go wrong, when headlines spin out, when your name gets dragged—you find out what rebuilding really means.

It means owning your part. Learning out loud. And showing up anyway.

There’s Power in Transparency

I used to think the strongest thing I could do was stay silent. Keep moving. Prove my worth by what I built next—not by what I said.

But I’ve come to realise that silence can sometimes be mistaken for guilt. Or worse—detachment.

So here it is: I’ve made mistakes. I’ve trusted people I shouldn’t have. I’ve signed contracts I’d challenge today. I’ve fought battles I didn’t win. But I never stopped leading. I never stopped building. I never stopped caring.

That’s what matters now.

You Don’t Rebuild a Reputation—You Outwork It

Reputation isn’t something you get to rebrand overnight. There’s no shortcut. No SEO trick that replaces honest, relentless consistency.

So, I’ve rebuilt piece by piece:

• One article at a time.

• One team at a time.

• One project at a time.

Not to erase the past, but to own it—and rise above it.

What I Want You to Know

If you’re watching me rebuild—out of curiosity, loyalty, or criticism—know this:

• I’m not hiding.

• I’m not folding.

• I’m not finished.

I’m just doing what builders do when the structure cracks: I assess, reinforce, and start again.

Because resilience isn’t about bouncing back. It’s about choosing not to disappear.

Conclusion: This Is the Work That Matters Most

I’m Toby McCosker, and rebuilding in public isn’t about redemption—it’s about refusing to let one chapter define the whole book.

So yes, this is a message. But more than that, it’s a blueprint—for anyone out there who’s tired, exposed, and still willing to try.

Keep building. I am.

More from Toby McCosker

Lessons from the Frontline: Leading Through Adversity
How pressure shaped leadership beyond the job site.

Reputation vs. Reality: What the Media Got Wrong
Why headlines don’t always tell the full story.

Tobias (Toby) McCosker is the founder of Built By Toby. After two decades in construction and business, he now shares raw lessons from the frontline.
Explore more at BuiltByToby.com.au