April 8, 2025
Ruthless Simplicity with Jonathan Stark
The delightful Barry LaBov (founder, author, and past guest on Ditching Hourly) had me on Difference Talks to discuss my “ruthless simplicity” approach to time management - i.e., how I generate enough income to support my extravagant lifestyle with no employees, contractors, or assistants ;-)
Here’s the episode description from Barry’s site:
In this episode, we talk with Jonathan Stark, consultant, expert sales pro, author, speaker, and host of the Ditching Hourly podcast, about scaling a solo business without the need for hiring employees. He emphasizes the use of automation and a simple time management framework to enhance productivity. In his first year as a solo consultant, he doubled his income by ditching hourly billing for value pricing. Jonathan applies the concept of value-based pricing as a means to increase profitability while avoiding the pitfalls of hourly billing. He also addresses the challenges of perfectionism and the importance of embracing mistakes as learning opportunities. Jonathan shares insights on how to structure daily routines for maximum impact and creativity, ultimately leading to a more satisfying work-life balance.
About Jonathan Stark: Jonathan Stark is a consultant, expert sales pro, author, speaker, and host of the Ditching Hourly podcast. He helps freelancers, consultants, and other independent professionals make more and work less without hiring. He’s given sold-out talks on three continents and has authored five books.
Takeaways:
- Hiring more employees isn’t always the best way to scale
- Ruthless simplicity in time management can transform productivity
- Value-based pricing can lead to greater profitability than hourly billing
- Perfectionism often leads to procrastination and inaction
- Embracing mistakes can lead to unexpected opportunities and growth
- Customer satisfaction should be the primary focus of any business
Questions?
I don’t talk about my productivity techniques very much. PLMK if you have questions... I’d be happy to talk about this more if enough people are interested.
Yours,
—J