Corey Quinn joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss his excellent new book, “Anyone, Not Everyone.” In it, Corey shares insights on deep specialization, selecting a target vertical market, and using gifts like cookies to transform outbound marketing. Corey's Links:Anyone, Not Everyone by Corey QuinnDeep Specialization podcast by Corey QuinnCorey's Website0:00 - Episode intro0:17 - About Corey Quinn and his background 1:30 - Corey's ideal client: agency founders doing $1-5M and looking to specialize3:07 - Benefits of specializing in a vertical market vs. skillset5:17 - How to define a vertical market7:19 - Detecting traction in a potential vertical to specialize in11:33 - Identifying a vertical market that's the right size (2,000-10,000 businesses)15:25 - How specializing enables you to speak your target market's language 17:35 - Creating a "point of view" to differentiate beyond just positioning22:33 - Shifting from founder-led sales through deep specialization 25:09 - Using gifting (like cookies) to transform outbound marketing30:42 - Creating an ongoing gifting campaign, not just a one-time gift32:21 - Reaching your target market in multiple channels beyond just gifting37:46 - The multi-million dollar cookie budget that drove Scorpion's growth41:17 - Adapting this approach for smaller shops through focus and consistency45:01 - Advice for soloists: specialize, do thought leadership, focus on dream clients48:54 - Consistently engaging with a target industry year after year to build trust50:34 - Where to find Corey's book and other free resources

Geraldine Carter and I swapped interviews about why niching down doesn't lead to boredom.  Geraldine's Links:Geraldine's websiteGeraldine's newsletterGeraldine's podcast

Tim Dietrich and Eric Grubaugh invited me to join them on SuiteScript Stories to talk about the pros and cons of a platform specialization, the paradox of positioning, and, of course, the horrors of hourly billing. Tim and Eric were kind enough to let me post the interview here on Ditching Hourly, but if you're a NetSuite developer, you should check out their podcast at https://suitescriptstories.com/ We discuss:Jonathan's and Tim's shared history in the FileMaker Pro spaceJonathan's AHA moment when he realized hourly billing was killing his businessThe misaligned financial incentives created by hourly billingHow specializing in a narrower target market amplifies your opportunitiesThe various forms of specialization: Vertical, Horizontal, PlatformThe obstacles an agency faces when trying to specialize

Indie game consultant Joe Quadara (aka Joe Q) joined me on Ditching Hourly to share his journey from putting out fires for indie game studios to advising them to accurately scope and fund their projects.Joe's Links:Joe's website: RecurverJoe on LinkedIn AI Summary: In this episode, game developer turned consultant Joe Quidara shares his journey from putting out fires for game studios to helping studios accurately scope and fund their projects. He explains how developing deep expertise about the indie game industry allows him to quickly assess and advise studios, creating leverage in his consulting business. Chapters:[00:00:00] Introductions[00:07:00] The size of the video game market[00:10:00] What is indie game consulting?[00:14:00] The appeal of weird, indie games [00:19:00] What an indie game studio looks like[00:23:00] From firefighting to preventing fires in game studios  [00:28:00] Helping studios accurately scope and fund projects[00:32:00] Creating a sustainable indie game studio model [00:35:00] Leveraging expertise to streamline the consulting process[00:41:00] The benefits of specialization for consultants[00:46:00] Keeping an open mind while leveraging expertise  [00:48:00] Conclusion

Bryghtpath CEO and Ditcherville lifetime resident Bryan Strawser joined me on Ditching Hourly to share the secrets behind his huge business wins in 2023. Bryan's Links:Website: https://bryghtpath.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BryghtpathPodcast: https://bryghtpath.com/resources/managing-uncertainty-podcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanstrawser/Summary (ai generated):In this episode of Ditching Hourly, Jonathan Stark interviews Bryan Strausser of BrightPath about how positioning his consulting firm and using program evaluation "roadmaps" as a first engagement with clients has led to major growth and 7-figure revenue. They discuss Bryan's journey from generalist consultant to focused niche positioning, using content marketing and authority building to attract ideal clients, the roadmapping process to diagnose client needs before prescribing solutions, how to price and sell high-value services, and building ongoing managed services for recurring revenue.  Chapters:[00:00:00] Introduction [00:02:00] From generalist to focused positioning[00:08:00] Attracting clients through content marketing [00:13:00] Client onboarding with program evaluation roadmaps[00:21:00] Using the podcast to build authority [00:25:00] The importance of positioning[00:28:00] Pricing and selling high-value services [00:36:00] The roadmapping sales process[00:44:00] Writing effective proposals [00:51:00] Increasing profits through pricing [00:53:00] Growing through managed services[00:56:00] Conclusion

