6 Signs It's Time to Turn Your Startup in a New Direction Few startup ideas are perfect; that's why it's important to recognize when you need a course correction in your idea, pitch, product or execution.

StyleZen had a following of loyal customers. But the principals at the shopping site, which launched in 2011, were struggling to expand that user base. "We had amazing user engagement, but we couldn't figure out how to grow without spending a huge amount of money," says co-founder Michael Wohlschlaeger.

Like many brands, StyleZen turned to Pinterest to increase followers and traffic. The team experimented with pinning different types of content--products, blogger photos, etc.--as well as the best times to do so. They tried a vast array of combinations and permutations and discovered that there really was a method to the madness for success on Pinterest.

This experiment led to the in-house development of tools that enabled four key strategies for StyleZen: picking the right content; customizing that content for Pinterest; implementing "intelligent scheduling" for optimum traffic and engagement; and maximizing "post-Pinterest click" value. Once these tools were implemented, the startup experienced what Wohlschlaeger calls "straight-up, hockey-stick growth."