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Meg Rentschler’s Journey from Therapist to Executive Coaching

April 16, 2025 by John Ray

Meg Rentschler's Journey from Therapist to Executive Coaching, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John Ray
North Fulton Studio
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Meg Rentschler's Journey from Therapist to Executive Coaching, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John Ray

Meg Rentschler’s Journey from Therapist to Executive Coaching (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 129)

In this episode of The Price and Value Journey, host John Ray interviews Meg Rentschler, an executive coach known for her deep listening, practical insights, and real-world coaching expertise. Meg shares her transformative journey from a long-time therapist to a successful executive coach, as well as working with other coaches. She discusses the circumstances surrounding her daring decision to abandon her role as a therapist in insurance provider panels and fully commit to coaching, along with the challenges and strategies she used to make this transition. Meg offers insights on the challenging identity shift required when transitioning careers, practical advice on managing client relationships effectively, staying true to one’s service mission, and the importance of clarity in professional identity and value proposition. She and John discuss creating value-based packages rather than hourly rates, strategies for coaches to confidently price their services, and the importance of avoiding poor-fit clients despite business pressures.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of the Business RadioX® podcast network.

Meg Rentschler

Meg Rentschler
Meg Rentschler

Meg Rentschler is an Executive and Leadership Coach renowned for her commitment to helping management teams and organizations maximize individual and collective potential through tailored coaching and team-building programs. With over two decades of experience as a psychotherapist and business owner, Meg brings a profound understanding of human behavior, workplace dynamics, and the impact of stress on performance. Her approach is rooted in solution-focused methodologies, guiding leaders and teams to identify goals, leverage strengths, and address challenges to achieve meaningful business outcomes.

Meg holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan, a Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University, and a Graduate Certificate in Executive and Professional Coaching from the University of Texas at Dallas. She is a Professional Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation and is skilled in utilizing a range of assessment tools, including emotional intelligence instruments and the Winslow assessment for employee and executive development. Her expertise spans industries such as transportation, technology, finance, healthcare, and services, with clients including American Airlines, Aetna Healthcare, and Bell Helicopter.

In addition to her coaching practice, Meg serves on the faculty at the University of Texas at Dallas, teaching in the Graduate Program for Executive and Professional Coaching. She is also a Certified Critical Incident Responder, having supported organizations through more than 200 workplace crises since 1992.

Meg Rentschler, The STaR Coach ShowMeg is the creator and host of the STaR Coach Show, a weekly podcast dedicated to providing strategies, tools, and resources for coaches and leaders. Through over 430 episodes, she has built a platform that educates and inspires listeners about the transformative impact of coaching, featuring expert guests and practical insights for professional growth. Her passion for empowering others and fostering healthy, productive work environments is evident in her work as a coach, educator, and podcast host.

Website | LinkedIn | STaR Coach Show Website and Podcast Episodes

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction and Welcome to The Price and Value Journey
00:47 Meg Rentschler’s Journey from Therapy to Coaching
02:28 Early Influences and Career Beginnings
06:19 Transition to Executive Coaching
07:55 Coaching Philosophy and Approach
11:07 Challenges and Lessons in Transition
24:52 Advice for New Coaches
30:47 Common Struggles for New Coaches
31:41 The Journey of Pricing in Coaching
32:15 Transitioning from Therapy to Coaching
33:31 Building Experience and Finding Your Niche
35:55 Shifting to Package-Based Pricing
40:41 Offering Tiered Services for Coaches
43:14 Understanding Client Value vs. Self-Worth
45:56 The Importance of Saying No to Poor Fit Clients
47:19 Balancing Business Needs with Client Fit
53:27 Capturing Wisdom and Learning from Experience
54:54 Conclusion and Contact Information

About The Price and Value Journey Podcast

The title of this show describes the journey all professional service providers are on: building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value you offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire, and trying to do all that at a price that reflects the value you deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably satisfied with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line and the mindset you bring to your business.

John Ray hosts the show, and he produces the show in conjunction with North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. You can also find the series on all major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include business coaching and advisory work, as well as advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, coaches, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a podcast show host, strategist, and the owner of North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. John and his team work with B2B professionals to create and conduct their podcast using The Generosity Mindset® Method: building and deepening relationships in a non-salesy way that translates into revenue for their business.

