The Unique Boutique Podcast
You built a consultancy worth noticing. Getting the market to notice it is a different skill. The Unique Boutique (formerly The Consultancy Edge) is a fortnightly podcast hosted by Matt Hodkinson, exploring the positioning, differentiation, and category-ownership strategies that turn boutique consultancies into the only credible choice.
The Unique Boutique Podcast
S2E7: The billable hour is killing your consultancy, with John Ray
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You already suspect you're undercharging. What you probably haven't accepted is that it's your fault - not the market's, not your clients'.
John Ray spent nearly three decades in investment banking and investment management. Then corporate ageism pushed him out the door in 2013 - and he discovered that after a career surrounded by money, he had no idea how to price his own work. Neither did any of his clients. That gap became his life's work.
John is the #1 bestselling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices, host of The Price and Value Journey, and has produced over 2,000 podcast episodes.
In this episode:
- Why price isn't a number - it's a system, and a marketing signal
- The red flags that reveal your pricing is inadequate
- Why pricing by the hour puts you on the opposite side of the table from your client
- What the Generosity Mindset actually is (and what it definitely isn't)
- Why the clients who cause you the most grief are the ones paying you least
- Why winning 100% of pitches means your prices are too low
- The AI question: does it amplify your excellence or expose your stupidity?
- The one question to ask a client this week that will change how you price
- Snog, Marry, Avoid - John's quick win, his non-negotiable, and what to bin tomorrow
Connect with John
Website: https://johnray.co
Book: https://thegenerositymindset.com
Podcast: https://pricevaluejourneypodcast.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnray1/