The Digital Junk Drawer

Pricing Your Services Like a Pro

Episode Summary

In this episode, I take on the world of pricing for creative service providers. Forget the tired "charge your worth" pep talk—this is real, practical advice for understanding your numbers and setting prices that actually work for your business. I share. my own (humbling) pricing journey and offers three straightforward methods to structure your pricing.

Episode Notes

Hey there, I’m Kathleen Stewart, your host and resident weirdo! Welcome to The Digital Junk Drawer, where creative service-based businesses come for practical advice and actionable strategies. In this episode, I’m tackling pricing—no fluff, no “charge your worth” nonsense, just real-world tips to help you figure out what to charge and where to start.

I’ll be sharing:

• How to calculate your baseline costs so you’re not losing money.
• Why billable hours aren’t always what they seem.
• Three pricing strategies you can use to create packages that actually work for your business.

If you’ve been pulling your prices out of thin air or just copying what someone else is doing, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why “charging your worth” is bad advice—and what to focus on instead.
• How to calculate your minimum hourly rate with a simple formula.
• The three pricing methods I love for service-based businesses:
  1. Value Stack Method – Add value to your core services.
  2. Milestone Method – Break big projects into manageable phases.
  3. Capacity Block Method – Price based on the time and deliverables you can handle.

Tiny Stepper of the Day

I’ve got a tiny stepper for you today: Look at your last three projects. Which of these pricing methods would have made them more profitable and enjoyable? Start experimenting and see what works for you.

Links and Resources Mentioned

• Download the Free Pricing Worksheet: I’ve created a free worksheet to help you calculate your costs and explore the pricing methods I shared in this episode. Grab it at TheMainStage.ca
• Follow Me on Threads: Want unfiltered, behind-the-scenes chaos? Come hang out with me on Threads at @themainstage.ca.