The Power of the Pivot: How Businesses Found Breakthrough Success

Many of today’s most prominent brands didn’t start as the giants they are. They began with one idea, noticed a more significant opportunity, and pivoted. From Dunkin’ Donuts to Zomato, IKEA to Spotify, these companies weren’t afraid to adapt and evolve into something more critical.

Here’s how they turned a small start into a billion-dollar success.

Here is how brands mastered the pivot

Spotify – From Online Game to Global Music Giant

• The Original Business: Spotify’s founder, Daniel Ek, started with an online gaming company. However, the company was struggling to compete in the crowded gaming market.
• The Pivot: He noticed the rise of digital music piracy and saw an opportunity to create a legal streaming platform instead.
• The Outcome: Spotify is now the world’s leading music streaming service, with over 600 million users.

Dunkin’ Donuts – From Diner to Coffee Empire

• The Original Business: A diner named Open Kettle in 1948.
• The Pivot: William Rosenberg noticed that coffee and doughnuts were the bestsellers—people weren’t coming for full meals, just coffee to dunk their doughnuts.
• The Outcome: He rebranded as Dunkin’ Donuts, focusing on coffee and baked goods. Today, it’s a $10 billion brand with over 12,000 locations worldwide.

Zomato – From Restaurant Blog to Food Delivery Powerhouse

• The Original Business: Zomato started in 2008 as “Foodiebay,” a restaurant review website.
• The Pivot: They realized people wanted to order food rather than just read about it, so they switched focus to food delivery.
• The Outcome: Zomato is now one of India’s top food delivery platforms, worth over $14 billion.

IKEA – From Small Goods to Furniture Revolution

• The Original Business: Ingvar Kamprad started a mail-order catalogue in 1943, selling pens, wallets, and picture frames.
• The Pivot: Customers showed a massive demand for affordable furniture, so he dropped the small goods and focused entirely on flat-pack furniture.
• The Outcome: IKEA is now the world’s largest furniture retailer, worth over $100 billion.

Ferrero – From Wartime Shortage to Chocolate Empire

• The Original Business: Ferrero began as a small bakery in post-WWII Italy, where chocolate was scarce and expensive.
• The Pivot: The company innovated by mixing hazelnuts with cocoa to create Nutella, a more affordable alternative to pure chocolate.
• The Outcome: Ferrero is now a global confectionery giant, owning brands like Nutella, Kinder, and Ferrero Rocher, with an annual revenue of over $17 billion.

Nintendo – From Playing Cards to Global Gaming Giant

• The Original Business: Founded in 1889, Nintendo originally sold handmade playing cards in Japan.
• The Pivot: In the 1970s, the company shifted to toy manufacturing and video games, launching iconic products like the Game Boy, Super Mario, and Nintendo Switch.
• The Outcome: Nintendo is now a $95+ billion company, known as one of the most innovative gaming brands.

Shopify – From Snowboards to eCommerce Domination

• The Original Business: A group of snowboard enthusiasts opened an online snowboard store in 2004.
• The Pivot: They struggled with bad eCommerce software, so they built their own. It worked so well that other businesses wanted it, too.
• The Outcome: They ditched snowboards and launched Shopify, now a $100+ billion company that powers millions of online stores worldwide.

VanMoof – From Regular Bikes to E-Bike Revolution

• The Original Business: VanMoof started in 2009 as a traditional bicycle manufacturer.
• The Pivot: Seeing the rise of urban mobility, the company transitioned to producing premium e-bikes with innovative technology.
• The Outcome: VanMoof is now one of Europe’s most popular e-bike brands, reshaping urban transport.

The Secret to a Winning Pivot

• Watch what customers want.
• Be willing to drop what’s not working.
• Stay open to new opportunities.
• Scale the winning idea fast.

Success isn’t about sticking to Plan A but knowing when Plan B is better.

So, armed with the knowledge of these successful pivots, what’s your next move? What’s your next pivot?

It’s time to evaluate your business and see where you can adapt and evolve to achieve breakthrough success.