MJ DeMarco
I followed the science; all I found was money.
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First, an apology.
If you tried to access the forum or my website recently, you were likely met with a 403 error or an endless grinding screen. The server was under extreme duress.
I won't bore you with the technical details, but I will tell you who decided to take a nap while my business was bleeding: LiquidWeb.
For 18 years, I was a loyal customer. I sent them thousands of dollars. I even recommended them in one of my books (now I need to edit my book). I praised their operation because their support was instantaneous and helpful. "Heroic Support" they called it, and they lived it. Ticket response times were under 10 minutes, much like the company I started. They were an asset.
But over the last week, that asset became my greatest liability.
When the server buckled, LiquidWeb showed zero urgency to fix it. A 28-hour response time for a "critical" ticket? Unconscionable. It turns out, the "Managed Support" I was paying a premium for was just fancy marketing speak for "Good luck, pal, we'll get to you when its convenient for us."
So, I fired them.
And now, I am telling anyone who will listen to avoid them like a black-plague-infested rat.
(Image by Gemini, Impressive!)
The cycle of decay that plagues modern business success and descent into mediocrity follows a predictable pattern you can spot.
And that's when shit hit the fan.
Ticket support times went from 15 minutes to 2-3 hours. And in each response, the ticket was appended with an upsell: "Your server can really benefit from this upgrade for just $50/mo!"
Two red flags that clearly indicated that the goal shifted from "customer success" to "squeezing the lemon."
Profit maximization.
Cost reductions. They gut (and/or reduce) the competent staff, outsource the support overseas, hike the prices, and pray your switching costs are too high to leave.
They bet on your laziness. They bet that you’ll tolerate the mediocrity because moving a server (or a bank account, or an email list) is a royal pain in the a$$.
Well, they bet wrong.
I won't post the exit letter I sent them, but if you're curious, you can find it posted on the Insider Forum.
1. Life is too short to tolerate Enshittified companies. If a service you use is sliding into decay, get out. Don't wait for the crisis. Don't fall for the "Sunk Cost Fallacy" of your loyalty. Loyalty is a two-way street; the moment they stop looking out for you, you owe them nothing. Vote with your wallet. The new host I moved to is doing exactly what LiquidWeb used to do. Better options exist. Find them.
2. Selling your company? Don't let them gut your baby. If you are building a Fastlane business with the intent to sell, you have a responsibility to the thing you built. Your business is your baby! If you sell to a Private Equity firm that intends to strip-mine the value, your legacy turns to ash.
Years after I sold my first company, the same thing happened to me. I had old customers messaging me saying that they now HATE the new company. When I sold, I expected things to improve, not to get massively worse. Needless to say, that iteration did not survive.
However, you can structure deals to prevent this.
The Zappos Model: When Tony Hsieh sold Zappos to Amazon, he negotiated for operational independence. He ensured Zappos kept its unique culture rather than being absorbed into the Amazon borg (at least, for a long time).
The Ben & Jerry's Model: When they sold to Unilever, they established an independent Board of Directors. This board had the power to block any changes that compromised the company's social mission or product quality.
Don't just take the check, install an insurance policy for your customers that helped you arrive at the check.
3. Recognize the rot early. Enshittification doesn't happen overnight. It starts with small "efficiencies."
* Is the phone number harder to find?
* Did the "Live Chat" get replaced by a dumb bot?
* Did the prices go up while the features stayed the same?
* Did support go from great to mediocre?
* Did they get acquired by a holding company you've never heard of?
These are the canaries in the coal mine. When you see them, start packing your bags.
LiquidWeb is in my rearview mirror. We are back online, faster and stronger than before.
Hope to see you there.
If you tried to access the forum or my website recently, you were likely met with a 403 error or an endless grinding screen. The server was under extreme duress.
I won't bore you with the technical details, but I will tell you who decided to take a nap while my business was bleeding: LiquidWeb.
