Learn how B2B teams can scale creative operations, cut the busywork, and show up consistently with content that resonates.

Charging by the hour? You're leaving money on the table. In this episode, host Jason Bradwell sits down with Jonathan Stark - author of Hourly Billing Is Nuts and host of the Ditching Hourly podcast - for a masterclass in pricing, positioning, and why daily publishing changed everything for his business.

Jonathan breaks down why hourly billing traps experts in low-profit margins, the difference between cost-plus and actual value-based pricing, and his "scope last" principle that flips traditional consulting on its head. He also shares how publishing daily helped him build a loyal audience, deepen his expertise, and turn strangers into superfans. Whether you're a solo consultant or running a B2B service business, this conversation delivers clear, actionable frameworks to work less, charge more, and stand out.

Jason and Jonathan dive straight into why hourly billing is fundamentally broken. It punishes efficiency, caps your income, and makes clients focus on time instead of outcomes. Jonathan explains the "fixed pricing trap" most consultants fall into, they think they're doing value-based pricing when they're really just doing cost-plus (estimate hours, multiply by rate, add margin). Real value-based pricing starts with understanding what success is worth to the client.

The conversation shifts to Jonathan's signature principle: scope last. Instead of leading with what you'll do, lead with the outcome the client wants and price based on that value. Only after they say yes do you figure out the most efficient way to deliver it. This requires strong positioning, becoming the only choice for a specific problem, not the cheapest option among many.

They explore how daily publishing transformed Jonathan's business. He's published something every single day for years, creating what he calls "asymmetric intimacy" his audience feels like they know him deeply even if they've never met. This built trust at scale and turned his owned media into a long-term growth engine that compounds over time.

Jonathan shares practical newsletter tactics: the capture phase (getting people on the list), writing cadence (daily works for him), and why podcasting is like building localized celebrity. They also discuss burnout risks, how AI fits in (spoiler: it's a tool, not a replacement for thinking), and Jonathan's advice for anyone launching a podcast or daily newsletter: done is better than perfect, just start.

If you're stuck in the pricing-versus-scoping cycle or charging by the hour and feeling trapped, Jonathan's frameworks will fundamentally shift how you think about your business. This isn't theory, it's battle-tested advice from someone who's helped thousands of consultants escape the hourly trap. Plus, his insights on daily publishing offer a blueprint for building trust and authority in any B2B market.

00:00 - Introduction: From developer to pricing evangelist

01:30 - Why hourly billing is broken

04:00 - The fixed pricing trap and cost-plus confusion

06:00 - What value-based pricing actually looks like

08:00 - Scope last: price outcomes, not inputs

10:00 - Positioning: become the only choice

13:00 - Daily publishing and asymmetric intimacy

16:30 - Owned media as a growth engine

20:00 - Newsletter tactics and writing cadence

23:30 - Podcasting builds localized celebrity

26:00 - Burnout, AI, and sustainability

30:00 - Advice for launching a podcast or daily list

34:00 - Done beats perfect—just start

38:00 - Final takeaways on pricing and standing out

Connect with Jason Bradwell on LinkedIn

Connect with Jonathan Stark on LinkedIn

Visit Hourly Billing Is Nuts

Visit Ditching Hourly

Explore B2B Better website and the Pipe Dream podcast