The handsome and talented Louis Grenier had me on Everyone Hates Marketers to go behind the scenes on how I run my business.Much to my delight (and true to form), he asked very specific and pointed questions so we could avoid the typical BS you hear on business podcasts.It's also on YouTube if you prefer to watch:Watch Now »Louis’ Links:https://www.everyonehatesmarketers.com/links

Alexander Lapa joined me on ditching Hourly for a tour-de-force journey through the paths available to tech folks operating with a post-hourly mentality. Talking Points:Setting fixed prices and sticking to them can result in profitable client relationships.Specializing in a specific target market, such as nonprofits, improves marketing efforts and increases client trust.Value-based pricing allows for more freedom and flexibility, including the ability to take vacations without compromising income. Alex's Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderlapa/Consulting: https://dryadconsulting.com/Product: https://dryadreceipting.com/Newsletter: https://thegoodenoughconsultant.com/Podcast: https://dryadconsulting.com/podcastNotes: (AI generated)Salesforce architect Alexander Lapa shares his journey of transitioning from hourly billing to fixed pricing in the nonprofit industry. He discusses the motivations behind the switch, the challenges faced, and the significant benefits experienced through value-based pricing. Lapa emphasizes the importance of scoping projects, creating template proposals for efficiency, and offering advisory and mentoring services tailored to each client's unique needs. The shift to fixed pricing improved client relationships, increased revenue, and provided more freedom and flexibility. Additionally, the transcript highlights the advantages of customizing the Salesforce platform for specific organizational requirements, de-risking the investment, and increasing ROI. Also explored are the processes, challenges, and benefits of building apps on the Salesforce platform, as well as the value of being on Salesforce's AppExchange. Lapa shares insights on patience and understanding when working with Salesforce and offers valuable advice for beginners in the field.

Fellow daily emailer and No-BS marketer Rod Aparicio joined me on Ditching Hourly to bust the myth of personal branding.Rod’s LinksTwitter ProfileEmail ListAI SummaryIn this episode, Jonathan Stark and guest Rod Aparicio discuss the concept of personal brand and its misconceptions. They emphasize that personal brand is more about influencing perceptions rather than controlling how one is perceived. The importance of authenticity and credibility in building a personal brand is highlighted, along with the distinction between brand and reputation. The episode also explores the relevance of personal branding for solopreneurs and small businesses, emphasizing the need for positioning oneself and focusing on the needs of the target market rather than obsessing over self-image or becoming an influencer. Credibility and trust are emphasized as crucial factors in attracting and retaining clients for solopreneurs.Key PointsAuthenticity can be defined differently, with some emphasizing being true to oneself and others focusing on being different from others.Building a personal brand requires a curated version of oneself, but should align with one's values and not be hypocritical.Aspiration is the desire to become something, while inspiration is the internal motivation to do what one truly wants.Aspiration in personal branding could lead to a lack of authenticity and failure.Positioning oneself based on alignment and targeting the right audience is more valuable than building a personal brand.A credible offer, backed by testimonials, case studies, and referrals, builds trust with potential clients.Personal branding can lead to a sense of desperation and may not result in long-term success.Best Quotes“A personal brand is mainly how people can control how they want to be seen and perceived by others.”“A reputation can be linked to a person, and a brand is something that you make artificial.”

Graphic designer, product marketer, and co-founder of Conversion Factory, Zach Stevens, joined me on Ditching Hourly to explain how he and his co-founders went from zero to more than $36k MRR in one month with a productized subscription business that helps SaaS teams turn traffic into revenue. Zach's links:https://www.conversionfactory.co/https://twitter.com/zstvnshttps://www.designdive.co/Talking Points:The fear of not being able to fulfill client expectations led to starting small with a hypothesis-driven approach.Communication is primarily done through asynchronous channels like Notion and Loom, with some exceptions for in-person meetings.Building rapport with clients and providing detailed explanations of deliverables enhances communication and feedback.Centralizing communication efforts avoids the nightmare of having to navigate multiple platforms and channels.Work-life harmony is about acknowledging that work and personal life will fluctuate in priority.Quotable Quotes:“Our conversion rate only had to be in the thousandths of a percentage point to be booked solid.”“We only wanna take on five clients at one time to see how well we manage the workload.”“More than half of our clients right now are on a higher strategy-based $9k/mo tier.”“At the initial onset, it did feel like there was a lot going on, but then it kind of fizzled out, and things got a lot smoother.”“We love using tools like Loom, anything that we can do to make it feel like we are in the room with them.”“If you follow this model and it works, you’re going to have way more concurrent clients than you’re used to.”

