#411: Mastering the Art of Pricing: How to Charge What You’re Worth with Casey Brown

In this episode of Independence by Design™, I sit down with pricing expert Casey Brown, founder of Boost Pricing, to dig deep into one of the biggest pain points for business owners: pricing. Casey breaks down the psychological barriers that often keep us stuck—mainly fear—and shows how we can shift from defensive pricing to a confident, value-driven strategy. We talk about how to approach price objections, avoid unnecessary discounts, and make sure we’re getting paid what we’re worth. 

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Casey also shares practical insights on how professional services businesses can move away from hourly billing and adopt value-based subscription models. Whether you’re struggling with price pushback, want to increase your margins, or need to gain the confidence to raise your rates, this conversation is packed with actionable takeaways to help you master pricing and boost your bottom line. 

Casey Brown is a pricing expert and founder of Boost Pricing. With over 25 years of experience, she has helped thousands of businesses increase their profitability through smarter pricing strategies. Her focus is on empowering leaders to price confidently and capture the full value of their services. Casey is a sought-after speaker and consultant who has worked with organizations across many industries to help them stop leaving money on the table. 
 

Chapters:  

• (00:00) – Introduction and Casey’s background, the art and science of pricing, emphasizing mindset and setting clear goals for business success 
• (04:06) – The psychology behind pricing: fear vs. confidence 
• (12:17) – Understanding market value and data-driven pricing strategies are crucial for businesses to find their pricing ceiling and manage risk 
• (17:09) – Value-based pricing for professional services: shifting from hourly billing to subscription models 
• (28:00) – Trust and value are key in differentiating service providers, achieved through consultative selling, education, and effective communication 
• (41:00) – Simplifying pricing strategy and options, perceived value, clear messaging, predefined packages, balancing knowledge and execution, speed in proposals, and repeatable pricing framework 
• (50:56) – Negotiating discounts and pricing strategy, cautious approach to discounts, understanding contribution margin, leveraging customer pushback for dialogue 
• (59:00) – Trust, pricing strategies, and timing of adjustments are crucial in business operations and understanding underpricing's true cost 
• (1:09:00) – The Sherman Act, understanding financial metrics and fair pricing is crucial for companies to avoid legal issues and build trust with customers 
• (1:14:00) –  Mapping pricing power, negotiation tactics and mindset change for financial success, pricing power empowers sales teams 
• (01:24:00) – Final Thoughts: Valuing and compensating excellent work, demanding fair prices, and appreciating high-quality work are important for justice 
• Share with the owner/operators you know! 

Ryan Tansom is a seasoned entrepreneur, speaker, and the founder of Independence by Design™, a transformative ownership framework for growth-oriented business owners. After turning around and selling his family business in an eight-figure exit, Ryan spent over a decade dissecting the lessons learned from his journey. His mission is to help other business owners avoid the pitfalls he encountered by providing them with the tools and knowledge to align their business operations with their personal and financial goals. 

With a deep understanding of the challenges faced by owner-operators, Ryan developed Independence by Design™ to empower owner-operators to create sustainable cash flow, grow their company’s equity value, and achieve true independence. He has shared his insights on hundreds of stages, including Vistage, EO, and industry associations, and has reached over 500,000 listeners through his podcast. 

Ryan is passionate about helping business owners get unstuck from the day-to-day grind and design a business that serves their life, not the other way around. 

Resources: 
Casey Brown Boost Pricing  https://boostpricing.com 
Website:  Caseybrown.com 
LinkedIn: Casey Brown 
X (formerly Twitter): @CaseyBrownBoost 
Price Pressure is a Buying Signal  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP2eJ2d4jl0 

Dozen Reasons Not to Bill Time & Materials  https://boostpricing.com/2023/08/25/donttradetimeformoney/ 

Accountants, Attorneys, and Engineers Who Sell:  Oh My!  https://boostpricing.com/2020/12/30/accountants-attorneys-engineers-who-sell-oh-my/ 

Do You Propose Like a Partner or a Vendor?  https://boostpricing.com/2022/12/06/do-you-propose-like-an-equal-or-a-vendor/ 

Goldilocks and the Three Prices  https://boostpricing.com/2022/12/06/goldilocks-and-the-three-prices/ 

Episode 346 The Power of Pricing with Casey Brown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezeeXiDlkB4 

Independence by Design™ Owner’s Workshop https://ryantansom.com/independence-by-design-workshop 

Independence by Design™ Ownership Coaching: Ryan Tansom’s Ownership Accelerator programs and coaching https://ryantansom.com/coaching 

Ryan Tansom Website https://ryantansom.com/ 

Ryan Tansom LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryantansom/ 

Ryan Tansom Twitter https://twitter.com/RyanTansom 

Ryan Tansom YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ryantansom 

Ryan Tansom 30-Minute Ownership Strategy Call https://calendar.app.google/tsKk7z6ohugDchWq8 

 
Sound Bites: 

“Most pricing decisions are made from fear, not confidence.” – Casey Brown 

 "Customers will never pay you what you're worth. They’ll only ever pay you what they think you're worth.” – Casey Brown 

“If you discount without adjusting the deal, you erode trust.” – Casey Brown 

“The more rigid you are about getting the right outcome for your customer, the more they will trust and pay you.” – Casey Brown