For 18 years, I was a loyal customer. I sent them thousands of dollars. I even recommended them in one of my books (now I need to edit my book). I praised their operation because their support was instantaneous and helpful. "Heroic Support" they called it, and they lived it. Ticket response times were under 10 minutes, much like the company I started. They were an asset.
But over the last week, that asset became my greatest liability.
When the server buckled, LiquidWeb showed zero urgency to fix it. A 28-hour response time for a "critical" ticket? Unconscionable. It turns out, the "Managed Support" I was paying a premium for was just fancy marketing speak for "Good luck, pal, we'll get to you when its convenient for us."
So, I fired them.
And now, I am telling anyone who will listen to avoid them like a black-plague-infested rat.
(Image by Gemini, Impressive!)
The Anatomy of Enshittification
What happened to LiquidWeb isn’t unique. It is a textbook case of Stakeholder Demotion, a concept I mentioned over 10 years ago. Today, that same concept has been rebranded by Cory Doctorow as Enshittification.The cycle of decay that plagues modern business success and descent into mediocrity follows a predictable pattern you can spot.
- Be Spectacular to Users: A company offers a stellar service to build a massive user base. (LiquidWeb circa 2010).
- Company Attracts Private Equity and is Sold: The New company guts staff, sends it overseas, and upsells at every opportunity.
- Shift Priority to Investors over Customers (and Screw Everyone Else): Once you are locked in, they abuse their power to extract maximum profit.
And that's when shit hit the fan.
Ticket support times went from 15 minutes to 2-3 hours. And in each response, the ticket was appended with an upsell: "Your server can really benefit from this upgrade for just $50/mo!"
Two red flags that clearly indicated that the goal shifted from "customer success" to "squeezing the lemon."
Profit maximization.
Cost reductions. They gut (and/or reduce) the competent staff, outsource the support overseas, hike the prices, and pray your switching costs are too high to leave.
They bet on your laziness. They bet that you’ll tolerate the mediocrity because moving a server (or a bank account, or an email list) is a royal pain in the a$$.
Well, they bet wrong.
I won't post the exit letter I sent them, but if you're curious, you can find it posted on the Insider Forum.
Three Lessons from the Ordeal
This was the worst week of 2025 for me, and it clarified three things, and they apply to your business right now.1. Life is too short to tolerate Enshittified companies. If a service you use is sliding into decay, get out. Don't wait for the crisis. Don't fall for the "Sunk Cost Fallacy" of your loyalty. Loyalty is a two-way street; the moment they stop looking out for you, you owe them nothing. Vote with your wallet. The new host I moved to is doing exactly what LiquidWeb used to do. Better options exist. Find them.
2. Selling your company? Don't let them gut your baby. If you are building a Fastlane business with the intent to sell, you have a responsibility to the thing you built. Your business is your baby! If you sell to a Private Equity firm that intends to strip-mine the value, your legacy turns to ash.
Years after I sold my first company, the same thing happened to me. I had old customers messaging me saying that they now HATE the new company. When I sold, I expected things to improve, not to get massively worse. Needless to say, that iteration did not survive.
However, you can structure deals to prevent this.
The Zappos Model: When Tony Hsieh sold Zappos to Amazon, he negotiated for operational independence. He ensured Zappos kept its unique culture rather than being absorbed into the Amazon borg (at least, for a long time).
The Ben & Jerry's Model: When they sold to Unilever, they established an independent Board of Directors. This board had the power to block any changes that compromised the company's social mission or product quality.
Don't just take the check, install an insurance policy for your customers that helped you arrive at the check.
3. Recognize the rot early. Enshittification doesn't happen overnight. It starts with small "efficiencies."
* Is the phone number harder to find?
* Did the "Live Chat" get replaced by a dumb bot?
* Did the prices go up while the features stayed the same?
* Did support go from great to mediocre?
* Did they get acquired by a holding company you've never heard of?
These are the canaries in the coal mine. When you see them, start packing your bags.
LiquidWeb is in my rearview mirror. We are back online, faster and stronger than before.
Hope to see you there.
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