John is also the host of North Fulton Business Radio. With over 850 shows and having featured over 1,300 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in its region like no one else.

John’s book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

The Generosity Mindset, by John RayJohn is the #1 national best-selling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

If you are a professional services provider, your goal is to do transformative work for clients you love working with and get paid commensurate with the value you deliver to them. While negative mindsets can inhibit your growth, adopting a different mindset, The Generosity Mindset™, can replace those self-limiting beliefs. The Generosity Mindset enables you to diagnose and communicate the value you deliver to clients and, in turn, more effectively price to receive a portion of that value.

Whether you’re a consultant, coach, marketing or branding professional, business advisor, attorney, CPA, or work in virtually any other professional services discipline, your content and technical expertise are not proprietary. What’s unique, though, is your experience and how you synthesize and deliver your knowledge. What’s special is your demeanor or the way you deal with your best-fit clients. What’s invaluable is how you deliver great value by guiding people through massive changes in their personal lives and in their businesses that bring them to a place they never thought possible.

Your combination of these elements is unique in your industry.There lies your value, but it’s not the value you see. It’s the value your best-fit customers see in you.

If pricing your value feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar to you, this book will teach you why putting a price on the value your clients perceive and identify serves both them and you, and you’ll learn the factors involved in getting your price right.

The book is available at all major physical and online book retailers worldwide. Follow this link for further details.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: executive coaching, hourly pricing, John Ray, Meg Rentschler, pricing, STaR Coach Show, The Price and Value Journey, Therapist, value pricing

From Corporate to Calling: The Career Transition Blueprint with Rory Verrett

April 9, 2025 by John Ray

From Corporate to Calling: The Career Transition Blueprint with Rory Verrett, on The Price and Value Journey with host John Ray
North Fulton Studio
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From Corporate to Calling: The Career Transition Blueprint with Rory Verrett, on The Price and Value Journey with host John Ray

From Corporate to Calling: The Career Transition Blueprint with Rory Verrett (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 128)

What does it take to leave behind a successful corporate career and pursue work that truly feels like a calling? In this episode, executive recruiter and coach Rory Verrett joins The Price and Value Journey to share The Career Transition Blueprint, a thoughtful and empowering framework for professionals ready to step into their next chapter. Rory and host John Ray explore the emotional and practical shifts that come with reinvention, including how early influences and personal values shape our sense of purpose. Whether you’re seeking greater fulfillment, navigating a crossroads, or simply wondering what’s next, this conversation offers the clarity and encouragement to help you move forward with confidence.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of the Business RadioX® podcast network.

Rory Verrett

Rory Verrett
Rory Verrett

Rory Verrett is an executive coach, leadership advisor, entrepreneur, and executive recruiter who helps high performers and high-potential professionals navigate pivotal career transitions with clarity, courage, and purpose. His career spans public policy, executive search, entrepreneurship, and leadership development, including roles as a lobbyist and in the NFL.

He is the founder of Protégé Search and host of the Protégé Podcast, where he explores the stories and strategies of diverse leaders. Rory is also the creator of The Career Transition Blueprint, an online academy designed to help professionals align their values, skills, and financial goals, especially in the wake of a layoff or major career disruption.

Rory, now based in Portugal, continues his global work coaching, guiding professionals to rediscover meaning in their work and boldly pursue their next chapter.

LinkedIn | Protégé Search website | Protégé Leadership Academy website

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction to The Price and Value Journey
00:07 Rory Verrett’s Career Journey
02:02 Executive Search and Protégé Search
03:27 The Career Transition Blueprint
03:57 Identifying Career Markers
08:01 Influence of Background and Environment
12:51 Lessons from the NFL
16:54 Broadening Career Perspectives
19:10 Self-Awareness in Career Transitions
25:49 Aligning Values, Skills, and Income
30:01 The Morning Motivation for Entrepreneurs
31:01 Assessing Risk in Entrepreneurship vs. Corporate
31:54 The Importance of Company Culture
33:05 Control and Stability in Entrepreneurship
36:00 Defining Joy and Impact in Your Career
40:46 Mindset Shifts for Corporate to Entrepreneurship Transition
44:28 Introducing The Career Transition Blueprint
48:06 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

About The Price and Value Journey Podcast

The title of this show describes the journey all professional service providers are on: building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value you offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire, and trying to do all that at pricing that reflects the value you deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably satisfied with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line and the mindset you bring to your business.

