Grab our High-Converting Proposal Template and learn what to include (and what to leave out) to turn more of your proposals into higher-paying clients: https://webdesigneracademy.com/template
Have you ever thought, I just need more clients, I just need to book more projects, and then I'll be okay? But here’s the thing - you have real costs associated with running your web design business, and it’s not just your time - and if your pricing doesn't cover ALL of your costs, booking more clients doesn't fix your problems - it just means you lose more money faster. That’s the conversation fractional CFO and host of the Pivot to Profit podcast Pam Jordan and I had on the podcast just a couple days ago. We also talk about money trauma - where it comes from, how it's influencing your pricing decisions, and what it takes to break through your subconscious pricing ceiling.
Pam is the founder of Pivot Business Group and host of the Pivot to Profit podcast, and she has spent 10 years helping entrepreneurs actually understand their finances after watching a multi-million dollar company go through bankruptcy early in her career.
In this episode, she breaks down why "money in the bank" isn't the same as a profitable business, what your P&L and balance sheet are actually telling you, and why doing more work at your current prices could be making things worse, not better.
Shannon also pulls back the curtain on the Package Matrix™ Method and how it helps web designers charge two to three times more than they ever thought possible... even when their own nervous system is working against them.
What You'll Learn:
- Why bank balance accounting is one of the most dangerous habits a service provider can have
- The 3-part pricing formula (target profit + direct costs + overhead) that shows what you actually need to charge
- Why it's a pricing problem, not a volume problem, when your business can't get ahead
- The money trauma patterns that create an income ceiling - and how to start breaking through them
- How the Package Matrix "benevolent bait and switch" gets web designers to close projects at 2-3x their old prices
Key Timestamps:
[03:01] The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make with their numbers
[07:13] What profitable pricing actually looks like for service providers
[10:34] The 3-part pricing formula
[21:39] It's not a volume problem. It's a pricing problem.
[22:34] Money trauma: where it starts and how to work through it
[27:01] The Package Matrix and the benevolent bait and switch
Resources Mentioned:
Pivot Business Group: https://pivotbusinessgroup.com
Pam Jordan's website: https://pamjordan.com
Pivot to Profit Podcast: https://pamjordan.com/podcast
Related Episodes:
Episode 189: How To Price Custom Web Design Projects - https://webdesigneracademy.com/how-to-price-custom-web-design-projects-with-shannon-mattern/
Episode 168: Confident Pricing and Overcoming Mind Trash with Jen Davis - https://webdesigneracademy.com/confident-pricing-overcoming-mind-trash-with-jen-davis-of-better-the-brand-designer-podcast/
Episode 102: Six-Figure Pricing and Money Mindset with Austin L. Church - https://webdesigneracademy.com/six-figure-pricing-and-money-mindset-with-austin-l-church/
About Pam Jordan
Pam Jordan is the founder of Pivot Business Group, host of the Pivot to Profit podcast, and a fractional CFO who helps entrepreneurs understand their numbers, increase their profitability, reduce their taxes, and grow their wealth. After watching a multi-million dollar company go through bankruptcy court early in her career, Pam spent the last decade building a team of bookkeepers, CFOs, and tax strategists who support entrepreneurs at every stage - from cleaning up messy books to implementing tax strategy to forward-looking CFO advisory.
Pivot Business Group: https://pivotbusinessgroup.com
Pam Jordan's website: https://pamjordan.com
Pivot to Profit Podcast: https://www.pamjordan.com/podcast
About Shannon Mattern
Shannon Mattern is a pricing strategist, creator of the Package Matrix™ and the founder of the Web Designer Academy, where she helps experienced women web designers package, price, and sell their services so they can build profitable, sustainable businesses without burnout.
Website: webdesigneracademy.com
For Service Providers: https://shannonmattern.com
IG: @profitablewebdesigner
YouTube: @profitablewebdesigner
LinkedIn: shannonmattern