Ditching Hourly

AI/ML consultant and self-described productivity nerd Clemens Adolphs joined me on Ditching Hourly for a reverse interview about my flexible alternative to time blocking. We geeked out about the “While-Awake Loop” system that I've been using to run my life for twenty years. 01:15 Clemens Tests the System 03:21 The Core Loop 05:02 Controlling Interruptions 07:10 What Belongs on the List 08:36 The P...

In 2017, Joel Miller came on Ditching Hourly episode 33 to talk about his recent switch to value pricing. Nine years later, Joel and his identical twin brother Alan still run The Sky Floor as a two-person shop. They do all the client work themselves, their average client has been with them for eight years, and they haven't hit a famine cycle in a long time, so they're not hungry for leads. Best of...

Software entrepreneur, author, and investor Rob Walling joined me on Ditching Hourly to explain why faster software development does not remove the need to validate a software product idea before building it. We talked about the future of SaaS in the age of AI, the 2-20-200 validation framework, customer conversations, finding ideas, turning client work into a product, starting marketing early, ch...

Experience designer and BRC Imagination Arts founder Bob Rogers joined me on Ditching Hourly to explain how to create experiences that change behavior instead of merely entertaining. His new book, Deep Story , is a practical guide to doing exactly that. We talked about defining the change before choosing tools, looking past requested deliverables, finding the emotional connection between a brand a...

NetSuite data migration consultant Paul Giese joined me on Ditching Hourly to share how triple specialization helped him build a highly referable, fixed-price consulting business. Paul explains how his accounting background, NetSuite expertise, and data-migration focus combine into a defensible niche, plus how specialization supports referrals, delegation, and value-based fixed fees. 00:00 - Intro...

Growth consultant and author of The Damn Rules, Nick Richtsmeier joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about why internet-based inbound marketing systems have stopped working, aren't coming back, and what might work instead. 00:27 Nick's Background and Work 01:10 Why the Internet Is Toast 03:09 What Distribution Means Now 04:36 Inbound as Attention Arbitrage 07:56 The Attention Economy Is a Casino...

Double-unicorn founder (WP Engine and A Smart Bear), Jason Cohen, joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about the ideas behind his new book, Hidden Multipliers. We talked about using AI as a facilitator rather than an answer machine, choosing ideal customers, differentiating a consulting business, how AI is changing SaaS and software work, and why writing can help you think in public. Chapters 00:0...

Thought leadership expert Bill Sherman joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss how experts can scale their ideas to create impactful thought leadership.  Bill shares insights from his extensive experience in helping individuals and organizations codify and amplify their ideas. In this episode, we delve into the nuances of thought leadership, from defining it to exploring business models and the im...

Pricing strategist Shannon Mattern joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss how to present pricing options in a project proposal based on the mindset of the buyer: investment-minded, expense-minded, and hustle-minded.  In this episode, we dive into Shannon's Package Matrix method, a framework she developed to offer clients different levels of service and pricing options. We explore how to implement...

”Expertise whisperer” Wes Wheless joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about turning corporate expertise into a solo consulting business. We talked about his new book, The Expert's Privilege , how corporate professionals can recognize transferable expertise, why visual IP helps consultants explain their work, and what to do before making the leap from employee to independent consultant. Chapters 0...

Author, financial advisor, and former management consultant Brian Herriot joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about pursuing time freedom before financial freedom. Brian and I talk about his new book Time Freedom , the difference between time freedom and financial freedom, how flexible work can bridge the gap, and what he learned from using early readers, workshops, and hybrid publishing to turn...

Business development director and Raleigh commercial real estate enthusiast Jed Byrne joined me on Ditching Hourly to walk through the entire process of self-publishing his first book, Start Small Selling, from idea validation to Kickstarter funding to final production. We cover testing your book idea with real money, writing a first draft in 35 days, running a Kickstarter campaign to fund profess...

Principal at Superstruct and author David Guttman joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about using OpenClaw and AI agents to delegate outcomes instead of micromanaging code. We talked about AI employees, chat-based agents, why OpenClaw feels different from coding tools, how David qualifies repeatable tasks for delegation, secure setup choices like Tailscale, and what collapsing software costs coul...

