Why Some Small Businesses Take Off And Others Plateau: What the 7 Powers Reveal

Why Some Small Businesses Take Off And Others Plateau: What the 7 Powers Reveal

If you’ve ever looked at a competitor and thought, “Why are they getting traction and I’m not?”, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common (and frustrating) questions we hear from clients at Maldonado Communications.

The answer often isn’t about luck or hustle. It comes down to something deeper: strategic power.

What’s Strategic Power—and Why Should You Care?

Strategic power is the long-term edge that allows a business to grow profitably and sustainably. It’s not a marketing trick. It’s not charisma. And it’s definitely not just being “better.”

Strategic power is what allows a business to:

• Command higher prices without losing customers
  
• Retain clients longer
  
• Launch offers that land and scale

One of the best frameworks for understanding this comes from 7 Powers by Hamilton Helmer. While the book was written with high-growth startups in mind, the lessons are surprisingly relevant to small businesses and solopreneurs.

The 7 Powers (and Why They Matter to You)

Helmer outlines 7 types of strategic power. Most businesses never achieve even one. But the businesses that break through? They build at least one of these and defend it well.

Here’s how they show up for businesses like yours:

1. Brand

Your identity builds trust before you even open your mouth.

You don’t need a million-dollar marketing budget to build brand power. What you need is clarity: a consistent voice, strong values, and a message that speaks directly to your best-fit customer.

Ask yourself: Can my clients describe what makes me different in one sentence?

2. Switching Costs

Make it hard for clients to imagine leaving you.

You build this by becoming indispensable: through custom dashboards, unique processes, or integrated support. When clients feel like they’d lose momentum without you, you’ve built switching cost power.

Ask yourself: Am I a “nice to have” or a “can’t grow without you” partner?

3. Counter-Positioning

Do what competitors won’t—or can’t.

Maybe you reject bloated retainers in favor of transparent project pricing. Or maybe your branding process is more human, less hype. When your model challenges the status quo (in a way that clients prefer), you become hard to imitate.

Ask yourself: What do I do differently that others in my space can’t easily adopt?

4. Process Power

You’ve built a system that delivers consistent excellence.

Behind every successful small business is a set of invisible gears: frameworks, workflows, and client playbooks. When you can replicate great outcomes again and again, you’re not winging it—you’re scaling it.

Ask yourself: If I stepped away, would my client experience still shine?

5. Cornered Resource

You have exclusive access to talent, tools, or insights.

Maybe you developed a methodology, tapped into a niche network, or work with a production partner no one else knows. That access becomes an asset and an edge.

Ask yourself: What do I have access to that my competitors don’t?

What This Means for Your Growth

If your marketing campaigns aren’t converting or you’re constantly under pressure to lower your prices, it’s not just a sales problem. It’s likely a strategic power problem.

Here’s the good news: you don’t need all 7 powers. One is enough to start growing more intentionally and profitably.

At Maldonado Communications, we help small businesses identify and amplify their core power, then build brand messaging and marketing systems around it. It’s not about shouting louder. It’s about building smarter.

Want to Know What Power You’re Sitting On?

If you’re a consultant, coach, or purpose-driven business ready to scale with clarity—not chaos—we’d love to talk.

Book a discovery call or download our free Brand Power Audit to assess your strategic strengths.