The ultimate stage of any startup is growth hacking. What before it is as follows:
#5 Growth hacking, (final/top).
#4Tech: Your tech is capable of handling the solution.
#3. Solution: Your clients succeed because you actually solve their problem.
#2. Problem: you discovered a painful issue that your consumers have
#1. consumers: a large number of people who can/want to pay (start/bottom)
Any of these stages that you struggle with indicate the necessity for a pivot.
Everything above is altered by pivoting below.
Source: 500.co