When Is It Time to Pivot as a Black Entrepreneur?

One of the hardest—but most necessary—questions we have to ask ourselves as Black entrepreneurs is this: Is it time to pivot?

Business isn’t a straight line. It’s not supposed to be. The journey is filled with twists, setbacks, surprises, and growth. What worked yesterday might fall flat today, and that’s not failure—it’s feedback. The truth is, building something great means knowing when to shift, adjust, or completely change direction.

Pivoting isn’t quitting. It’s mastering the art of recognizing when a current path has reached its limit and boldly taking a new route. Whether that means redefining your services, switching up your audience, or finally outsourcing what’s draining your time, change is often the step between struggle and success.

And let’s talk about that struggle. We glorify the grind, but the real goal is freedom. We didn’t start these businesses to be tired and burnt out. We started them to create something that could eventually run without us—systems, SOPs (standard operating procedures), and strategies that free us up to actually live. Work should build your life, not break it.

So, ask yourself:

Are you still going in the same direction you started?

Are you still aligned with the why that got you going in the first place?

Or is it time to move different?

Don’t wait for permission. Don’t wait until it’s perfect.

Pivot now!

Because greatness is on the other side of the pivot. You just have to be bold enough to turn the wheel.

Pivot more!

MD