Why Startups Make Major Pivots Before They Succeed
What makes you successful tomorrow may look nothing like the product you’re building today
I’ve been an entrepreneur for over 20 years, a founder or leader at 13 startups, and an advisor or consultant for dozens more. When I consider the products and companies that I’ve found success with, and compare the final results to the original idea, I see the same two signals every time:
- The original idea was a winner.
- The way I interpreted, productized, executed, and delivered that idea was nothing like what I had originally imagined when I set out to build a company around it.
While the idea matters, it’s what you do with that idea that makes the difference between success and failure.
The rise of the perpetual pivot
If you ask why companies make major changes to their product on their way from idea to pilot to every subsequent version after that, the short answer is: Because they can.
We live in a time when it’s never been easier to change a product on the fly. Sure, some types of products are easier to re-release to market than others, but it’s not just about the ability to change the product itself. The ways we sell, deliver, use…
