Episode Description
Summary
In this episode, Paul shares a candid story from a recent mentor meeting that reframed how he thinks about clients, pricing, and positioning. After navigating a stressful corporate project that spiraled into missed expectations and rushed timelines, a simple insight emerged: when clients see you as a commodity, they treat you like one.
Through real-world examples from both his own business and a mentor’s decades-long career, Paul breaks down why great makers must clearly sell what actually makes them different—not just the product, but the experience, service, and care behind it. This episode is a reminder that not every client is the right client, and that long-term success comes from being valued, not just hired.
Key Takeaways
- Being seen as a commodity puts you in a losing position — once you’re interchangeable, price and deadlines become weapons.
- Corporate and third-party buyers often strip away your differentiators, reducing you to a line item instead of a partner.
- Your real value isn’t just the product — it’s communication, service, experience, and problem-solving.
- If you don’t clearly explain why you’re different, clients won’t assume it — especially new decision-makers.
- The right clients are willing to pay more for clarity, care, and trust; the wrong ones will always push back.
- Saying “we won’t be the cheapest, but we will be the best” only works if you define what “best” means.
- Selling apples-to-apples comparisons is a trap — your job is to show why it’s not apples-to-apples at all.
If you’ve ever felt boxed in by price pressure, unrealistic expectations, or exhausting clients, this episode is your reminder: you don’t win by being cheaper — you win by being unmistakably different.