John Ray hosts the show, and he produces the show in conjunction with North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. You can also find the series on all major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include business coaching and advisory work, as well as advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, coaches, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a podcast show host, strategist, and the owner of North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. John and his team work with B2B professionals to create and conduct their podcast using The Generosity Mindset® Method: building and deepening relationships in a non-salesy way that translates into revenue for their business.

John is also the host of North Fulton Business Radio. With over 850 shows and having featured over 1,300 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in its region like no one else.

John’s book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

The Generosity Mindset, by John RayJohn is the #1 national best-selling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

If you are a professional services provider, your goal is to do transformative work for clients you love working with and get paid commensurate with the value you deliver to them. While negative mindsets can inhibit your growth, adopting a different mindset, The Generosity Mindset™, can replace those self-limiting beliefs. The Generosity Mindset enables you to diagnose and communicate the value you deliver to clients and, in turn, more effectively price to receive a portion of that value.

Whether you’re a consultant, coach, marketing or branding professional, business advisor, attorney, CPA, or work in virtually any other professional services discipline, your content and technical expertise are not proprietary. What’s unique, though, is your experience and how you synthesize and deliver your knowledge. What’s special is your demeanor or the way you deal with your best-fit clients. What’s invaluable is how you deliver great value by guiding people through massive changes in their personal lives and in their businesses that bring them to a place they never thought possible.

Your combination of these elements is unique in your industry.There lies your value, but it’s not the value you see. It’s the value your best-fit customers see in you.

If pricing your value feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar to you, this book will teach you why putting a price on the value your clients perceive and identify serves both them and you, and you’ll learn the factors involved in getting your price right.

The book is available at all major physical and online book retailers worldwide. Follow this link for further details.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: calling, career transition, Entrepreneurship, finding purpose, John Ray, leaving corporate, professional services, Protégé Search, purpose, Rory Verrett, self-awareness, The Price and Value Journey

Building Genuine Connections: Janice Porter on Relationship Marketing

April 2, 2025 by John Ray

Building Genuine Connections: Janice Porter on Relationship Marketing, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John Ray
North Fulton Studio
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Building Genuine Connections: Janice Porter on Relationship Marketing, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John Ray

Building Genuine Connections: Janice Porter on Relationship Marketing (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 127)

In this episode of The Price and Value Journey, host John Ray welcomes Janice Porter, a relationship marketing specialist, LinkedIn trainer, and host of the Relationships Rule podcast. Janice shares her unique approach to building genuine and lasting relationships through LinkedIn and tangible touches, such as sending personalized cards and making thoughtful connections. She emphasizes the importance of starting with service and generosity, nurturing existing relationships, and the strategic aspect of offering value without undervaluing oneself. Janice also discusses her journey from teaching to entrepreneurship, the mindset shifts needed to overcome limiting beliefs, and the surprising benefits of authentic relationship marketing. Tune in for valuable insights and practical tips on how to grow your business through meaningful connections.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Janice Porter

Janice Porter
Janice Porter

Janice Porter is a renowned relationship marketing consultant and LinkedIn trainer with extensive experience in helping businesses build strong relationships and leverage LinkedIn for growth. She is the founder of Janice Porter & Associates, where she has been working since 2003. Her expertise lies in teaching business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals how to create, nurture, and build lasting relationships using both online and offline strategies. She works with both introverts and extroverts, focusing on making connections that lead to referrals and loyal customers.

Janice is deeply committed to being a connector for others, leveraging her extensive network to link like-minded individuals for mutual benefit. She values her friendships and business associations, always considering how she can support others. Her mantra, “How may I support you?” reflects her service-driven philosophy.

Janice has a background in education, having earned a Bachelor of Education from The University of British Columbia. She has also taught networking skills at institutions like Capilano University and Douglas College.

Janice is recognized for her innovative approach to using LinkedIn, emphasizing the importance of nurturing connections beyond the platform through personal gestures like greeting cards and gifts. She hosts a podcast called Relationships Rule, further highlighting her focus on interpersonal connections in business.

