About Jonathan
Short Bio
Jonathan Stark is a former software developer who is on a mission to rid the world of hourly billing. He is the author of Hourly Billing Is Nuts, the host of Ditching Hourly, and writes a daily newsletter on pricing for independent professionals.
Longer Bio
Jonathan Stark is a well-known consultant, author, and speaker specializing in helping independent professionals move away from hourly billing and adopt value-based pricing strategies. His work focuses on teaching freelancers, consultants, and other service providers how to price their services based on the value they deliver to clients rather than billing for time spent working. Stark has authored books like Hourly Billing Is Nuts and runs a podcast and community where he discusses topics related to pricing, positioning, and how to grow a profitable business without relying on hourly billing. His approach is centered around the idea that time is not directly related to the value provided, encouraging service providers to think more strategically about their offerings. His insights are particularly valuable for solo entrepreneurs and small business owners who want to break free from the limitations of traditional billing models.
Common Topics
- How To Make More Money Without Working More Hours
- How To Increase Your Income Without Hiring Juniors
- How To Write Proposals That Close Without Lowering Your Prices
- How To Package Your Expertise In Ways That Sell While You Sleep
- How To Tell People What You Do Without Boring Them To Tears
Sample Questions for Jonathan
- What’s really so bad about hourly billing?
- How do I know which projects are profitable and which aren’t if I’m not tracking my time?
- If I’m paying employees (or contractors) by the hour, don’t I have to bill my clients by the hour to make sure I’m not losing money?
- What are the alternatives to hourly billing?
- Is there a way for me to transition my hourly billing clients to a better pricing model?
- Are there certain types of work that can only be billed on an hourly basis?
Facts About Jonathan
- I can’t swim.
- I met my best friend for life in nursery school.
- My books have been translated into seven languages.
- I earned my blackbelt in karate at age 50.
- I’m the Jonathan’s Card guy.
- One of my proudest achievements in life was organizing a fundraiser that paid for an uninsured friend’s stomach cancer treatments.
More words from Jonathan
- Visit Jonathan’s main site at jonathanstark.com
- Get Jonathan’s book Hourly Billing Is Nuts at hourlybillingisnuts.com
- Get Jonathan’s book The Freelancer’s Roadmap at thefreelancersroadmap.com
- Listen to Jonathan on Ditching Hourly at ditchinghourly.com
- Listen to Jonathan on The Business of Authority at thebusinessofauthority.com
- Listen to Jonathan’s podcasts guest appearances on huffduffer.com
- Subscribe to Jonathan’s daily mailing list
Kind Words about Jonathan
Stop reading this quote and hire Jonathan. If you’re still not sure, call me and I’ll read this quote to you again.
Jonathan, I watched the Altitude of Involvement recording last week and now I have your worksheet etched in my mind. It will change how I run my business. Thank you!
If you are a freelancer, or if you want to quit your job and become one, then I highly recommend that you consume every piece of content created by Jonathan Stark. There’s a ton of great, free stuff on his website as well as a daily email newsletter, and his podcast, The Business of Authority, together with Rochelle Moulton.
Jonathan, The Freelancer’s Road Map is the first book I have read cover to cover without falling asleep... just realised! Thank you for that, well worth the money and is now a ’bible’ I am bouncing back to for ideas when work is quiet, thanks for that too.
– Jenny Howes, Jenny Howes Design
Jonathan, This is a really profound post, at least for me right now. I’ve been wrestling with this concept but without knowing it. The way you’ve phrased it brings so much clarity. Thank you! Frederick
OMG Jonathan this is brilliant and so bag on the money! Just home from a Joomla conference and this was the first email I opened. So grateful for your insights. Have a super day! Alison
Jonathan is probably the best person to follow online if you’re trying to grow your expert business... If you’re a developer, designer or a consultant you should definitely listen to Jonathan’s advice, implement it and you will see results soon :)
Jonathan, you are good!! I read every email you send. I love your style and how you use analogies to get readers to understand what you’re teaching. Thank you for your consistency and wisdom.
Would I recommend Private Coaching with Jonathan? Hell yeah. He stopped me from making dozens of missteps along the way. Hiring him means protection from the downside and a straighter line to the upside potential of what I’m trying to accomplish. He fundamentally changed the direction of my future for the better.
Jonathan, The Introduction Game exercise has been SO INCREDIBLY VALUABLE! And has secured your newsletter as the best one I’ve ever read! Thank you!
It’s genius, Jonathan!!! Thanks a mil for sharing that!
WIN! just got back a signed proposal for a retainer client using Jonathan’s exact template and won the deal! Client went through my ISO roadmap first and was happy to move forward with the planned proposal. The extra awesome thing is she wants to move up to option 2 of the proposal in 3 months!
— Isha Bell
Hey J, I signed up for a lot of email lists, however when it comes to yours I swear to God I have never seen so much value in my life. For. Free. Like damn. Thank you so much J. You’re amazing.
– Mahmoud Ahmed
Amazing talk today, Jonathan! In one fell swoop you have solved a few of my biggest frustrations (niggly scope creep, competing on price, etc.)
— Meredith Eisenberg
Brilliant email J. Loved it. I don’t generally respond to emails but you are the exception. The value you provide is excellent. Thanks
– Samir Patnaik
GOD I LOVE THIS. What a fabulous email.
I’ve thoroughly been enjoying Jonathan’s Ditching Hourly podcast. It’s changed my life, even though I haven’t fully integrated those practices into my daily routine; that’s a longer story. 😉
– Robert Hall, Co-founder of DataSynq
Holy sh*t, nuggets like this are why I love your daily mails.
Jonathan,
This is solid gold! I have been struggling with how to deal with this myself. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thank you, Jonathan!
Your emails are so valuable, I just realized that I’ve been marking every single one of them with a star. I’ve never done that to anyone else’s newsletter.
Jonathan’s book increased my revenue by 1000%! I’m actually winning projects at 10x the hourly rate I used to make. In the past quarter, I banked six months salary. Honestly, the feeling of knowing you have 6mo in the bank is freedom beyond anything I have ever experienced.
Jonathan, I landed a $25k monthly contract on account of the advice in your book. Thank you a thousand times over!!
I used Jonathan’s retainer template to land a support and mentoring contract. The client got peace of mind and the assistance they needed, and I got an effective hourly rate of close to $1,000!
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