Where the Complexity Tax Shows Up

Five vectors where complexity erodes growth economics.

01
PLG Onboarding
Complex products can't reach value quickly. Signup-to-activation path breaks.
Activation rate < 20%
02
Content Marketing
Feature complexity needs feature education. Content bloat dilutes messaging.
CAC per MQL > $500
03
Sales Cycle
Complex solutions need sales explanation. Demo-heavy process slows down.
Sales cycle > 60 days
04
Expansion Revenue
Upsell requires customer success intervention. Self-serve expansion fails.
NRR < 100%
05
Virality
Teams can't explain the product on the invite. Viral coefficient drops below 1.
K-factor < 1.0