GoKawiilEntrepreneur Essay Argues Startups Should Build Defensibility Before Scaling
An Entrepreneur contributor opinion piece argues that founders should evaluate whether a business idea can be defended from competitors before focusing on growth, using the example of a company that rebranded from Treat-a-Dog to Paw.com in 2018 after acquiring the domain, which the author says more than doubled sales in the following year.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The piece suggests that early traction can attract better-funded rivals, making it risky to prioritize scale without first securing moats like brand, intellectual property, distribution or niche dominance. This is one entrepreneur's personal framework rather than empirical research, so readers should treat the advice as opinion informed by the author's own experience starting and exiting companies.
- Author advises asking 'can I defend this?' at the idea stage, not after competitors emerge.
- Suggests scoring a business's competitive moat on a 1-5 scale and picking one 90-day improvement action.
- Cites Paw.com rebrand from Treat-a-Dog in 2018 as an example of brand investment paying off.
Moat by Patrick Reyes (business strategy book) — If you're thinking hard about defensibility before scaling, a solid strategy book on building competitive moats is a natural companion to this article's ideas. It helps entrepreneurs translate abstract concepts like 'moats' and 'defensibility' into concrete frameworks they can apply when evaluating new ventures. A worthwhile addition to any founder's bookshelf as they plan their next 90-day move.
See Moat by Patrick Reyes (business strategy book) on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: entrepreneur.com — Colin C. Campbell, 2026-10-22
Published there as: “Why Your Competitive Advantage Should Come Before Your Growth Plan”
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