How to Survive an Attack from Amazon: Lessons in Business Resilience

What to Do When a Giant Comes After You (Hint: Sometimes Nothing)

Imagine building a successful business, only to have Amazon enter your market, copy your product, and try to crush you with lower prices. For most, this is the end. But for Jim McKelvey and Square, it was just another challenge in the wild.

Square’s response was counterintuitive: they did nothing. Why? Because their innovation stack—a complex system of hardware, software, support, and trust—couldn’t be copied by simply replicating the device. Changing course to fight Amazon on price or features would have weakened the whole stack. Instead, they trusted what they’d built. Amazon eventually gave up and left the market.

This isn’t just luck. It’s a lesson in business resilience. When your stack is strong, it can withstand attacks from giants. Organic growth—fueled by word of mouth and customer loyalty—creates momentum that even the biggest competitors struggle to match.

The secret: Build a system, not just a product. Trust your stack. And sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is nothing at all. 1 2 3