Embedded systems create what I call the “Integration Tax” — the cost external vendors must pay to work with an organization.
The Paradox:
When Salesforce is embedded, every new marketing tool, support platform, analytics vendor, or AI application must budget for Salesforce integration.
The more tools an organization adds, the more valuable the embedded hub becomes.
What Each Integration Does:
Validates your centrality — “Of course we integrate with Salesforce — everyone does”
Creates another dependency thread — One more system that assumes you exist
Increases architectural complexity — Making the integration map harder to replace
Generates API usage data — Improving your understanding of organizational workflows
Raises the bar for challengers — Who must now match not just features, but integrations
The Tax Collection:
The embedded player essentially taxes the ecosystem around it — not through pricing power, but through indispensability. Every vendor in the ecosystem pays the tax through integration investment. The embedded player collects it through increased centrality.
Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
