Carl Franklin - A Love Letter to Value Pricing

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 and hourly billing, the importance of the "why" conversation with clients, and strategies for handling project changes. Carl shares his experiences with proposal options, client negotiations, and overcoming resistance to value pricing.(00:00) Introduction(00:15) Carl Franklin's Background(02:09) Early Podcasting Days(04:39) The Starbucks Card Story(05:44) Introduction to Value Pricing(07:06) Fixed Pricing vs. Hourly(08:01) The Why Conversation(08:45) First Experiences with Value Pricing(20:39) Proposal Options and Client Choices(23:09) Handling Project Changes(25:02) Partnering and Value Pricing(27:00) Payment Terms and Client Negotiations(40:59) Expertise and Pricing Strategy(41:52) Overcoming Resistance to Value Pricing(44:02) Collaborative Projects and Revenue Sharing(45:44) Carl's Current Projects and Podcasts(48:54) Closing RemarksCarl Franklin is a seasoned podcaster and developer, best known as the co-host of the .NET Rocks podcast, which has been a staple in the developer community since 2002. Learn more about Carl and his work at .NET Rocks. ----Do you know you need to niche down, but keep hesitating because you're afraid of picking the wrong niche, cutting off good opportunities, or boxing yourself in?You DON'T need more convincing that vague positioning is a problem.You DO need a way to make positioning feel less risky so you can finally choose a direction, test it in the market, and adjust without blowing up your business.On Tuesday, September 8th, 2026, at noon Eastern Time, I'm running a live workshop called Positioning For Soloists Having A Hard Time Niching Down.That's what we'll tackle in this workshop.It's the second session of my Fall 2026 Soloist Growth Workshop series for expertise-based business owners just like you.Live attendance is limited to 20, so don't wait.Learn more at: https://jonathanstark.com/sgsEnroll in Positioning For Soloists now »Hope to see you live in Zoom on Tuesday.