One of the pitfalls of HIVE, however, is the technical barrier that's involved when it comes to onboarding new people in.

Couldn't agree more with you on this. And even after that many give up and their account is left idle. Hive is definitely not the easiest surroundings but once get the hang of it, there's no turning back.

I think it's those couple of first days that are crucial for people to get excited or give up.