I've been investing in AI companies since before it was cool. the 'slingshot pivot': how a small change can is the thing that separates winners from losers.
Sometimes a small, 8-degree change in direction can lead you to a completely different, much larger destination. I'll introduce the 'Slingshot Pivot' concept and share examples of how a minor tweak can unlock massive growth.
Why Most Approaches Fail
Let me be direct: about 70% of the approaches I see to the 'slingshot pivot': how a small change can are fundamentally flawed. Not slightly off. Fundamentally flawed.
The root cause is usually one of three things:
- Copying what big companies do without understanding why they do it. What works for Google doesn't work for a 10-person startup.
- Over-engineering the solution when a simple approach would work better. I've seen teams spend six months building something that could have been done in two weeks.
- Ignoring the human element. Technology is the easy part. Getting people to actually use it is where the real challenge lives.
What I've Learned From 38 Companies
After investing in 200+ startups and running two companies to successful exits, I've developed a pretty clear picture of what works with the 'slingshot pivot': how a small change can.
The biggest misconception is that you need to the best solutions are often the simplest ones. That's backwards. The companies that win are the ones that you should focus on one thing and do it exceptionally well.
I remember sitting with the Anthropic team early on and discussing how they thought about the 'slingshot pivot': how a small change can. Their approach was counterintuitive but brilliant.
Lessons From the Trenches
I want to share a few specific lessons I've picked up over the years. These aren't theoretical. They come from real companies, real failures, and real successes.
Lesson 1: The best time to start thinking about the 'slingshot pivot': how a small change can was yesterday. The second best time is now. Don't wait until you have the perfect plan.
Lesson 2: Hire for attitude, train for skill. The best the 'slingshot pivot': how a small change can practitioners I've met weren't the most technically gifted. They were the most curious and persistent.
Lesson 3: Your competitors are probably getting this wrong too. That's your opportunity. While everyone else is following the same playbook, you can zig when they zag.
This connects to broader themes around AI due diligence, AI market sizing, AI competitive moats, AI startup pivots, AI exit strategies that I've been thinking about a lot lately.
Final Thoughts
After two exits, 200+ investments, and more mistakes than I can count, here's what I know for sure about the 'slingshot pivot': how a small change can: there are no shortcuts, but there are smarter paths.
The smartest founders I work with treat the 'slingshot pivot': how a small change can as a competitive advantage, not a checkbox. They invest in it early, measure it obsessively, and never stop improving.
If you're just getting started with the 'slingshot pivot': how a small change can, don't be intimidated. Everyone starts somewhere. The key is to start with the right mindset and the right framework, and then execute like your company depends on it. Because it probably does.
Frequently Asked Questions
What experience informs this perspective?
This perspective comes from over a decade of building companies in Silicon Valley, two successful exits (RemoteTeam to Gusto, MovieLaLa to Gfycat), and investing in 200+ startups including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Scale AI. I write about what I've lived.
How can I apply this thinking to my own situation?
Start by identifying the core principle behind the opinion, not the specific example. Then ask yourself: does this principle apply to my context? If yes, test it in a small, low-risk way before going all in.
How has this view evolved over time?
My thinking on most topics has changed significantly over the years. Early in my career, I held many conventional views that experience proved wrong. I try to update my beliefs when the evidence changes.