Strategy for the businesses that built Main Street.

Strategy · 12 min read · Cornerstone

Private Equity Is Buying Up Main Street. Here's How AI Lets Independents Compete.

PE has rolled up plumbing, HVAC, dental, veterinary, marinas, oil change, and lawn care. The independent owner-operator is squeezed by infrastructure they can't afford to build. Here's how AI closes the gap — for under $10,000 and a quarter of focused work — without selling the shop.