Reinvention: Why Most Million-Dollar Successes Happen on the Second, Third, or Tenth Try

Historically, the products that become household names—microwaves, ballpoint pens, 7UP—weren’t overnight successes. In fact, most were written off as failures in their early iterations, missing the market either in positioning or basic function. Kimberly-Clark’s Kleenex languished as a beauty wipe until real user data showed that homes were buying it as a nose tissue. Only then did sales explode.

“Failure” is only terminal when the feedback loop closes. ThighMaster, the now-legendary exercise device, stumbled until its design was made less clunky, its purpose narrowed from 'all muscles' to thighs, and the sales pitch swapped sweaty gyms for at-home, effortless exercise images. Throw in Suzanne Somers—a relatable, energetic celebrity—and the device’s fortunes skyrocketed.

The lesson is everywhere: adaptability beats stubbornness. Behavioral economics describes this as avoiding the sunk-cost fallacy: giving yourself permission to iterate, not just double down. The world rewards those who adjust precisely at the moment most would quit.

Instead of feeling stuck or frustrated when something isn’t catching on, invite open-ended feedback from your customers. Listen more than you talk, and capture not just their words, but the emotions or hesitations behind them. Try just one clear 'tweak'—maybe the packaging, maybe renaming, maybe targeting a niche use. Bring in a friend or outsider to see what you can’t. Let yourself iterate confidently, knowing that most major wins are just one good adjustment away. Tweak, listen, repeat.