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Relationships Rule podcast

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Janice Porter
01:32 Janice’s Journey into Relationship Marketing
02:55 Understanding Relationship Marketing
05:05 The Importance of Genuine Connections
08:52 Effective LinkedIn Strategies
16:54 Tangible Touches and Follow-Up Techniques
25:05 Using Audio and Video Messaging on LinkedIn
25:48 LinkedIn App Features
26:04 The Power of Asking, “How May I Support You?”
26:38 Building Connections and Networking
28:10 The Journey of Podcasting
30:14 Supporting Introverts in Networking
35:10 Balancing Generosity and Business
40:32 Client Success Stories
44:56 Conclusion and Contact Information

About The Price and Value Journey Podcast

The title of this show describes the journey all professional service providers are on: building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value you offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire, and trying to do all that at pricing that reflects the value you deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line and the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is hosted and produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. The show can also be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include business coaching and advisory work, as well as advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, coaches, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a podcast show host, strategist, and the owner of North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. John and his team work with B2B professionals to create and conduct their podcast using The Generosity Mindset® Method: building and deepening relationships in a non-salesy way that translates into revenue for their business.

John is also the host of North Fulton Business Radio. With over 850 shows and having featured over 1,300 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in its region like no one else.

John’s book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

The Generosity Mindset, by John RayJohn is the #1 national best-selling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

If you are a professional services provider, your goal is to do transformative work for clients you love working with and get paid commensurate with the value you deliver to those clients. While negative mindsets can inhibit your growth, adopting a different mindset, The Generosity Mindset™, can replace those self-limiting beliefs. The Generosity Mindset enables you to diagnose and communicate the value you deliver to clients and, in turn, more effectively price to receive a portion of that value.

Whether you’re a consultant, coach, marketing or branding professional, business advisor, attorney, CPA, or work in virtually any other professional services discipline, your content and technical expertise are not proprietary. What’s unique, though, is your experience and how you synthesize and deliver your knowledge. What’s special is your demeanor or the way you deal with your best-fit clients. What’s invaluable is how you deliver great value by guiding people through massive changes in their personal lives and in their businesses that bring them to a place they never thought possible.

The combination of all these elements is quite different for you compared to any other service provider in your industry. Therein lies your value, but it’s not the value you see. It’s the value your best-fit customers see in you.

If pricing your value feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar to you, this book will teach you why putting a price on the value your clients perceive and identify serves both them and you, and you’ll learn the factors involved in getting your price right.

The book is available at all major physical and online book retailers worldwide. Follow this link for further details.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: building relationships, connections, Janice Porter, John Ray, LinkedIn, making connections, networking, podcasting, professional services, professional services providers, relationship marketing, relationships, The Price and Value Journey

The Power of Persistence and Value in Sales, with Sales Coach Jacob Hicks

March 26, 2025 by John Ray

The Power of Persistence and Value in Sales, with Sales Coach Jacob Hicks, on The Price and Value Journey with host John Ray
North Fulton Studio
The Power of Persistence and Value in Sales, with Sales Coach Jacob Hicks
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The Power of Persistence and Value in Sales, with Sales Coach Jacob Hicks, on The Price and Value Journey with host John Ray

The Power of Persistence and Value in Sales, with Sales Coach Jacob Hicks (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 126)

In this episode of The Price and Value Journey, host John Ray sits down with Jacob Hicks, a dynamic sales coach, consultant, and host of the Purpose Driven Progress podcast. Jacob shares his journey from a shy retail worker to a skilled sales professional, emphasizing the importance of mindset, gratitude, and empathy in sales. The discussion delves into effective follow-up strategies, overcoming mindset blocks, and the essential role of daily affirmations and gratitude in maintaining a positive sales mindset. Jacob also introduces his “Delete and Dominate” strategy to handle negative client interactions and underscores the value of retail lessons for professional service providers. This episode is packed with actionable insights for anyone looking to enhance their sales approach and mindset.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Jacob Hicks

Jacob Hicks, Sales and Success Coach, on the Price and Value Journey with host John Ray
Jacob Hicks

Jacob Hicks is an exceptional Elite Success Coach dedicated to helping individuals build a satisfied and full life. As a certified Elite Coach, Jacob collaborates with leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs, guiding them towards clarity and success in both their personal and professional lives. His coaching philosophy centers on empowering his “Coaching Allies” to discover optimal strategies for business and personal fulfillment.

Jacob’s approach involves creating goals, developing actionable plans, and executing those plans effectively. Through weekly one-hour calls and supplementary exercises, Jacob provides ongoing support and accountability to his clients. His passion for coaching is evident in his commitment to helping individuals gain clarity and construct actionable plans to realize their aspirations.

