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Fucking going for it: the anti-pivot

over 9 years ago from , Designer

I want to talk a bit about small companies like Basecamp and Cotton Bureau, both of which recently made waves by going "whole hog" on their main project.

In an age of waffly startups pivoting at random when things aren't working, it's rad to see a company do the opposite, basically "doubling down" where they want to see the most growth.

Full Stop decided they liked making t-shirts more than client sites, so they just fucking did it: http://www.fullstopinteractive.com/

37signals decided Basecamp is its reason for existing, so they're just fucking going for it: https://37signals.com/

After the Full Stop announcement, I joined Cotton Bureau, buying a few tees and even submitting a design for sale. After the Basecamp announcement, I signed up for a paid account. I'm loving it.

I was completely familiar with the brands and product, but seeing such ballsy commitment from the creators pushed me from the ledge of casual observer into customer.

Any other companies/startups making moves like this? Let's talk about them.

20 comments

  • Nick TogaNick Toga, over 9 years ago

    TL;DR I don't think basecamp qualifies as "just fucking going for it" because they are 10 years old, successful and profitable.

    Working almost exclusively with startups for the past 3+ years, I find the need to defend the pivot and challenge your idea of "fucking going for it". A big part of design is validating or finding product-market fit. Startups usually arent "waffling" for no reason. Some have to based on investor decisions, and some just don't have the ability to wait 18 months to gain traction. They need to make money to keep going.

    37Signals chose to fucking go for it 10 years after basecamp was launched, largely successful & profitable, which is clearly a smart thing to do. I have listened to David Heinemeier Hansson get interviewed, and he believes that basecamp is the best idea he will have, but they still chose to wait that long to focus on it.

    I don't know about the other company, but I would guess they saw some growth or traction and THEN decided to "fucking go for it." Coming up with a product, launching and continuing without feedback or interest from your customers is just stupid unless you have all the time and money in the world.

    I guess the way you wrote your post makes it seem like you are giving them credit for being dedicated to their original idea and fearless, when I think they were very calculated and took much much longer than some of the other companies out there. Food for thought, Basecamp is just a few months younger than myspace.

    8 points
    • Clark WimberlyClark Wimberly, over 9 years ago

      I know they've been around and profitable for 10 years, but I assume in that time, their idea of "going for it" was launching more and more products (which they did, successfully).

      To see them buck all that is a pretty big move. They doubled down on their bread and butter, something they had been avoiding for a full decade.

      Balls.

      1 point
      • Daniel FoscoDaniel Fosco, over 9 years ago

        Agreed — regardless of how successful they are, to kill all of their other products takes a lot of balls.

        This decision was also long due, as their other products, like HighRise, have been neglected for quite some time now.

        0 points
  • Martin LeBlancMartin LeBlanc, over 9 years ago (edited over 9 years ago )

    I can give you an example from Iconfinder.

    I started working on the site in 2006. For 3 years there were basically no growth - with about 60,000 unique visitors per month. In this situation many startups would pivot - "There's no market!".

    However, I believed in the original idea (search + download of icons) and spent some months (my summer vacation) building a new version of the original version (just better executed).

    The new version launched in 2009 and grew quickly month after month. When it reached 1 M unique per month, a friend of mine joined the project and we raised money to build a team. We raised money from 500 startups and a Danish VC.

    We are still working with the original idea in the core of the company - we are basically just building stuff on top of it now (e.g. the market place).

    So no pivots? Well, I pivoted many times on a personal level: I ran a company (web analytics) which folded, worked on two mobile apps that didn't get anywhere before I chose to focus on Iconfinder.

    6 points
  • Justin JacksonJustin Jackson, over 9 years ago

    I chatted with DHH about why they decided to go exclusively with Basecamp: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpMrbY8fHM8&feature=share

    3 points
  • Pedro PintoPedro Pinto, over 9 years ago

    This 2 articles show very well that 37signals are very cautious since the beginning: http://unicornfree.com/2013/37signals-isnt-mythical-youre-not-paying-attention

    http://unicornfree.com/2012/9-years-ago-37signals-had-no-products

    2 points
  • Jay Fanelli, over 9 years ago

    I can't speak for 37signals/Basecamp, but in our case, "fucking going for it" pretty well sums it up. Full Stop had been—for a little more than four years—a relatively successful web design shop that we could've run essentially indefinitely. But we didn't love it anymore, and we had a couple popular and semi-lucrative side projects in United Pixelworkers and Cotton Bureau that we knew could never fulfill their potential while web design clients were our priority. We weren't independently wealthy. We didn't have any significant savings. We weren't VC-backed or funded in any way. And UP+CB didn't make quite enough to support us (and truthfully, still don't). We just...fucking went for it, and trusted that we'd eventually make it.

    1 point
  • Josh Sanders, over 9 years ago

    I'm curious what the difference is between 'just going for it' and 'just fucking going for it'? Other than the word 'fucking', which didn't add anything to your post or the point you were trying to make.

    1 point
    • Axel ValdezAxel Valdez, over 9 years ago

      It adds emphasis, the feeling of a risky move.

      I'm ok with that.

      0 points
    • Clark WimberlyClark Wimberly, over 9 years ago (edited over 9 years ago )

      "Just go for it" is what you say when you try a new dish.

      "Just fucking go for it" is what you say when you try sky diving.

      0 points
  • Paul ScrivensPaul Scrivens, over 9 years ago

    While I agree with the sentiment I don't know how any of your examples are an anti-pivot. You pivot when things aren't going well and you need to change course. None of these companies are changing course, they are doubling down on stuff that is wildly successful.

    Usually, not pivoting soon enough is the downfall of a lot of companies.

    0 points