Stuck In a Rut? Pivot Your Business.

@margieclayman @spinsucks @ginidietrich muchas, muchas gracias :)

@ginidietrich , when you told me what you were doing with your business, back in May, 2010, I thought you were both wise and courageous. I still think you're both. And I'm definitely going to think about what "pivoting" can mean for my own business this year.

Great, tactical example of pivoting. It's amazing how a shift in how you presented something you were already doing changed how your business was perceived.

In our business (Roofing) we have made the decision to "Pivot" away from new construction work. This has been a great decision, driven by my COO. Now we are focused solely on re-roofing and repair work. Change does not happen overnight, but life is much better and we can focus on providing better service to our customers.

Surely pivoting is a good technique, so good that it's also one of the best moves for self defense. Is there a way to dodge hits in the business world too. :)

Also keeping one foot on the ground and moving the other can be a general rule also in everyday life, to remain balanced.

I remember the dropped jaw during the meeting when you announced we aren't doing PR anymore. I was fairly new and I wanted to jump up and say "YOU GO GINI" but didn't. I AM NOW THOUGH! Even then I knew you made a wise decision even though I was the minority. My hats off you you work husband!

Pivot, reminds me of basketball. I play a couple of times a week in a game where the "old guys" often match up against the younger. We beat them regularly because we understand how to set a reasonable pace, we play with our heads up and we pivot.

The same principles apply to business, really it is a ridiculously simple concept that people miss. Don't panic and don't rush. When you watch where you are going and pay attention to the flow of the game it is easy to shift gears and adjust your focus.

In a world where companies try (and fail) to embrace the "shoot the dogs that don't hunt" and "eat your children" responses to change, this certainly leaves fewer bodies behind :) Interesting to think about whether Hubspot is right that there is a shift from the buzzwords of SEO and Social Media towards the more embracing "inbound marketing" phrase ... I wonder how many SEOs are contemplating this particular "pivot" move.

Never knew there was a label to what I've been innately offering for some time now -- social media marketing with a PR core. Rings a bell of solid capabilities, doesn't it? Thanks; and whatever is needed to declutter the string so the light bulb can go click.

RT @soulati Stuck In a Rut? Pivot Your Business. http://t.co/cIrUt73D via @ginidietrich #YSM

Being able to see the need to pivot is one part, actually having the courage to do it is part 2. We started out early on planning to be "The web design firm to local business". Well, despite our efforts, that was NEVER going to happen. Our local businesses are a decade behind in terms on technology, online business, etc. What we ended up being, made 100% more sense. We ended up being the right arm to marketing, design, digital, PR & advertising firms. We ended up be on of the few custom development firms that gives completely custom development across multiple platforms, while understanding how to work side by side with marketing professionals and the like. We are highly technical, but speak everyones language.

Pivoting for us was so logical that we should have done it sooner! Its all about embracing change. Some people can do it, others, sadly not so much! Kudos to you for embracing it & making the change that was best for your business and your clients!

You can also pivot if you get stuck in a root too like us mountain bikers do. Road bikers tend to stay stuck though. Something about the skinny wheel.

This is really smart advice Gini I bet many talented people and great businesses fail because they think they can't or shouldn't make turns when necessary due to changing business conditions or situations. Like your friend with the Groupon knock off maybe could of done had he found an aspect that could take him in new directions?

This is a good use of pivoting. In the startup world, it's almost always a pretty cynical way to blag more funding from VC's by people who aren't true entrepreneurs ("OK, that didn't work and we burned through all your money, but we're really excited about this new thing so give us some more...").

Nice one.

This is a great recommendation, as usual. By really understanding your market and customers changes may be warranted. This doesn't mean you have to blow everything up and start over. Making a shift will allow you to maintain your current talent and still attack the market more effectively.

Essential! Great advice here @ginidietrich !! I've done this several times over the course of my life as an entrepreneur ... recently I did it with my marketing site - started off really dry ... slight pivot towards a more creative angle and, well, it's working and I love it! Being flexible and having a clear goal is essential - being reactive and constant tweaking is distracting!

@mark_harai Morning!

I've had to do some of this, only on a smaller scale with my business. When I got into this, I had one vision, and I quickly understood that it wasn't very sustainable or practical. And it wasn't necessarily what the market wanted, it was more what was right and what the market needed, and it's worked. It's the small shifts in thinking that can make a business more important and profitable.