TL; DR: When growth stalls, users disengage, or the market shifts, changing direction can move your startup forward. This guide outlines when to pivot, how to prepare, and what a successful realignment looks like. Need a change? We can help. Click here to request a free strategy session with our experts.
Let’s be honest, the word “pivot” can make people anxious, particularly post-2020, but it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Businesses have successfully shifted directions for centuries — Shopify, for example, was born from selling snowboards, and Nintendo went from making playing cards to video games.
For many brands, the need to shift is practically inevitable. ARTÉMIA Communications strategic consultants have supported startups through major milestones for nearly three decades. We put together this guide to help you recognize when a pivot might be the right move, understand what makes one successful, and avoid the most common missteps along the way.
Not every rough patch calls for a pivot. Startups go through phases, and some of them are uncomfortable by design. But there are signs worth paying attention to.
If your growth has stalled despite repeated adjustments, your market isn’t responding the way you expected, or customers keep asking for something your product doesn’t deliver, it might be time to take a closer look. Likewise, internal misalignment or mounting acquisition costs can be early indicators that your model isn’t sustainable as-is.
Here are a few of the most common reasons businesses pivot.
Signal: You’re pushing harder but not gaining traction.
Signal: The current model does not seem to be able to carry you forward.
Signal: The path you were on is now crowded, blocked, or no longer relevant.
Signal: Your users are pulling you in a direction you didn’t anticipate — but it might be a better one.
Signal: Staying the course risks more than changing it.
Lasting change requires strategy, and it doesn’t happen overnight; preparation is key to keeping your narrative coherent and your stakeholders confident.
What exactly isn’t working, and why? Get input from your team, customers, and investors. Look for consistent patterns across performance data, customer behavior, and market trends. Use that information as the foundation of your strategy.
Before you update the deck or draft the press release, make sure your internal team understands what’s changing, why it matters, and what happens next. Uncertainty inside the company is often more damaging than confusion outside it.
Don’t act on impulse or jump headfirst into an unproven idea. Use early signals, user behavior, and stakeholder feedback to refine your thesis.
The messaging around your pivot is just as important as the roadmap behind it. Think through what each audience needs to hear and what might make them hesitate.
Think it might be time to realign? We can help you assess where you are, where you want to be, and what it will take to get there. Get in Touch.
Even smart, well-timed strategic realignment can go sideways if the execution is sloppy or rushed. Here are some of the most common mistakes we’ve seen — and how you can avoid them.
Mistake #1: Treating it like a total reset
Pivots are evolutions, not erasures. If you frame the shift as a complete departure from what came before, you risk alienating your team, your early advocates, and even your brand equity.
Acknowledge what’s still true and preserve continuity where you can. Your history is part of your credibility — don’t throw it out unless you have to.
Mistake #2: Keeping it quiet until the last minute
Waiting too long to communicate or trying to “perfect” the new version before sharing anything can erode trust.
Communicating early and clearly. People don’t need all the answers, but they do need to know that you have a direction and a plan.
Mistake #3: Over-indexing on external perception
It is easy to make moves based on what sounds good in a pitch or a press release, but to be successful, your efforts need to make sense to your team and your users, not just your board.
Making decisions based on actual traction, not just storytelling. Take the time to do the necessary market research and let data drive your strategy.
Mistake #4: Underestimating the internal impact
Pivots change more than positioning. They affect morale, team structure and day-to-day execution. If you don’t manage the internal transition, it doesn’t matter how strong your external messaging is.
Create space for alignment. Revisit goals. Redefine roles if needed, and check in with your team before the gaps show up in performance.
These companies didn’t just survive a shift in strategy — they became stronger because of it. Each one started in a very different place from where they ended up, but they all share something in common: a willingness to rethink the plan, clarity in execution, and strategic communication at the right moment.
Slack
Slack began as an internal tool for a now-defunct multiplayer game called Glitch. When the game didn’t take off, the team shifted focus to the tool they had built to communicate more effectively during development.
What worked:
They didn’t try to spin the failure. They owned the shutdown and clearly articulated the opportunity behind Slack. The pivot felt like a natural evolution, not a panic move.
Nintendo
Founded in 1889, Nintendo spent decades making handmade playing cards before experimenting with taxis, toys and eventually video games. The company evolved slowly, but each shift reflected changing market dynamics and long-term vision.
What worked:
Nintendo’s reinventions were paced, strategic and always rooted in entertainment, staying true to their legacy for more than 100 years.
It’s a chance to apply everything you’ve learned and move forward with more focus, better alignment and a clearer understanding of your market. That is why it is crucial not to let urgency or uncertainty drive the process.
Give yourself the space to evaluate, communicate and lead through the change, because how you handle it often matters more than the pivot itself.
Book a Strategy Session
Whether you’re exploring a new direction or already knee deep in a transition, our strategic consultants can help you validate the shift, align your team and keep your stakeholders informed.
Reserve a free session with our team.
Look for signs like flatlined growth, low user engagement, consistent customer feedback asking for something different or a major market shift. If you’re adjusting constantly with no traction, it might be time to reassess your direction.
In regulated sectors, a strategic shift can trigger new compliance requirements, licensing issues or stakeholder concerns. Before making changes, assess how the new direction aligns with legal frameworks and prepare to engage regulators early. Clear documentation and proactive communication are essential.
Start early. Be clear about what’s changing and why. Emphasize continuity where possible, and explain how the shift improves your ability to deliver value.
Yes. Our free strategy sessions help startups diagnose misalignment, validate new directions and plan communication strategies. Click here to get started.
Let’s talk. Click here to get in touch with our team.
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