You Cannot Pivot a Bad Product into a Good One
The word "pivot" is often used almost as a wish, as if simply changing direction will somehow transform something that doesn’t work into something that does overnight. But while pivoting is a powerful tool rooted in learning, it’s not magic. If your idea has no traction to begin with, a pivot won’t save it.
However, if your idea isn’t quite taking off, but there’s one specific component that’s shining, then you might be onto something. A pivot, coupled with doubling down on that strength, can turn an okay idea into a great one.
Let’s unpack how it works with two famous examples and one from my own experience.
Examples of Successful Pivots
Let’s start with Twitch, the mega-successful video game streaming platform. It may surprise you, but the company started as a general streaming platform called Justin.tv. It built a modest follower base, but nothing that could scale. Except for one component: the gaming streams, which were attracting a loyal and obsessed fanbase. The majority of streams were coming from this part of the product, so the founders made the bold decision to drop everything else and focus solely on gaming. The rest is history.
Another example is Instagram. Believe it or not, this now-famous photo-sharing app started as Burbn, a check-in app with a photo-sharing feature. Except he check-in part didn’t take off, but users loved the photo-sharing aspect. You know what happened from there.
I also saw this happen firsthand. We were trying to outcompete our competitors by offering a broader range of products in our marketplace. But we realized that the true differentiator wasn’t our product range—it was our shipping options. By doubling down on that strength, we turned the business around and became profitable.
Identifying When to Pivot
So, what’s the lesson from these examples? For a pivot to work, you need a solid indication of an atomic product-market-fit. That is market fit, even if it’s just one aspect of your product.
Look for signs like:
One part of your product driving the majority of usage.
A feature that’s the main source of customer acquisition.
The only profitable component.
The driver of word-of-mouth.
A small but loyal cohort of repeat purchasers.
If you can identify any of these signals, you’ve found what you should double down on. But if your idea fails to attract returning customers or generate buzz, you likely don’t have product-market fit. In that case, no pivot can save your product—unless you find a completely new problem to solve, which is essentially starting over.
Next time you see your metrics stagnating and consider a pivot, think twice. Is there something worth salvaging, or is your product not really solving a problem? Honest assessment is key. A pivot should be a strategic decision, not a last-ditch effort.