David Shriner-Cahn of Smashing the Plateau joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about how longtime corporate execs can increase the odds of going out on their own successfully. Key PointsTaking the leap into entrepreneurship can be daunting, but with the right support and mentorship, it is possible to build a successful business.It's important to decide whether you want to look for another job or truly commit to building a business, as both require different mindsets and energies.Make the decision between being your own boss or maintaining the comfort of a steady paycheck.Understand the differences between being an employee and an entrepreneur.Identify your current stage in the transition and determine any obstacles holding you back.Validate your business idea by having conversations with people in your target market, industry experts, and potential clients.Joining a community of like-minded entrepreneurs can provide collaboration opportunities and support.Best Quotes"My mission in life is to help corporate refugees start, run, and grow their own businesses so they can do more of what they love and get paid what they're worth.""I was doing what I was taught to do in engineering school, which is to focus on solving engineering problems. What I didn't focus on was the fact that the company that I worked for had lost a huge portion of their business and ended up firing a significant chunk of the staff.""In those days, the model was you went to work for one of these big companies, and if you stayed there, usually it was like 20 plus years, you were eligible to receive a pension. And in those days, pensions were a defined benefit. So you really needed to be with one of these companies for a long time.""I really wanted to figure out a way to just be in control of my career and my family's financial health in a way that I knew that I wouldn't be as an employee.""At some point, you need to make a decision about whether you're going to look for another job or build a business because they require very different mindsets and activities.""What's way better is to talk to three kinds of people about the problem.""If you're looking for something that you can sell in your sleep, you know, an evergreen, like a digital product, then it would be a do-it-yourself."David’s Linkshttps://smashingtheplateau.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidshrinercahn/https://twitter.com/smashingplateau

Our resident crypto/web3 expert and longtime friend of the show, Luke Willis, re-joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about how having a weekly podcast and daily mailing list contributed to a product launch that generated $39k in 24 hours.  Luke’s Links:https://lukewillis.com/https://thekoinpress.com/https://kap.domains/aboutSummaryIn this episode, Luke Willis discusses the successful launch of KAP, a blockchain app offering NFT name services. He reveals the mechanics behind the launch, the problem it solves, and the unique features of KoinOS blockchain. Luke shares how he generated $39,000 in just 24 hours and the key factors that contributed to his success. Additionally, Luke highlights the journey of building trust within the blockchain community, their initial DAPs, launch strategy, and positive reception. They provide a platform demonstration and emphasize the power of blockchain technology. Furthermore, Luke emphasizes the benefits of having a podcast and mailing list to build trust, authority, and attract a loyal audience for a successful launch.Key PointsLuke Willis shares his experience and success in launching the KAP blockchain app.Pricing for KAP is based on the length of the name, with options available for various budgets.Experienced a spike in sales during the initial launch, followed by steady sales in the following weeks.Plan to expand the platform by launching a free tier, enabling users without coins to access and utilize the platform’s features.Launching during a crypto winter can still be successful.Speculating on tokens can lead to potential profits in the future.Building trust and authority through consistent content publishing.(Generated by podcastshownotes.ai)

Denis Gontcharov joined me on Ditching Hourly for a coaching call to help brainstorm a positioning statement for his data consulting business targeting the aluminum industry.

