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...

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...

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...

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...

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 ---- Do you have questions about how to improve your business? Things like: Value pricing your work...

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...

Fellow daily emailer and No-BS marketer Rod Aparicio joined me on Ditching Hourly to bust the myth of personal branding. Rod’s Links Twitter Profile Email List AI Summary In 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...

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/zstvns https://www.designdive.co/ Talking Points: The fear of not being able to fulfill client expectations led to starting small...

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 Points Taking 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...

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/about Summary In this episode, Luke Willis discusses the successful launch of KAP, a blockchain app offering NFT name services. He reveals the mechanics behind the...

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. ---- Do you have questions about how to improve your business? Things like: Value pricing your work instead of billing for your time? Positioning yourself as the go-to person in your space? Productizing your services so you never have to have another awkward sales call or spend hours writing another custom...

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 Points Expectations 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...

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...

Guest Bio Michael 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,...

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 Points Subscription 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...

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 ---- Do you have questions about how to improve your business? Things like: Value pricing your work instead of billing for your time? Positioning yourself as the go-to person in your space? Productizing your services so you never have to have another awkward sales call or spend hours writing...

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 Points Why 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...

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...

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 Points Going all in and telling everyone where you’re headed is key to getting traction If starting from scratch, think about what gets you excited and what kind of work you enjoy doing Don’t be afraid to be transparent with existing clients when transitioning to a new niche Managing cash flow is crucial during the...

Dr. JJ Peterson, head of StoryBrand, joined me on Ditching Hourly to explain why he says, “You can't build a business on hourly billing.” JJ emphasizes the importance of value pricing and project-based billing for delivering results and customer satisfaction. He offers advice on storytelling and differentiation, finding your target audience, and building an email list for lead nurturing. Talking Points Building value-add strategies is crucial to satisfying your customers Professional pricing...

Tech trainer and coach Denis Čahuk joined me on Ditching Hourly to explain how he doubled his income by selling his value instead of selling his CV. Denis’ links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniscahuk/ https://craftingtechteams.substack.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@technologistpodcast Additional notes from https://www.podcastshownotes.ai/ Key Points Productized services are key in creating an offer for clients rather than just presenting a list of skills. The process of discovering an...

Our resident crypto expert and longtime friend of the show, Luke Willis, joined me on Ditching Hourly to explore the psychology and mechanics of inflation. Links mentioned in the episode Luke’s Websites: https://lukewillis.com/ https://thekoinpress.com/ Milton Friedman Speaks: Money and Inflation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_nGEj8wIP0 ---- Do you have questions about how to improve your business? Things like: Value pricing your work instead of billing for your time? Positioning...