Course Corrections - Chapter 7(c) Rebuilding Momentum After a Pivot
- John Ekman
- Oct 17
- 5 min read
When business gets offtrack, a small shift can change everything. Course Corrections delivers sharp insights, strategic advice, and real-world stories from the frontlines of business — helping owners navigate with clarity, confidence, and control.
Chapter Seven (c)
Rebuilding Momentum After a Pivot
Introduction |
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Making a change in your business is one thing.
Moving forward successfully after that change is another.
By now, you’ve explored the practical considerations of a pivot and acknowledged the emotional weight it carries.
Part Three is where we focus on taking deliberate steps to rebuild momentum and thrive in your new direction.
The pivot is behind you.
You’ve processed the loss of time, energy, and resources, accepted the learning curve, and found peace with your decision.
Now comes the part that separates businesses that stall from businesses that flourish: turning intention into action, and stress into momentum.
The Risk of Stalling |
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Even after the recognition and acceptance you’ve cultivated in your decision to pivot, the pivot itself can feel like steering your ship through shifting waters. The currents and wind are unpredictable, the horizon isn’t clear, and it can be tempting to adjust the sails, overthink your position, or circle back to harbour.
This is normal. A pivot disrupts old patterns. And the uncertainty of a new course, or destination, can feel heavy and unpredictable.
But stagnation, or a lack of action, comes at a cost.
Opportunities slip, morale dips, and what once felt like a hopeful new start can begin to feel like a slow drift.
The challenge isn’t just strategic — it’s psychological.
Momentum depends on confidence and decisive, continuing, action.
Rebuilding Momentum |
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Regaining, or maintaining, forward motion requires a combination of structured planning, clear direction and deliberate small wins.
Here’s one way to approach it:
Revisit Your Vision and Purpose: Pause and ask: Why am I pivoting? What problem am I solving? What opportunity am I creating? Reconnecting with the bigger picture provides energy and focus. Every decision, from operations to client engagement, should align with this renewed purpose.
Create a Tactical Roadmap: Break the pivot into achievable steps, with responsibilities and deadlines. These milestones serve as guideposts, ensuring that progress is measurable and momentum doesn’t stall.
Celebrate Small Wins: Every victory matters, no matter the size of the victory. Every successfully delivered client project, newly created product or service deliverable, internal process improvement, or positive market response reinforces confidence and demonstrates that the pivot is working.
Engage Your Team: Involving your team, this includes your family and friends, in the process, this helps foster ownership and reduces resistance and doubt. Regular updates, open dialogue, and shared accountability help ensure that everyone moves forward together or that you have the support and understanding of those that matter the most to you..
Monitor and Adjust: Track results using KPIs and feedback loops. Be willing to refine (adjust or delete) offerings that don't engage or work, processes, or messaging based on what you observe. Flexibility is a strength, not a compromise.
Practical Tools for Sustained Growth |
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Once the pivot has been set in motion, the right tools help keep your business steady and responsive. They provide structure, visibility, and accountability so you can see what’s working, what needs attention, and where progress is being made. Having reliable systems in place makes it easier to stay on course and maintain momentum through the inevitable challenges of adjustment and growth.
The right tools turn intention into action:
Project Management Platforms: Visualise progress, track milestones, and assign accountability.
Financial Dashboards: Monitor cash flow, revenue, and costs to keep your pivot financially sustainable.
Client Feedback Systems: Gauge response to new offerings and iterate quickly.
Regular Review Meetings: Maintain focus, bring to the surface challenges or issues to address, and reinforce progress as a team.
This isn’t a complete list of tools, and not every business will need the same combination. The key is to choose systems and approaches that suit your size, structure, and stage, so they genuinely support your goals without adding unnecessary complexity.
These tools do more than just track progress. They support consistency, help surface opportunities early, and keep everyone focused on shared goals. When used consistently and thoughtfully, they turn good intentions into steady forward movement and make sure the effort that went into your pivot continues to build lasting results.
Embracing the New Reality |
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Even with planning, pivots come with moments of doubt.
You may ask: Am I moving fast enough? Did I make the right choice?
These questions are normal, but dwelling on them can slow progress.
The key is acceptance paired with action.
Embrace your pivot as the right choice, however imperfect it may feel, and let your energy flow into tangible steps.
Focus on what’s possible. This is when real transformation happens, when a pivot stops feeling like disruption and starts feeling like opportunity.
An Example |
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Consider a boutique marketing agency that pivoted from offering general social media services to specialised branding and marketing consulting.
The transition wasn’t seamless: staff needed training, messaging had to be updated, and old clients needed reassurance.
But the agency approached the change deliberately:
Planning included detailed analysis of the key elements and actions necessary to enable the pivot.
Marketing materials and client communications reflected the new positioning.
Staff were trained on consultative client engagement.
Case studies highlighted the agency’s newly defined expertise.
KPIs were set to measure client acquisition and retention in the new model.
Scheduled regular reviews ensured the team remained aligned and could quickly address issues.
Within months, the agency regained momentum, retained clients in the new service format, and attracted a new target market. The pivot became a growth engine rather than a major disruption.
Looking Ahead |
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Every pivot carries effort, risk, and emotional load.
But when approached deliberately, a pivot can breathe new life into your business. It can highlight what truly matters, strengthen your decision-making, and reveal opportunities that may have been hidden before.
Take a moment to consider what opportunities your recent changes might have opened, even if they aren’t immediately obvious.
Momentum after a course correction is often stronger than before, because it is grounded in experience, knowledge, and intentional strategy.
By recognising the lessons learned and the progress already made, you can take the next steps with confidence and intention.
Moving Forward with Confidence |
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If you’re navigating a pivot or feeling the weight of change, having a guide who understands both the operational and human sides of business can help you take decisive steps and regain momentum.
Change is rarely easy, but with the right approach, tools, and support, it can become a powerful opportunity for growth and lasting progress.
If you would like a hand navigating the next steps, schedule a free 20-minute consultation and let us explore how to move your business forward with confidence. Schedule your consult here
📞 0417 448 998
Till next time, cheers!
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