Pivoting what you're known for with Arturo Perez

When creatives reach out to me for help finding their clients, I hear a common refrain:

“I need to know that this business is gonna work”

Let’s unpack that a bit.

What needs to work? The exact way you’ve set up your business now or a business of some kind?

Because there’s always a way forward with your business.

But some of the ingredients may need to change.

In fact, in over 10 years of working with founders and creatives, I’ve learned they pretty much all pivot from their starting place.

This is what distinguishes successful entrepreneurs from unsuccessful ones: staying in the game long enough to figure out what works.

That’s why I invited one of my favorite long game entrepreneurs on the show this week to talk about how he does it: Arturo Perez.

Arturo Perez is the CEO of Kluge Interactive, a VR and AR gaming studio most popularly known for the game Synth Riders. But over the last 16 years I’ve known Arturo, he’s pivoted his company 3 times.

Each company successful in their own right.
Each leading to the next venture.
Each with the same name: Kluge.

From running a music magazine to creating one of Oculus Quest’s most popular rhythm games, Arturo says the through line of his pivots is simply “entrepreneurship.”

He embraces the unknown. And he knows he can always find a path forward. 20+ years of success shows its true.

This episode is a great one if you’re feeling a lot of uncertainty in your business.

A few highlights from this interview:

• Pivots: how to make them and why they happen

• Profitability: how to marry your skills and interests with what the market needs

• People: how to find the right people to surround yourself with both as team members and as supporters

• Partners: when it makes sense to partner with others and how to navigate that control

• Passion: what to do if your life passion and your business passion are different

You can watch this episode on YouTube or listen in your favorite podcast app. Reply back and let me know if you’re thinking of making a pivot!