Only a few startups get everything right the first time they launch.

Others will have to pivot based on customers’ needs and demands.

Here are the 5 most popular pivot stories to inspire all the founders and product owners.

1. Twitter

Twitter was started as a website called Odeo to download podcasts.

But when Apple introduced podcasts on iTunes, Odeo struggled to stay afloat and pivoted to micro-messaging service ‘twttr’.

Later they bought the full domain ‘twitter’.

With 400million users and $4B+ revenue Twitter is now one of the top social media platforms.

2. Instagram

Instagram started out as a location-based iPhone app called Burbn.

The main features were to check in at particular locations, make plans for future check-ins, and post pictures of the meet-ups.

But since they couldn't differentiate themselves from Foursqaures, they pivoted to just becoming a place to post, like, and comment on photos.

Today Instagram has around 2B users and $47B in revenue.

3. Youtube

Youtube was started as a video dating site where users can upload their own videos and find a match.

But the team found out that instead of adding dating profiles, users started uploading random funny videos.

This is when the founders decided to monetize the platform using the videos added by the users.

Later, Google acquired Youtube for $1.5B in 2006.

4. Slack

In 2011, Stewart Butterfield founder of Slack launched a game called Glitch.

Soon after the launch, Stewart declared that the game is not viable to continue the operation.

But the internal tool they used to communicate between the teams in US and Canada created a real opportunity for Slack.

Salesforce acquired Slack in 2021.

5. Paypal

Originally called Confinity, Paypal was focused on security for handheld devices.

Later when x.com, headed by Elon Musk, merged with Confinity in 2000, they decided to focus on money transfers.

Paypal is now worth $120B