The Agile Attorney, John Grant, joined me on Ditching Hourly to share how he helps his clients transition from inefficient workflows, WAY too much work, and low margins, to efficient workflows, a comfortable amount of work, and higher profits.Key PointsExpectations for attention to detail and planning increase in high-dollar professional services like law practices.Many law practices lack upfront planning and make assumptions based on past experiences.Transition planning is often triggered by the need for change in firms that have been operating in the same way for many years.Maximizing employee utilization can lead to gridlock and hinder growth.Phased flat fees, where different phases of a case or project are billed at a flat rate, provide flexibility and room for adjustment.The desire for fixed pricing and the potential for higher rewards motivates software developers to move towards productization.In the legal industry, professionals are transitioning from delivery work to strategy work.Best Quotes“When the lawyer does plan, oftentimes they plan for this sort of ideal situation.”“If you are constantly having to do QA on other people’s work, it’s really hard to feel like you’re ever gonna get off that hamster wheel.”“The beautiful thing is that if you take the time and you begin to express your quality standards in a written form, then you can actually push those standards upstream.”“I think there’s been a ton of movement away from hourly billing. I think there’s more movement than most people in the profession want to recognize.”“Different ways of exchanging value for their services than they were certainly when I first hung my shingle back in 2008.”“It turned on this mechanism in my brain that immediately started asking, ‘How can I make this more effective and efficient, quicker, less work for me without cutting corners?’”“So it’s like even if they came close to what they would’ve made hourly, they have set themselves up in a way that they can deliver that thing probably in half of the time for the same money.”John's Linkshttps://www.agileattorney.com/https://law.builders/@AgileAttorney

James Williams of Cofebe.com joined me on Ditching Hourly to give what amounted to a masterclass on how to avoid failure and delight clients as a fractional CTO.“The chance of failure increases proportionally with you accepting what the client tells you what to do.”“If you accept 100% of your client’s suggestions and three months from they can’t launch or it fails, guess whose fault that is.”“If you keep the narrative on the goal, you can avoid debates about scope.”“I lead with questions from the back.”“I ask a trillion questions upfront to disqualify prospects before considering pricing.”“I’d rather take the advisory part and use the client’s dev team whenever possible.““I’d rather use their team than mine.””We don’t even do scope of work.““It’s not about the hours. It’s about the outcomes.”“To guide the engineers, I write paragraphs on how the client should feel at every demo and what the qualitative goal should be.““My goal is always to get smaller, not bigger.”James’ LinksWebsite: https://www.cofebe.com/Courses: https://courses.cofebe.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdubyou/Substack: https://jdubyou.substack.com/

Guest BioMichael Zipursky – Michael has consulted for organizations and advised leaders throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Middle East in over 30 industries, from service providers to billion-dollar multi-national corporations, including Panasonic, Dow Jones, Financial Times, Royal Bank and many others. Michael is an in-demand speaker and gives keynotes and workshops for the Certified Management Consultants Association, Canadian Internet Marketing Conference, Social Media Camp, and others. Michael’s work has appeared in MarketingProfs, Huffington Post, Financial Times, FOX Business, Maclean's, HR Executive, Business Edge, Marketing Magazine, and in several other media and publications. He is the author of 5 books, including: Elite Consulting MindConsulting Success®ACT NOWFollow Michael on Twitter @MichaelZipursky and LinkedIn Michael Zipursky or learn more at his website: ConsultingSuccess.comAnd here's the fees guide that Michael mentioned on the show: What Consultants Really Charge In 2023

Pricing legend Ron Baker joined me again (for a record-setting fourth appearance!) on Ditching Hourly to talk about the nuances of the subscription model for service business.Talking PointsSubscription pricing is becoming increasingly prevalent, with the subscription economy projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2025.Pricing tiers can be implemented based on the range of services offered, providing flexibility for customers.Providing outcomes and guiding transformations creates a better customer experience.Non-rival assets, such as knowledge and ideas, can be leveraged through subscriptions, allowing professionals to serve more clients simultaneously.Wasting customers' time is a major downfall in many professional firms, and subscriptions can help mitigate this by fostering consistent and meaningful client interactions.Subscription is a straightforward pricing model that offers a set price for a defined range of services or products.There is a potential shift towards performance-based payment models, where sellers are paid based on results rather than promises.Quotable Quotes“The more services we pile on brick by brick, we add more value.”“If you're going to the market with an uncommon offering, you're commanding uncommon prices.”“You are building lifetime annuities that are worth more than it costs you to acquire them.”“A business model explains where revenue will be earned when services are provided free of charge.”“I do think it's a way station. I think we'll move to a world where we're actually paid for performance and not promises.”“We're too busy selling services brick by brick by brick by brick. And that's not where our value is.”Ron’s LinksTwitter: https://twitter.com/ronaldbakerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronbaker1/The Soul of Enterprise: https://www.thesoulofenterprise.com/Times-up Club: https://timesupclub.com/Verasage: https://www.verasage.com/

180Sites.com founder Ryan Golgosky joined me on Ditching Hourly to explain in detail how his web design company manages to add and service more than 30 new clients per month!Ryan’s Links:180sites.com

