These frameworks were developed by Lech Kaniuk through building and scaling four companies (PizzaPortal, SunRoof, iTaxi, FaradayX) and advising dozens of startups on unit economics.
The Growth Map is a quadrant framework that plots startups based on their LTV:CAC ratio (vertical axis) and CAC payback period (horizontal axis).
Star (top-left)
LTV:CAC above 3:1 and payback under 12 months. These companies should scale acquisition spend aggressively. Every dollar invested in growth returns 3+ dollars in customer value quickly enough to fund continued expansion.
Trap (top-right)
LTV:CAC above 3:1 but payback over 18 months. Customers are valuable but take too long to pay back. These companies look healthy on ratio but face cash-flow strain at scale. Strategy: reduce CAC or increase early revenue before scaling.
Burn (bottom-right)
LTV:CAC below 3:1 and payback over 18 months. Unit economics don't work. Fix product-market fit, pricing, or cost structure before spending on growth.
Bootstrap (bottom-left)
LTV:CAC below 3:1 but payback under 12 months. Customers pay back quickly but don't generate enough lifetime value. Strategy: improve retention and expansion revenue.
To plot your position, use the Growth Map tool.
The Value Lens is a decision filter for evaluating strategic choices through their impact on LTV and CAC. Before making any major business decision (pricing change, new channel, product feature, hiring), run it through the Value Lens:
Decisions that improve both LTV and CAC should be prioritized. Decisions that improve one at the expense of the other require careful analysis. Decisions that worsen both should be rejected or redesigned.
The X-Ray is a four-level depth framework for analyzing unit economics, from quick assessment to full strategic analysis:
Level 1 — Quick Scan
Calculate basic LTV, CAC, and the ratio. Takes 30 minutes. Sufficient for initial screening.
Level 2 — Standard Analysis
Add CAC payback period, gross margin, and channel-specific CAC. Segment by customer type. Takes 2–4 hours.
Level 3 — Deep Dive
Cohort analysis, retention curves, expansion revenue, contribution margin by segment. Includes sensitivity analysis on key variables. Takes 1–2 days.
Level 4 — Strategic Assessment
Full Growth Map positioning, scenario modeling with the Unit Economics Simulator, competitive benchmarking, and strategic recommendations. Includes Impact Tables showing how each variable affects outcomes. Takes 1 week.
Most startups operate at Level 1 or 2. Companies raising Series A should reach Level 3. Companies raising Series B+ need Level 4.
The Operating System is the overarching methodology that integrates all frameworks into a continuous management practice:
This is not a one-time analysis. The Operating System runs continuously as market conditions, pricing, competition, and customer behavior change.
Impact Tables show the quantified effect of changing each input variable (price, churn, conversion rate, ad spend, gross margin) on LTV, CAC, ratio, and payback period. They answer: "If I reduce churn by 2 percentage points, how much does LTV increase?" or "If I increase price by 15%, what happens to conversion and net LTV?"
The interactive Impact Tables are available in the Unit Economics Simulator.
An interactive modeling tool where founders input their actual business data (revenue, costs, churn, acquisition metrics) and receive their Growth Map position, LTV:CAC ratio, payback period, and Impact Tables. The Simulator allows scenario modeling: "What if churn drops 3%?" or "What if we raise prices 20%?"
The Two Numbers That Build or Break Every Business includes detailed implementation guides for each framework, worked examples, industry benchmarks, and the full diagnostic toolkit.
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