Epic Business Fails
If, like me, you spend more time than you should doom scrolling LinkedIn, you could be tempted into thinking no-one fails. LinkedIn has become a hyperbolic haven and a place to scream and shout about success. But what about failures – why aren’t we talking about them? In business, failure is inevitable. I mean it. Whether it’s a product flop, a marketing misstep, or a company on the brink of collapse, every entrepreneur will face moments that test them. Yet, history has shown that these failures can often be the starting point for something extraordinary. Some of the most recognisable brands in the world have faced extreme challenges, but through resilience, creativity, and bold decisions, they have turned their failures into defining moments. Let’s explore some inspiring examples of businesses that turned their failures into remarkable comebacks, extracting the key lessons you can apply to your own business journey.
Coca-Cola’s Customer Loyalty
In April 1985, Coca-Cola made what seemed like a logical move: reformulating its flagship drink to re-energise the brand, disrupt the cola market in the United States, and compete with key competitors like Pepsi. The launch of “New Coke” was backed by extensive research and taste tests, yet the decision triggered a backlash that remains infamous to this day. Loyal customers felt betrayed, and protests erupted across the United States.
Rather than digging in their heels, Coca-Cola listened to the outcry. They reintroduced the original recipe as “Coca-Cola Classic” just 79 days later, publicly admitting their mistake. Far from damaging the brand, the New Coke blunder only reinforced customer loyalty that had previously been dwindling. It reminded people why they loved the original product in the first place, and sales soared.
This story highlights the importance of listening to your customers, even when the feedback is hard to hear. For small businesses, customer relationships are often your greatest asset. If a new product or service isn’t landing as expected, engaging directly with your audience can provide the insights you need to adapt, rebuild trust, and ultimately strengthen your brand.
The Instagram Pivot
Before Instagram became the photo-sharing platform used by over two billion people worldwide, it began as an app called Burbn. Part social check-in service, part photo-sharing tool, Burbn offered too many features and struggled to engage users.
Rather than holding on to the original concept, founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger identified what users loved most: sharing photos. They stripped away everything else, rebranded as Instagram, and focused exclusively on photo-sharing, commenting, and liking functions. Just two years later, in 2012, Instagram had millions of users and was acquired by Facebook for $1 billion.
The takeaway? Simplicity and focus will always win. When businesses try to do too much, they risk losing sight of what truly resonates with their audience. For small businesses, this lesson is particularly relevant: identify your strengths, streamline your offers, and don’t be afraid to pivot if something isn’t working.
Sir James Dyson’s Relentless Experimentation
Innovation rarely happens overnight, and no one represents persistence quite like Sir James Dyson. Before creating the world’s first bagless vacuum cleaner, Dyson made 5,127 different tweaks and modifications to his prototypes – each one a failure. The process took five years, but each failure taught him something new.
Eventually, Dyson’s design revolutionised the vacuum cleaner industry, offering a product that was not only innovative but far superior to its competitors. To this day, Dyson’s company is synonymous with cutting-edge technology, high quality engineering, and sleek design, valued at over £7 billion.
Dyson’s story is a powerful lesson in perseverance. For small businesses, especially those working with limited resources or funding, it can be tempting to abandon an idea when the path gets difficult. But setbacks are often stepping stones. Every failed attempt is an opportunity to refine, improve, and ultimately succeed.
Lessons for Gibraltar’s Businesses
The key lesson from these stories is that failure, while daunting, can be a key stepping stone to growth and innovation. Coca-Cola’s New Coke blunder shows the value of listening to your customers and being willing to adapt quickly when something isn’t working. Instagram’s transformation highlights the power of simplifying your offers and focusing on what resonates most with your audience. While Dyson’s relentless experimentation proves that perseverance – no matter how many failures come first – can ultimately lead to groundbreaking success.
For small businesses, these examples offer a clear lesson: when faced with setbacks, don’t panic and don’t give up. Instead, evaluate what went wrong, identify opportunities to pivot or refine your approach, and stay connected to your customers’ needs. Whether it’s a miscalculation, a branding mishap, or a product that doesn’t take off, there’s always an opportunity to learn, adapt, and come back stronger.
Embracing Failure as Part of Success
Failure, while uncomfortable, is often the spark for innovation. The businesses we admire today are built on a foundation of missteps, pivots, and lessons learned the hard way. Failure doesn’t have to be final. By shifting the way we think about our setbacks, we can turn them into opportunities for growth, creativity, and success. After all, as these stories show, it’s not about avoiding failure, but about what you do next.
SHARE THIS
OTHER
Corporate Social Responsibility is no longer just for big companies. Small and medium-sized businesses are making a real impact through practical, authentic actions that reflect who they are. From supporting sport, culture and charities to rolling up sleeves for environmental projects, consistent CSR builds trust, loyalty and pride. When businesses show up for their community in meaningful ways, those efforts are noticed and often returned.
Starting and running a small business is rewarding but comes with its fair share of challenges. The path of entrepreneurship is often characterised by immense dedication, long hours, and tough decisions. As a small business owner, you're not just responsible for the operations and growth of your company and team, but also for your own wellbeing.
Pets are like family, right? As a proud cat dad, I’d actually go further and say that they are family. Over the years, I have spent my well-earned money on (many) toys, beds, treats and vet bills for my two feline furballs Nacho and Drake. And I am not alone. According to a recent Fortune Business Insight report, the global pet care market was valued at a massive £171.78 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow from £180.06 billion in 2023 to £269.29 billion by 2030.
