Pivot quickly when you realize an internal tool is more valuable than your core product
When an internal tool or side feature generates more enthusiasm than your main product, recognize this as a pivot signal and act on it quickly. The market is telling you what it actually wants.
When to use
When an internal tool or side feature gets more positive feedback than your core product; when you notice users excited about secondary features
Don't do this
Ignoring strong signals from the market because you're attached to your original vision
2 Founders Who Did This
Built internal communication tool while working on Glitch game. After game failed, recognized the internal tool had broader value and convinced investors to let him commercialize it
While building codePost (a code grading tool), the founders found their UI was too complex. Instead of redesigning, they built a cmd+k search bar as an internal solution. This side feature generated so much enthusiasm that they pivoted to make it the core product.