competitive-strategy

Audit structural power sources such as counter-positioning, network effects, switching costs, and scale economies using Hamilton Helmer's 7 Powers framework. Apply the 'to be or not to be' test: confirm both a material benefit and a durable barrier preventing competitors from copying it.

Define competition from the demand side by asking customers what they would use if your product did not exist. This reveals true rivals based on situational context rather than technical categories, often uncovering non-obvious alternatives like habits or manual workarounds.

Counter-positioning is a moat where incumbents cannot copy your approach without damaging their existing business model. Hamilton Helmer's power progression recommends startups prioritize it early, since branding and process power are rarely available to new entrants.

Copy when a competitor's innovation has become an industry format primitive users expect, such as the feed. Avoid feature-for-feature mimicry otherwise, since visible features sit atop research and strategy you cannot see, per the competitor iceberg model.

True switching costs extend beyond time and money to include internal politics, career ambitions, emotional comfort, and entrenched business processes. Products like Salesforce and Concur retain share because these organizational factors favor the status quo despite clunky UX.