You started with an idea.
Is now the time to go all-in and scale up my sales and marketing?
Or do I need to pivot?
This is a question many founders run into early in their companys life.
And if you decide to pivot, dont worry youre in good company.
Some of the most successful companies in the world might not exist today if they hadnt pivoted.
But what about you?
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While theres no doubt listening to advice is not a bad idea, taking it might be.
Do I really have a product-market fit?
The best way to judge product-market fit is this:
Answered yes to all of the above?
Seems like scaling up is an option.
If not, you should consider a pivot then ask, rinse, and repeat.
Can you go after a submarket to gain traction?
Can you go bottom-up vs. top-down?
One size does not fit all.
By comparison, we were a tiny Australian startup with no name recognition or access to capital.
Always look inward at your product and your customers for direction.
Also, dont assume that there is already a dominant player in the market.
There are so many examples of smaller companies knocking big Goliaths off their pedestals in just a few years.
Am I doing everything to make my customers successful?
Ask yourself can I lean heavily on my product for customer success?
Or do my customers require lots of additional services and hand-holding to be successful?
How do my customers feel about my product?
And if youre not sure… just ask them!
Asking yourself questions doesnt stop with pivot vs. scale.
Always celebrate the wins, but dont let them make you complacent.
Jose is on the board of Escuela Bilingue International and is an avid skier and windsurfer.
He holds an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
