The Awesome Truth About Pivots: Why Evolving Toward Our Startup’s Business Model Was a Great...

Hi. • John Manoogian III • @jm3

Hi.An unusual background

Code leadership design CTO* * *

The AwesomeTruth About Pivots!

@JM3

Confession:I have pivoted more than anyone I know in my career and in my startup.

Show of hands...Who here *wants* their startup to fail?

“But… but!”

My condolences in advance.

?

$ $

$how of Hand$ #2Who here wants to build a

billion dollar company?

STARTUPS ARE A RACE AGAINST BROKESince most startups who succeed undergo pivots, an unhealthy aversion to pivots can reduce your chances.

Most Successful Startups pivotLet’s play, “name their original business model…”

Flickr

Heroku

Instagram

Paypal

Twitter

Youtube

Awe$ome companies pivot

chat w photos

in-browser coding

location-based checkins

beam money to Palm Pilots

podcast directory

video dating site

140 Proof!

Different pivots unlock different weapons and abilities, like power-ups.

analytics ➤ recommendations

long-tail ➤ mad.ave

self-serve ➤ full-serve

140 Proof’s pivot evolution:

Pivoting is toughAdmitting we’re wrong is painful.Doing field surgery on our babies is terrifying.

We pivoted to an investor free zonePivoting our company’s revenue mechanism from self-serve to full-serve coated us in kryptonite.

(luckily, it all worked out in the end ;)

A taxonomy of pivot types.

4. customer need

5.zoom in /zoom out

6.growthlever

3.revenue model

2. market

1.technologystack

(winding down)

how do you know when you have made a great pivot?

•Pivots are positive.Great companies pivot. You can pivot anything.Pivot one thing at a time.Get them beating down your door.

(Get those iPhones out.) @JM3

Billion dollar founders are no different from you.They pivoted.

Thanks!@jm3