🎙 The Old Math Trap скачать в хорошем качестве

🎙 The Old Math Trap

Why Smart Professionals Undercharge (And How to Fix It) Episode Summary Here's a paradox that stops thousands of experienced professionals in their tracks: you've managed P&Ls worth millions, directed entire divisions, and built a 30-year track record of excellence—yet the moment you hand in your corporate ID badge, you start undercharging by 30-40%. It's not imposter syndrome. It's not a lack of confidence. It's a calculation error so fundamental that it threatens the viability of your entire second-act business before you even start. This episode dismantles the "old math trap"—the dangerous habit of dividing your corporate salary by 2,080 hours and calling that your consulting rate. That $72/hour number might feel safe and familiar, but it's actually a recipe for subsidizing your clients with your retirement savings. We reveal the invisible paycheck (benefits and overhead worth 30-40% of your salary), the billable capacity reality (solo consultants bill 1,000-1,200 hours annually, not 2,000), and why the self-employment tax alone can wipe out your profit margin if you don't price correctly. The solution is a proven three-step formula: calculate your walk-away price using (Target Income × 1.5) ÷ 1,000 hours, research your market position against boutique firms (not Upwork), and test using close rates as your diagnostic tool. We walk through real examples—like a former $150,000 VP who needs to charge $225/hour minimum—and explain why a 40-60% close rate is actually healthier than 100% acceptance. You'll also discover problem-scale pricing (why a crisis communications expert can charge $1,000/hour for the same one-hour task a generalist bills at $100), the two-tier testing strategy, and when to raise rates using the "rule of five." MIT Sloan research proves that 50-year-old entrepreneurs are nearly twice as likely to achieve high growth as 30-year-olds. Your pattern recognition—your ability to diagnose in three days what takes a junior consultant three months—is the premium commodity companies desperately need. This episode gives you the data-backed framework to price it correctly, the market positioning to justify it confidently, and the execution tactics to test and refine it in real time. Stop leaving money on the table. Start charging what your three decades of compressed experience is actually worth. Note: This episode is produced using NotebookLM to capture insights and structure powerful storytelling with clarity and depth. 🔗 Links & Resources 🚀 Join the FREE Retirepreneur Hub - Access business templates, pricing guides, and startup checklists designed for 55+ entrepreneurs. No credit card required. https://www.retirepreneur.com/retirep... 📰 Your expertise is more valuable now than ever. Get the free guide that shows you how to monetize it. → https://www.retirepreneur.com/subscribe #RetirementConsulting #ConsultingRates #SecondActBusiness #RetirementEntrepreneurship #55PlusEntrepreneur