Ditching Hourly

Professor-in-residence at StoryBrand and host of the new podcast Badass Softie, Dr. J.J. Peterson, joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss how to strike a balance between authority and empathy. And be sure to stick around to the end to hear J.J.'s take on AI's impact on professional services and how to avoid creating ‘louder garbage’ :-) Chapters (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:17) -...

Solo data advisor Shachar Meir (ex-Meta, ex-PayPal) joined me on Ditching hourly to share the details of his transition from being a manager in massive corporate environments to becoming a successful solo consultant. Chapters (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (01:05) - Shachar's Professional Background (03:47) - Transition to Solo Entrepreneurship (13:51) - First Steps as a Solopreneur (15:...

(NOTE: this ep was recorded in October 2025, but I didn't get around to publishing it until March 2026. It was WILD listening to the AI portions of the conversation five months later - post OpenClaw.) Old friend and self-described “workaholic” developer Tim Dietrich joined me on Ditching Hourly to share his journey from FileMaker freelancer to the undisputed SuiteQL expert in the NetSuite ecosyste...

Big Idea archaeologist Pranav Kale joined me on Ditching Hourly for a reverse interview about my journey to the center of the solar system. Chapters (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:39) - Pranav's Evolution and Current Focus (03:01) - Jonathan's Epiphany on Hourly Billing (06:26) - The Trust Fracture in Hourly Billing (07:45) - Jonathan's Problem-Solving Journey (16:59) - The Move to R...

Laravel expert Joel Clermont joined me on Ditching Hourly to share how he and his co-founder run their successful dev subscription business.  Chapters (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Introduction (00:16) - Joel's Background and Business Model Transition (01:54) - Launching the Dev Subscription Model (04:47) - Marketing and Initial Success (07:44) - Client Profiles and Demand (11:19) - Managing Cl...

Digital marketing strategist Eleanor Mayrhofer joined me on Ditching Hourly to describe exactly how she productized her web design services. Links: Eleanor's website » https://www.eleanormayrhofer.com/ditching Eleanor's LinkedIn » https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanormayrhofer/ Chapters: (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:14) - Eleanor's Background and Business Model (00:52) - Straight to...

Founder of The Upside, Erin Halper, joined me on Ditching Hourly to share her pro tips on creating and sustaining a premium online community. Erin's Links: Erin's community » https://betheupside.com/ Erin's LinkedIn » https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinhalper/ Chapters (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:19) - Erin Halper's Background and The Upside Community (03:19) - Challenges and Evoluti...

Communications consultant Lynn Safranek joined me on Ditching Hourly to learn how to apply value pricing to an industry where the consultant can't control the outcome. (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:11) - Understanding Upstream Contributions (00:23) - Lynn's Background and Expertise (01:05) - The Value Pricing Dilemma (01:21) - Client Communication Challenges (02:45) - Media Engageme...

Brand strategist and founder of SwayRise Creative, Diane Whiddon, joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about how adding a discrete - and legitimately useful - AI-based productized service to her branding business tapped into a longstanding demand in her client base. Diane's Links SwayRise Creative » https://swayrisecreative.com/ Content Creator Lab » https://aicontentcreatorlab.com Chapters (00:00...

Author, speaker, and human-first AI strategist, Alastair McDermott, joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about his new book and how experts can use AI to enhance productivity, decision-making, and learning. (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:46) - Alistair's Background and Journey (03:02) - The New Book: Use AI, Stay Human (04:15) - AI as a Tool for Experts (06:55) - Practical Applicatio...

Author of Leaving The Casino, Jessica Lackey, joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss the importance of understanding different business models, pricing strategies, and the concept of the 'zone of enoughness' in building a sustainable business. (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:09) - Jessica Lackey's Background and Career Journey (01:05) - Introduction to Jessica's Book (03:13) - The Ca...

Author Robin Bonn joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss the importance of differentiation as described in his book Market of One. About Robin Robin Bonn is the CEO of Co:definery , one of the world's leading consultancies specialising in agency positioning. From renowned global networks to the world's top independents, he’s repositioned close to 150 agencies and coached dozens of senior leaders....

