June 6, 2025
TIP727: 7 Powers by Hamilton Helmer
We Study Billionaires - The Investor’s Podcast NetworkAbout this episode
In this episode, Clay explores Hamilton Helmer’s 7 Powers framework, breaking down each of the seven sources of enduring competitive advantage. While companies all over the world offer benefits and value to society at large, few have barriers in place that prevent competitors from easily replicating those advantages. Whether you’re an investor or business operator, this episode is an essential listen to understand the critical ingredients for long-term success in business. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 01:34 - What it means for a company to have Power. 07:04 - The power of scale economies. 12:12 - Why network effects are one of the best competitive advantages a business can have. 18:05 - Why counter-positioning is Hamilton Helmer’s favorite Power. 30:19 - The types of switching costs that can keep customers locked in for years. 38:24 - Why customers are willing to consistently pay up for a great brand name. 51:24 - How companies can capture a cornered resource that even well-funded competitors are unable to replicate. 56:46 - Why process power is the rarest of the all the powers. 01:03:00 - A case study on Netflix and how they built multiple Powers outlined in the book. And so much more! Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here . Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Hamilton Helmer’s book: 7 Powers . Mentioned Episode: TIP600: Business Durability and Strategy Masterclass w/ Hamilton Helmer . Follow Clay on LinkedIn & X . Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here . Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed . NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter . Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs . Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok . Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here . Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool . Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services . Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts . SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors : Hardblock AnchorWatch Cape Intuit Shopify Vanta reMarkable Abundant Mines HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify ! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://premium.theinvestorspodcast.com/ Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm