After launching Justin.tv, we quickly realized that while we gained initial excitement and media coverage, we struggled with viewer retention and decided to pivot to a tech company that opened the platform for everyone instead of trying to create entertainment ourselves.

The initial traction we received was surprising, leading us to iterate quickly based on user feedback and adapt our product accordingly.

As YouTube began generating advertising revenue, we faced legal challenges regarding copyright issues related to user-generated content.

When we opened our platform to a wider audience, we found that self-selection by users led to better engagement and feedback than our initial closed beta approach.

To pivot Justin.tv, we realized we needed to talk to users to identify valuable use cases and directions for growth, particularly in gaming.

When we pivoted to an open platform, we focused on enabling anyone to broadcast live, which clarified our problem-solving approach.

At Justin.tv, we initially built a product based on our own experiences, which limited our understanding of broader user needs and use cases.

We quickly realized that building it and expecting users to come didn't work; we had to actively engage potential users to grow our platform.

Initially, we thought we were on the path to success, but I later realized that we were not converting users into paying customers because we were too focused on fundraising and PR instead of creating a product that people actually needed.