Ed Kless joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about what he and his Threshold co-founder Ron Baker think is the next big thing (spoiler alert: transformations). Talking Points The Concept of the Experience Economy Progression of Economic Value Transformations and Their Impact Threshold: Guiding Transformations Transitioning from Service to Transformation Economy Skipping the Experience Stage Charg...

Geraldine Carter joined me on Ditching Hourly to give us a behind-the-scenes recap of what went into her pivot from selling one-time $9,500 mastermind programs to selling a $995/mo ongoing subscription model. (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:34) - Defining 'Melting the Pyramid' (04:38) - Transitioning Business Models (08:54) - Challenges and Key Changes (14:00) - New Program Structure...

Craig Hewitt, founder of Castos, joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss the current state and potential future of podcasting as a medium for building trust with your audience. AI Summary In this episode of Ditching Hourly, Jonathan Stark speaks with Craig Hewitt, founder of Castos, about the evolving landscape of podcasting. They discuss the shifting definitions and formats of podcasts, the impor...

Jason Lengstorf, founder of Code TV, joined me on Ditching Hourly to share how he is successfully navigating the transformation of the video production business. Jason's Links:  https://jason.energy/ https://codetv.dev/ AI Summary: In this episode of Ditching Hourly, Jonathan Stark is joined by Jason Lengstorf, founder of Code TV, to explore the current landscape of the video production industry,...

Author/creator of Sales for Nice People, Martin Stellar, joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about sticking to your guns in a sales meeting and how to build the confidence to do so.  Martin's Links: https://martinstellar.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinstellar/ https://salesfornicepeople.com/academy (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:22) - Martin's Background and Ethical Sales (0...

Yuval Yeret, founder of Yeret Agility and OG Agile expert, joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss the current state of Agile as a platform, how it has evolved over the years, and what practitioners should consider when pivoting their careers as the platform matures. About Yuval Yuval Yeret is a Product/Scaling/Agility Coach focused on helping product/tech leaders scale their organizations without...

Ex-java developer and CoffeeSprout founder Barry van Someren joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about the surprising alignment between “Ditcherville ethos” and the government of the Netherlands. LINKS MENTIONED Barry’s website Barry’s LinkedIn California Law AB 5 AI SUMMARY In this episode of Ditching Hourly, Jonathan Stark speaks with Barry Van Someren about his transition from hourly work to v...

The handsome and talented Louis Grenier joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about the strategy behind writing, publishing, and launching his new book, Stand The F*ck Out .  Links: Stand The F*ck Out Bonuses for Ditching Hourly Listeners AI Summary: In this conversation, Jonathan Stark interviews Louis Grenier about his journey in marketing, the insights from his new book, and the strategies behin...

The author of “Going 1099: How To Become Solo Federal Sub-Contractor”, Dale Davidson, joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss the journey of becoming a solo federal subcontractor. (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:17) - Dale Davidson's Background (00:49) - Navigating Hourly Billing in Government Contracts (01:39) - Transitioning to 1099 Subcontracting (04:01) - Importance of Security Cl...

Advisory CFO, daily emailer, and podcast host Lauren Pearl joined me on Ditching Hourly to unpack the nuances of the pricing framework she uses with her start-up and small business clients. CHAPTERS (00:00) - DH358 Lauren Pearl - The Daily CFO Pricing Framework (00:09) - Lauren Pearl's Background and Role (02:08) - Client Types and Fit (04:18) - The Origin of the Pricing Framework (07:23) - Step-b...

Andrew Croasdale, a former police officer turned consultant, joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss his transition from policing to consulting. (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:18) - Andrew's Background in Policing (01:05) - Transition to Consulting (05:11) - First Steps in Business (06:06) - First Client Experience (09:37) - Challenges of Small Business Owners (17:38) - Defining Gove...

Author, founder, and CEO Barry LaBov joined me on Ditching Hourly to geek out about niching down - while walking me through the five-step process he describes in his book The Power of Differentiation . Barry's Bio: Barry LaBov is the founder and CEO of LABOV Marketing Communications and Training. He is a two-time Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year recipient and an inductee into the Entrepr...

Guest Russ Waddell joined me on Ditching Hourly to explain how he successfully went out on his own for the first time after more than a decade as a full-time employee. Guest Links: https://www.russwaddell.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-waddell/ ---- Do you have questions about how to improve your business? Things like: Value pricing your work instead of billing for your time? Positioning...