In the early days of our startup adventure, we were all about Firoz—a platform that had been our baby for years. But then, like a plot twist in a gripping novel, CEPWA emerged from the shadows, and suddenly, we were pivoting like pros to catch up with this new direction.

Now, picture this: We were smack in the middle of the Founder Institute curriculum, juggling the demands of refining our original product when CEPWA demanded our full attention. It was a bit like trying to swap horses mid-race—not for the faint of heart! Clear communication became our lifeline, as we debated, brainstormed, and ultimately decided to bet big on CEPWA. The trust in our team was the glue that held us together, even as we left behind years of hard work on Firoz for something that was just a fledgling idea.

What kept our spirits high during this chaotic pivot? Watching other incredible startups in the NIC go through similar growing pains. We weren’t alone in our struggles, and that camaraderie fueled our resolve. The week before our mentor feedback pitch was pure madness—we were still figuring out what CEPWA even was! But getting through that pitch successfully was like catching our second wind.

In just a few weeks, we went from an idea to proof of concept (POC). And that’s not all—in a month, we added new team members, brought on interns, conducted interviews, set up our social media presence, and hammered out our brand and target customers. It was like building a rocket while launching it, but hey, that’s startup life, right?

So here we are, having navigated the wild pivot from Firoz to CEPWA, battle-tested by the NIC and Founder Institute. And the adventure? Well, it’s only just begun.