Learning and development facilitator Nikki Cross joined me on Ditching Hourly to share how she turned business books into a private podcast book club that helps members apply what they read. Nikki explains the mechanics of her Inner Work Business Book Club, how she uses a private podcast to turn book ideas into implementation, and why structure matters when business books are trying to change beha...

Founder of Upshift, Shawn Yeager, joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about how AI is killing the billable hour and what professional services firms can do about it.  Jonathan and Shawn dig into judgment versus execution, what firms should commercialize after AI, why cost-cutting is only the first move, and how agent workflows change what small and midsize firms can do. 00:00 - Introduction 01:54...

Angular expert Alain Chautard rejoined me on Ditching Hourly to share how he scaled his certification business through partnerships and automation. Jonathan and Alain talk about turning niche expertise into a certification business, reducing support demands, using expert partners across time zones and languages, negotiating a licensing-style partnership, and what happens when a soloist plugs their...

Data science consultant and podcast host Genevieve Hayes joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about podcasting as a boost for an expertise-based business. Chapters 00:00 - Genevieve Hayes and Value-Driven Data Science 02:27 - Committing to Start a Podcast 05:35 - Simple Production Is Good Enough 07:02 - First Guests and Inbound Momentum 11:46 - The 100-Episode Surprises 15:07 - Relationships Beat...

In this episode of Ditching Hourly, host Jonathan Stark welcomes Carl Franklin, co-host of the .NET Rocks podcast, to discuss the intricacies and benefits of value pricing. Listeners will gain insights into how value pricing can transform their business approach, moving away from the traditional hourly billing model. The conversation covers key topics such as the differences between fixed pricing...

Pranav Kale returns for another reverse interview — this time grilling Jonathan about his personal productivity and time management system. Jonathan walks through the system he's refined over two decades and used with his private coaching students: from consolidating all your to-dos in one place, to creating SOPs for recurring tasks, to the "event loop" that drives his day. The core idea: when you...

Best-selling author, speaker, and management adviser Joe Pine joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss his new book, The Transformation Economy, why it applies especially well to consultants, coaches, and advisors, and gives some tips on how to price transformations. Joe's Bio B. Joseph Pine II is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and management adviser to Fortune 500 companies and entr...

Jason Staats joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about his progression from being an employee in an accounting firm to running the top accounting community on the planet. Links Jason's website Jason's YouTube Chapters ---- 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 you...

Rural planning advisor Ben Kettle joined me on Ditching Hourly to share his transition from hourly billing “nonsense” to risk-based project pricing. Links Ben's website » https://areteruralplanning.co.uk/ Chapters (00:00) - Ben Kettle (00:20) - Meet the Guest: Ben Kettle (00:36) - Ben's Background and Career Journey (02:57) - Challenges with Hourly Billing (09:01) - Transition to Fixed Fee and Val...

Co-founder of Conversion Factory, Zach Stevens, rejoined me on Ditching Hourly to give us an update on how he's growing his subscription SaaS marketing agency in year 3. Links We Mentioned Conversion Factory Website Zach's partner Corey, on X The Superstruct Manifesto by David Guttman The "If You're Such An Expert" Ditcherville Comic Chapters (00:00) - Introduction and Welcome (00:10) - Zach's Bus...

Charles Miller of Platoon joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss “good” taste, how you get it, why you might want it, and what to do when your clients don’t have it. Links Charles’ personal site » https://www.charlesmiller.com/ Charles’ portfolio site » https://www.platoon.studio/ Chapters (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:11) - Defining Taste (00:19) - Charles Miller's Background (00:...

Author of No BS Strategy , Alex M H Smith, rejoined me on Ditching Hourly to help define a very important word that few business people understand correctly. Chapters (00:00) - Introduction and Welcome (00:11) - Guest Introduction: Alex Smith (01:30) - Understanding Business Strategy (02:02) - The Misunderstood Concept of Value (04:15) - Creating Value in Business (07:55) - Innovating Beyond Tradi...