Startup Lingo Translation: Pivot = F*ck!

When a startup tells you that they’re pivoting, read as, “We completed f*cked up.”  Pivot is the newest way people have framed their mistakes and spun their alchemy to change their turds into gold.  A pivot generally results in a company transitioning their product into an entirely different product or they would pull a complete 180 from their prior beliefs.

ROSS: Pivot! Pivot! Pivot! Pivot! Pivot! Pivot! CHANDLER: Shut up, shut up, shut uuuuup!

I know exactly how Chandler feels whenever I heard someone mention the word “pivot.”  I won’t call anyone out, but the point being made is that people should be straight-shooters.  Owning up to a mistake openly is going to earn you a lot more respect than spinning the news.  Everyone is smart enough to read between the lines, so what’s the point of shoveling piles of BS in front of us? I’ve made an insane number of mistakes in my time and I’ve had a really hard time owning up to any of them.  Some people would let my bravado pass because of their maturity.  Others would call me out and I’d dogged refuse to admit failure. I’ve never told them that I felt like the biggest loser in the world, while defending myself. I’d like to think I’m better nowadays, but I’m sure that I’ll still lapse into being an idiot.  The next time you feel the need to spin your personal brand of bull, remember to just grow up and just fess-up.
Techli

Edward is the founder and CEO of Techli.com. He is a writer, U.S. Army veteran, serial entrepreneur and chronic early adopter. Having worked for startups in Silicon Valley and Chicago, he founded, grew and successfully exited his own previous startup and loves telling the stories of innovators. Email: Edward.Domain@techli.com | @EdwardDomain

Share
Published by
Techli

Recent Posts

Crescite Bets on Faith-Driven Finance With Catholic USD™, a New Kind of Stablecoin

Crescite Innovation Corporation is entering the stablecoin space with an approach that challenges the dominant…

2 días ago

AI maintenance startup Fracttal raises $35 million to scale predictive asset management

Fracttal, a leading company in AI-powered maintenance solutions, announced on Wednesday it has closed a…

1 semana ago

NovaWave Capital brings new LPs on board and launches AI venture studio

NovaWave Capital, the Silicon Valley-based VC fund, announced this week that it's expanding its AI…

3 semanas ago

Automotus picks up $9M to bring AI order to congested curbs

Automotus, a Los Angeles startup focused on using software to untangle curbside congestion, has raised…

4 semanas ago

7 Tech Innovations to Watch in 2026

As we move deeper into the digital age, 2026 is shaping up to be a…

4 semanas ago

AI is professionalizing how enterprises communicate

For startups, mastering communication is no longer just about persuasion—it’s about scalability. As companies grow,…

1 mes ago