I just got off the phone with a frustrated founder whose start-up wasn’t getting the traction they hoped for. They had been putting in a ton of effort and made real progress with the product, but customers weren’t interested. I asked why they were so set on pushing forward instead of building something people wanted. They said the greatest businesses were born from a founder’s relentless pursuit of their vision. If they built something they truly believed in, customers would eventually buy into it too.

Entrepreneurs constantly hear that perseverance and resilience are essential qualities – and I get it. Being a founder is tough, and if you quit when things get hard, you will never make it. But I think this advice can be misinterpreted to mean you should push forward with an idea, even when feedback suggests it’s time to pivot.

It’s tough to walk away after pouring time, money and energy into something, but doubling down on a direction that isn’t working only digs a deeper hole. Recognising when to pivot isn’t giving up, it’s a chance to refocus on what the market truly values, setting the stage for real progress.

I learnt about the power of pivoting by accident when I was just starting out as a YouTuber. At 16, I launched my channel in 2010, creating videos as this quirky character with a high-pitched Australian accent. I thought it was hilarious, but it didn’t quite land the same way with others. I spent years building a tiny audience, and even when I wanted to try something new, I worried about losing the handful of people who had come for this odd content.

A twist of fate forced my hand. After an argument with a friend, they decided to “click-bomb” my AdSense account, repeatedly clicking on ads on my videos. YouTube assumed I was trying to game the system for extra cash and blocked my account without appeal. Back then, I had no way of disputing the ban. I felt like everything I’d built up to that point was gone. But in reality, it was a blessing in disguise. It forced me to start over – and this time, I decided to just be myself. That pivot changed everything, and a few years later, I had millions of subscribers. With the old approach, I might still be at a few thousand.

I have made similar pivots throughout my career, moving from YouTuber to entrepreneur and investor, and we have pivoted within my businesses as well. Take Influencer.com: it was originally intended to be the “Airbnb of influencer marketing,” a self-service SaaS platform. But we realised that our biggest clients wanted more than a tool: they wanted an expert team to help craft strategy and execute it effectively. By shifting our model, we were able to serve our clients more fully, allowing us to become one of the largest players in the industry.

Letting go of sunk costs isn’t easy, but it can lead to far greater opportunities. Sometimes, the best move is to start afresh. Netflix started as a DVD rental service, mailing DVDs to customers who could keep them as long as they wanted before returning them. For years, this worked well, but by the early 2000s, the rise of the internet and digital streaming created new possibilities. While many companies might have clung to the DVD model, due to the investment in logistics, Netflix pivoted and destroyed their own business model.

Being a founder is about staying resilient, yes, but it’s also about being responsive to what the market is telling you and how it’s changing. The greatest vision isn’t always about holding tight to the original plan, it’s about having the courage to change course when you realise a new path holds greater opportunity. Don’t be afraid to rethink, reimagine and start afresh.

Caspar Lee is the co-founder of Influencer.com and Creator Ventures