With a background in sales since 2014, Jacob has consistently achieved remarkable results across various industries. His track record includes surpassing goals, setting records, receiving awards, and effectively leading teams. This experience informs his coaching practice, allowing him to offer valuable insights into sales strategies and mindset. Jacob’s expertise in sales and coaching has been recognized in various contexts, making him a trusted advisor for those seeking to enhance their performance.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Jacob is committed to continuous personal growth. He is an avid reader, a self-taught piano player, and an investor. His passion for learning extends to travel, having explored extensively throughout the United States and the world. Jacob’s travels have also led him to engage in mission work in Liberia, demonstrating his commitment to making a positive impact beyond his coaching practice. This blend of professional expertise and personal growth makes Jacob Hicks a standout figure in the field of success coaching.

Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction and an Overview of Jacob Hicks
01:21 Jacob Hicks’ Sales Journey
03:24 The Importance of Follow-Up in Sales
06:24 Providing Value in Follow-Ups
17:27 Lessons from Retail for Professional Services
20:46 Mindset in Sales
22:21 Morning Affirmations and Gratitude
23:11 Experimenting with Affirmations
24:21 The Power of Gratitude
26:15 Common Mindset Blocks in Sales
28:38 Empathy vs. Sympathy in Sales
29:46 “Delete and Dominate” Strategy
36:54 Effective Follow-Up Strategies
40:40 When to Hire a Sales Coach
42:20 Conclusion and Contact Information

About The Price and Value Journey Podcast

The title of this show describes the journey all professional service providers are on: building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value you offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire, and trying to do all that at pricing that reflects the value you deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line and the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is hosted and produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. The show can also be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include business coaching and advisory work, as well as advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, coaches, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a podcast show host, strategist, and the owner of North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. John and his team work with B2B professionals to create and conduct their podcast using The Generosity Mindset® Method: building and deepening relationships in a non-salesy way that translates into revenue for their business.

John is also the host of North Fulton Business Radio. With over 850 shows and having featured over 1,300 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in its region like no one else.

John’s book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

The Generosity Mindset, by John RayJohn is the #1 national best-selling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

If you are a professional services provider, your goal is to do transformative work for clients you love working with and get paid commensurate with the value you deliver to those clients. While negative mindsets can inhibit your growth, adopting a different mindset, The Generosity Mindset™, can replace those self-limiting beliefs. The Generosity Mindset enables you to diagnose and communicate the value you deliver to clients and, in turn, more effectively price to receive a portion of that value.

Whether you’re a consultant, coach, marketing or branding professional, business advisor, attorney, CPA, or work in virtually any other professional services discipline, your content and technical expertise are not proprietary. What’s unique, though, is your experience and how you synthesize and deliver your knowledge. What’s special is your demeanor or the way you deal with your best-fit clients. What’s invaluable is how you deliver great value by guiding people through massive changes in their personal lives and in their businesses that bring them to a place they never thought possible.

The combination of all these elements is quite different for you compared to any other service provider in your industry. Therein lies your value, but it’s not the value you see. It’s the value your best-fit customers see in you.

If pricing your value feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar to you, this book will teach you why putting a price on the value your clients perceive and identify serves both them and you, and you’ll learn the factors involved in getting your price right.

The book is available at all major physical and online book retailers worldwide. Follow this link for further details.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: affirmations, empathy, gratitude, Jacob Hicks, John Ray, mindset, Sales, sales coach, The Price and Value Journey

The Value of Operational Efficiency, with Dennis Jackson, WorX Solutions

March 19, 2025 by John Ray

The Value of Operational Efficiency, with Dennis Jackson, WorX Solutions, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John Ray
North Fulton Studio
The Value of Operational Efficiency, with Dennis Jackson, WorX Solutions
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The Value of Operational Efficiency, with Dennis Jackson, WorX Solutions, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John Ray

The Value of Operational Efficiency, with Dennis Jackson, WorX Solutions (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 125)