Two decades is a long time for any business - with all the strife that businesses large and small have had to endure these past four years, it seems that anxiety among business owners has never been higher. I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Garren Thompson, co-owner and co-founder of Gibraltar hair & beauty salon Miss Shapes, based on Bishop Rapallo’s Ramp. As the business recently hit the 20-year milestone, we discussed the highs and lows of creating a successful salon in a saturated market, how he and his team created their new range of Miss Shapes branded Hair & Beauty products and how this will help build success for another 20 years.
Eran Shay's journey is emblematic of the modern entrepreneur. A self-confessed ‘out-of-the-box’ thinker, he swapped a successful corporate career and a senior role at Deloitte to pursue his own projects and business opportunities.
Building a personal brand isn't just about showcasing your professional accomplishments; it's about weaving your unique narrative, passions, and values into a cohesive identity that resonates with others. Here's how you can bring your personal brand to life, with practical examples to guide you at every step.
We’ve said it before and it’s only getting louder: AI is reshaping how businesses work. From chatbots and smart analytics to automated content and decision-making tools, AI is helping smaller firms punch well above their weight. But with that power comes responsibility. As AI use grows, so do the risks around data privacy, and under GDPR, getting it wrong can mean serious fines and lasting reputational damage.
My name is John Hayes, and I'm a really busy guy. Busy procrastinating most of the time. You wouldn't believe how many unessential tasks I had to complete before sitting down and writing this article. Those sales reports and emails don't check themselves. Yep, I've been busy. Busy doing nothing. We've all had one of those days where we feel like we've been incredibly "busy" - but can't quite put our finger on what we actually accomplished. Maybe we spent three hours answering emails, another two fiddling with a spreadsheet no one asked for, and another hour in a meeting that could have been an email or WhatsApp message. At the end of it all, the to-do list somehow got longer, not shorter.
Introducing the Thrive Catalog - A curated collection of goodies selected by our editorial team each quarter. Everything featured is available right here, right now at prices that are better than or compete with the internet.
If you’re looking to grow your business, expand your reach post Treaty or simply try something new, collaboration can be one of the most effective ways to do it. The key is approaching it with a bit of structure. And resisting the urge to say yes to everything just because someone seemed nice over a […]
In the latest edition of Thrive, regular contributor John Hayes reflects on the uncertainty facing small and medium-sized businesses in Gibraltar. From Brexit fallout to ever-changing frontier delays, he unpacks why the border remains a top concern—and how local firms are adapting. While resolving post-Brexit cross-border issues is beyond the scope of this correspondent, there are practical steps business owners can take to mitigate and manage the challenges of this uncertainty.
Forget everything you know about online shopping—eCommerce is evolving fast. While giants like Amazon and eBay once ruled, a new wave of platforms such as TikTok Shop, Shein, and Temu are reshaping the industry. But beneath the flashy deals and viral trends lies a growing conversation about sustainability, waste, and the hidden costs of convenience.
Success doesn’t just happen; it’s built on a strong foundation of preparation, clarity, and taking consistent action. Whether you’re launching a new business, taking your current side-hustle full-time, or looking to scale in a competitive market, having the right plan in place is essential.
Whether you’re an ebook tapper or traditional page turner, there are thousands of books that can make you better at business. Áine Panter, Head of the School of Business at the University of Gibraltar has curated a list of must-reads that will inspire, inform, and equip you for success.
Over the past few years, I’ve noticed the same logo cropping up more and more often. On coffee cups. On consultancy websites. In email signatures and pitch decks. The familiar B Corp badge, quietly signalling that a business is trying to do things differently. With our horizons widening post-treaty, could this globally-relevant badge could become a way of promoting your CSR values to an international market?
Fair recruitment is based on the principle that candidates are judged on their ability to do the job rather than influenced by factors such as an applicant’s gender, religion, ethnicity, or any other quality unrelated to their skills and expertise. As the Founder of Rock Learning and the Co-Founder of the ‘Count me In’ DEIB Conference, I have developed a deep understanding of the topic and how small businesses can implement inclusive hiring practices.
From the increasing influence of AI to the rise of social commerce and sustainability-driven consumer demand, the key to success lies in adapting strategically rather than chasing every new trend. This guide breaks down the most impactful trends for the year ahead—offering insights on how to integrate them into your business without losing sight of what already works. Smart adaptation, not blind reinvention, is the name of the game. Here's what to expect and how to make it work for you.
Technology is having a major effect on every aspect of our lives, and the retail environment is not immune to these changes. Not only has online shopping revolutionised the way we think about buying and consuming, but it has also dramatically changed how we shop in physical stores.
Who doesn’t love a good office gossip? Hushed conversations by the coffee machine, knowing glances across the office, colleagues who "just thought you should know" – it’s all just harmless banter, right? Not quite. While gossip might seem like an inevitable part of office life, the reality is much less entertaining. Workplace backbiting can destroy trust, drain morale, and impact team productivity. Few people understand this better than Norwegian psychotherapist Glenn Rolfsen. With over two decades of experience in psychotherapy, Glenn has dedicated his career to helping businesses tackle workplace negativity head-on. His innovative "Gozzip" method has been transforming office cultures worldwide, earning him recognition at TEDx talks and WHO conferences.
When stakeholder conversations become difficult, most organisations focus on communication. Kerstin Andlaw argues the real issue runs deeper. It is not what we say, but how we stay in the relationship when pressure rises. In complex environments, the ability to work with tension, not avoid it, is what separates transactional engagement from true collaboration.