Slack was a failed video game. YouTube started as a dating app. Play-Doh was meant to clean wallpaper. Instagram was a cluttered check-in app called Burbn. Twitter? A last-ditch effort to salvage a podcasting company. Pinterest began as a shopping tool, and Shopify was just a snowboard shop.
None of these companies found success by sticking to their original idea. Instead of stubbornly holding on, they recognized when something wasn’t working and made bold changes. They reinvented themselves, often completely shifting industries or target audiences. This ability to adapt fast and embrace reinvention fueled their success.
The real lesson? Great companies don’t just pivot when they fail — they pivot when they see a better opportunity ahead. Reinvention is not just a survival strategy but a way to unlock an unprecedented potential.
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