Equity 2.0 Seminar
The Perry Marshall Event of the Year
April 22-24 Chicagoland
Click here to register
Mel,
I've been watching a pattern emerge across hundreds of businesses in our community.
It's not obvious at first glance. But once you see it, you can't unsee it.
The businesses that are thriving right now aren't just "working harder" than everyone else.
They're playing an entirely different game.
In 2016, most successful online businesses were following a playbook that looked something like this:
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Build a funnel
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Drive traffic
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Optimize conversion
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Scale with ads
By 2020, that evolved into:
Both models worked beautifully... for a while.
But in the last 6-12 months, I've observed something fascinating: these once-reliable models are showing cracks.
The businesses built on these foundations are experiencing turbulence that wasn't there before.
Meanwhile, a different category of businesses is experiencing unprecedented growth.
What Changed?
The integration of AI has fundamentally altered the rules of the game. But not in the way most people think.
It's not just about "using AI tools." It's about recognizing that AI is reshaping what constitutes real, durable value in a business.
SaaS businesses that once commanded premium multiples are now vulnerable to AI tools that can replicate their core functions in weeks instead of years. The moats that once protected these businesses are evaporating faster than morning dew.
Simultaneously, something counterintuitive is happening: businesses with deep human expertise combined with AI-powered systems are becoming more valuable, not less.
The New Equity Rules
I've spent the last six months mapping these shifts. Here's what I'm seeing:
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Yesterday's moats are today's puddles - Features that took years to build can now be replicated in days. Technology alone is no longer sufficient protection.
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Network effects are the new gold standard - Businesses that create self-reinforcing ecosystems where value increases exponentially with each new user are becoming exponentially more valuable.
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Data + expertise = unreplicable advantage - Proprietary data combined with domain expertise creates a barrier that even the most advanced AI can't easily overcome.
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Human connection amplified by technology - The businesses commanding premium valuations in 2025 aren't replacing human elements with AI; they're enhancing human connection with AI.
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Simplicity wins - As technology complexity increases, businesses that offer elegant simplicity stand out dramatically.
This isn't just theory. I'm watching these principles play out in real time across my clients' businesses.
Mark Riffey transformed EnerCalc from a traditional engineering software company into something far more valuable by implementing these principles. What was once "just software" became the central nervous system of an entire industry. The result? A $32 million acquisition.
Finn Peacock built SolarQuotes into an AI-enhanced marketplace connecting homeowners with vetted solar installers. As he put it after his recent exit: "They couldn't believe how we serviced thousands of leads a month and hundreds of installers with our tiny team."
The pattern is clear: The businesses positioned to thrive through 2030 are fundamentally different from those that succeeded in the past decade.
What This Means For You
If you're paying attention, this represents an extraordinary opportunity window.
While others are still playing by yesterday's rules, you have a chance to position yourself at the forefront of this shift.
But this window won't stay open forever.
That's why on April 22-24, I'm gathering a select group of forward-thinking entrepreneurs in Chicago for Equity 2.0.
During the first two hours (9-11am on Day 1), I'm going to lay down a definitive declaration of the new rules. Not in vague generalities, but in hyper-specific application to your business.
Before lunch on the first day, you'll know exactly:
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Which parts of your business possess lasting equity and are sustainable through 2030
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Which parts are vulnerable to AI disruption
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Where to focus your attention and resources
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What pivots to make while the window of opportunity remains open
This clarity alone is worth the price of admission. That's why I'm offering this guarantee:
If by 11am the very first morning you haven't received far more value than what you paid, I'll refund your money on the spot plus $1000 for your trouble.
I've never made an offer like this before.
But I'm that confident in the value of what we're unveiling.
Learn more about Equity 2.0 here.
Whether you join us in Chicago or not, understand this: The old internet economy is being rapidly replaced by the new AI-driven landscape. The businesses that recognize and adapt to these new rules will thrive.
Those that don't will struggle against increasingly impossible odds.
The choice, as always, is yours.
Seize the day,
Perry
