Mike and Blaine's original skull logoBUSINESS, BEER & BSWITH MIKE & BLAINE

MIKE & BLAINE · EPISODE 230

Everything Got Better… and Worse: Why Complexity is Killing Your Business

· Hosted by Mike Milan and Blaine Bertsch

Listen on Buzzsprout ↗

Episode show notes

Send us Fan Mail

At some point, everything got harder to use. This week on the Mike & Blaine Podcast, we dive into the growing frustration with modern "innovation" and how businesses are accidentally sabotaging their own growth through over-engineering. From apps that require a master’s degree to navigate, to subscription services that feel like a hostage situation, the global standard for user experience is slipping. We break down the business strategy behind this shift: why companies choose complexity over clarity, how "feature creep" erodes your bottom line, and the specific tactics you can use to simplify your operations and regain customer loyalty.

In a market saturated with friction, simplicity isn't just a design choice—it’s a massive competitive advantage and a high-level business strategy. We discuss how the office of the CFO and growth-minded entrepreneurs can identify where complexity is quietly destroying the customer journey and why the brands that win in 2026 will be the ones that make life easier for their users. If you’re a founder, a finance leader, or just someone tired of systems that don’t work, this episode is your roadmap to cutting the noise and focusing on what actually moves the needle.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/egXhgExg-Uc

Learn about:

Cash Flow Mike: Training CPAs to provide world-class advisory services at cashflowmike.com

Dryrun: Helping the office of the CFO get finance teams out of spreadsheets with automated cash flow forecasting at dryrun.com

Listen to all our episodes at mikeandblaine.com

Thanks to our Beer Sponsors:

• Karen Hairston from 3S Smart Consulting: 3ssmartconsulting.com 

• Neighbor Pat 

• Devin

If you enjoyed the show and want to support our mission of making business less complicated and more fun, visit mikeandblaine.com to buy us a beer!

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/egXhgExg-Uc

#CustomerExperience #UserExperience #ModernLife #InternetCulture #BusinessStrategy #UXDesign #SmallBusinessTips #Entrepreneurship #Simplicity #ProductManagement #SaaS #CustomerRetention #OperationalEfficiency #Apple #Amazon #Google #Microsoft #Salesforce #HubSpot #Netflix #Adobe #MikeAndBlaine #CashFlow #BusinessPodcast

Support the show

Catch more episodes, see our sponsors and get in touch at https://mikeandblaine.com/

These are the published show notes from the podcast feed, not a transcript. Historical offers and sponsor mentions may no longer apply.

Browse all episodes · Explore the beer archive

FROM MIKE & BLAINE

BUSINESS. BY THE BOOK.

A few more ways to get a handle on your business.

01

The 7 Minute Conversation

A practical way to analyze a business.

↗
02

Don’t Be a D.U.M.B. Business Owner

Understand your business. Make better cash decisions.

↗
03

Don’t T.E.L.L. Me What To Do!

A roadmap to meaningful client conversations.

↗
04

Chronic Cash Flow

A collaborative approach to cash-flow challenges.

↗

Book links open the retailer. Purchases are completed with the retailer.