This document discusses tips for pivoting a startup away from its original direction. It uses the example of a virtual world startup called Frenzoo that initially struggled but was then able to pivot successfully. The tips include getting feedback to understand problems, learning from the initial experience, reducing features to simplify, iterating quickly through trial and error, focusing on learning over perfection, and remaining determined through the process of pivoting.

1. Down the Wrong Road?
Art of the Pivot
Simon Newstead, CEO

2. 6 startup tips for pivoting your startup away from the…

3. Our story
World s first web 3d virtual world
3

4. 4
Top of the world!
80% Will Have A
"Second Life”
Great Tech!
The Next Big
Thing!
“Skype Founders
invest in Frenzoo”
Validation!

5. Except…
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
“What am I meant to do? Talk to
strangers? It’s just so…weird”
Visitors
Accounts
Active users
Paying users

6. PIVOT TIP #1
Feedback is
a Fact
Sid Meier

7. How about the niche?
‣
Curse
‣
‣
‣
Gave us emotional obligation
Blinded us to the bigger picture
Blessing
‣
I am in love with the
avatars and
fashions!
Learned key insights
‣
The spark for our pivot

8. PIVOT TIP #2
Extract the learning

9. animation maker
clubs
gallery
chat
events
decoration
forum
dancing
avatar
profiles
virtual economy
music
user gen content
3d import
private messages
snapshots
shopping
design tools
gifting
poses
wishlists
clubs
remix items
friendslist
chatrooms
contests

10. PIVOT TIP #3
Reduce, simplify.

11. Developer
‣
Rapid iteration
‣
‣
Try and fail, repeat
‣
User
5 different mechanics in a week
Constant testing

12. “It took me weeks to clean up my
code after, but would have taken
months to build it all properly first.”

13. PIVOT TIP #4
Quick & dirty beats perfect.

14. PIVOT TIP #5
Hack
learn
time to

15. 15

18. PIVOT TIP #6
Stay Strong.

19. ‣
First 3d fashion game
‣
Million of downloads
‣
Our new beginning

20. Thanks! Questions?
simon@frenzoo.com
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