Cross-post from The Business of Authority:Seth Godin joins us again, this time to answer the core question in his brand-new book “The Song of Significance”: What does it take to do work that matters?Talking PointsWhy right now is the best time ever to make a significant contribution to the change you want to see in your world.The importance of focusing on the smallest viable audience to accomplish significant work.How to transform your work into your art (hint: it includes the story you tell yourself about where you’re going).Why “soft skills” need to be considered as “real skills”—and why they are often far more valuable than skills that can be easily measured.What to tell yourself to push past imposter syndrome.Quotable Quotes“It's way more likely that adroit, committed, passionate, smart people are going to realize they have more tools than anyone on Earth ever had before.”—SG“What I'm trying to help undo is industrial brainwashing and remind people that significance comes from making a change in the world.”—SG “I've done more than 200 projects in my career. I've never missed a budget, and I have never missed a deadline. And the reason is that when I run outta time, or I run outta money, I'm done.”—SG“The key to significant work, particularly for the soloist you're talking about, is understanding the power of the smallest viable audience. The goal cannot be the biggest possible audience, ‘cuz that will water down your work and wreck it.”—SG“Part of my contribution is helping people tell themselves a story so they can transform parts of their day from work to art.”—SG“Real skills are honesty, generosity, leadership, connection, charisma, creativity, a sense of humor.”—SG “We have filled our lives with dangerous, ineffective proxies. Things we measure that look like they're gonna give us a hint as to what we're gonna get, but they don't.”—SG“People say, how do I get rid of imposter syndrome? And I say you can't. And that's a good thing because feeling like an imposter is a symptom that A, you're not a sociopath, and B, you're actually doing something difficult. Something important, something that might not work, something you can't prove because you're leading.”—SGLinksThe Song of SignificanceThe Carbon Almanac

Denis Čahuk (aka “Coach Denis”) joined me on Ditching Hourly to share his experiences as an engineering team coach in the tech industry. He discusses his coaching approach of on-the-job training, or just-in-time training, and his focus on helping tech leaders improve modularity and productivity. He also shares insights on attracting leads, ideal buyers, expensive problems, and improving ROI. Additionally, he discusses his strict KPIs, pricing model, cancellation of sprints, use of JIRA, and minimal rituals for successful teams.05:50 - “My ideal buyer is a tech lead, an engineering manager, some kind of VP, or a tech technical leader in engineering that has direct reports who are individual contributors.”17:51 - “It is really easy to avoid Friday releases if you plan not to do them.”22:22 - “I wrote a script that mimicked doing exactly what the dev did, but it took them two hours, and my script runs it in 40 seconds.”33:29 - “They would waste 30 minutes every day just checking, ‘Wait, do you mean the thing thing or the other thing thing?’”36:35 - “But what we are measuring with that last subjective metric is essential. And if the team did well this sprint, did they celebrate?”47:31 - “I encourage them to cancel the sprint once the team is no longer following the goal.”Related links:https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniscahuk/https://craftingtechteams.substack.com/

Longtime friend-of-the-show and “three-peat” guest Geraldine Carter returns to go deep on the trials, tribulations, and benefits of niching down on a target market.Talking PointsGoing all in and telling everyone where you’re headed is key to getting tractionIf starting from scratch, think about what gets you excited and what kind of work you enjoy doingDon’t be afraid to be transparent with existing clients when transitioning to a new nicheManaging cash flow is crucial during the transition periodNot getting traction feels uncomfortable but should be serially solved, while not fitting into a niche is a feeling of discomfort that doesn’t go awayNiching down has many advantages, including having your own set of people and having more control over your calendarACFA can sell certain kinds of financial advisory products and services, but it’s more common for certified financial planners and financial advisorsQuotable Quotes04:27 “They know down deep inside where they wanna be, but they just haven’t given themselves time and space or permission to let that idea surface as a possible business model.”21:50 “Once you dive into your niche, you realize just how much there is to learn.”24:01 “It’s almost like a process of elimination where they need to know what wrong feels like in order to know what Right feels like.”26:32 “Who do you like working with? What gets you excited? What are the things that you think about when you can’t help thinking about them?”31:49 “It’s not the curfuffle that you imagine it’s going to be in your mind.”35:19 “There are a lot of pieces, there are a lot of moving parts, and it includes you having a good product, you talking about that product, but also not just talking, but speaking compellingly about the product.”41:15 “CPAs do have it easy in a way, and it’s fair that they are in a profession that is in some ways legally required to purchase the service of.”