Seven Powers

Hamilton Helmer's 7 Powers framework helps you figure out if you actually have a defensible moat or just good execution. You feed it context about your product or business, and it walks you through identifying which of seven economic structures (like network effects, switching costs, scale economies) might create durable competitive advantage. The core insight is that power requires both a benefit and a barrier to prevent competitors from copying you. Use this when evaluating long-term defensibility, designing a startup for durability, or deciding which strategic initiatives actually build a moat. Skip it if you're still hunting for product-market fit or just optimizing operations.