In this episode of The Price and Value Journey, host John Ray interviews Dennis Jackson, founder of WorX Solutions. Dennis shares his experience transitioning from the corporate world to starting his own business, focused on helping small and mid-sized companies optimize operations and workflows. They delve into the importance of understanding client needs, the shift from hourly to value-based pricing, and tips for entrepreneurs such as networking, the significance of having an accountant, and setting up strong partnerships. Dennis also discusses his podcast, WFH with Two Guys, which explores remote work and business ownership. Throughout the conversation, Dennis emphasizes the value of building relationships, the challenges of operational inefficiency, and the critical mindset adjustments necessary for successful entrepreneurship.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Dennis Jackson, Founder, WorX Solutions

Dennis Jackson, WorX Solutions
Dennis Jackson, WorX Solutions

Dennis Jackson is the Managing Partner and founder of WorX Solutions, an IT services and consulting company based in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He established the company in 2011 with a focus on bridging operational gaps for small to midsize businesses.

WorX Solutions offers solutions such as workflow automation, data management, CRM creation, and custom software development. They strive to help clients save time and money by streamlining tasks, improving communication, and providing real-time data and project tracking.

Prior to founding WorX Solutions, Dennis’s career spanned gained experience in utility management and financial modeling. He holds a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from Cornell University and a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Lafayette College.

Dennis is also the co-host, along with Benny Carreon, of the WFH with Two Guys podcast.

LinkedIn | Company Website

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview
02:05 Dennis Jackson’s Background and WorX Solutions
04:33 Challenges and Solutions for Small Businesses
11:00 The Importance of Networking and Relationships
20:13 Starting a Business: Lessons and Advice
23:28 Navigating Entrepreneurship and Networking Strategies
28:43 Introduction to Operational Efficiency
28:52 Communicating Value in Business
29:49 Impact of Efficiency on Costs and ROI
33:15 Client Success Stories
36:02 Building Strong Client Relationships
39:50 Transitioning to Value-Based Pricing
42:20 Challenges and Strategies in Pricing
45:15 Podcast Journey and Insights
51:02 Lessons Learned from Podcasting
54:17 Conclusion and Contact Information

About The Price and Value Journey Podcast

The title of this show describes the journey all professional service providers are on: building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value you offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire, and trying to do all that at pricing that reflects the value you deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line and the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is hosted and produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. The show can also be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include business coaching and advisory work, as well as advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, coaches, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a podcast show host, strategist, and the owner of North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. John and his team work with B2B professionals to create and conduct their podcast using The Generosity Mindset® Method: building and deepening relationships in a non-salesy way that translates into revenue for their business.

John is also the host of North Fulton Business Radio. With over 850 shows and having featured over 1,300 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in its region like no one else.

John’s book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

The Generosity Mindset, by John RayJohn is the #1 national best-selling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

If you are a professional services provider, your goal is to do transformative work for clients you love working with and get paid commensurate with the value you deliver to those clients. While negative mindsets can inhibit your growth, adopting a different mindset, The Generosity Mindset™, can replace those self-limiting beliefs. The Generosity Mindset enables you to diagnose and communicate the value you deliver to clients and, in turn, more effectively price to receive a portion of that value.

Whether you’re a consultant, coach, marketing or branding professional, business advisor, attorney, CPA, or work in virtually any other professional services discipline, your content and technical expertise are not proprietary. What’s unique, though, is your experience and how you synthesize and deliver your knowledge. What’s special is your demeanor or the way you deal with your best-fit clients. What’s invaluable is how you deliver great value by guiding people through massive changes in their personal lives and in their businesses that bring them to a place they never thought possible.

The combination of all these elements is quite different for you compared to any other service provider in your industry. Therein lies your value, but it’s not the value you see. It’s the value your best-fit customers see in you.

If pricing your value feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar to you, this book will teach you why putting a price on the value your clients perceive and identify serves both them and you, and you’ll learn the factors involved in getting your price right.

The book is available at all major physical and online book retailers worldwide. Follow this link for further details.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: Dennis Jackson, efficiency, John Ray, networking, operational efficiency, podcasting, The Price and Value Journey, value pricing, workflow automation, Worx Solutions

Monetizing Your Firm’s Hidden IP with AI, with Mike Blake, High Score Strategies

March 12, 2025 by John Ray

Monetizing Your Firm’s Hidden IP with AI, with Mike Blake, High Score Strategies, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John Ray
North Fulton Studio
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Monetizing Your Firm’s Hidden IP with AI, with Mike Blake, High Score Strategies, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John Ray

Monetizing Your Firm’s Hidden IP with AI, with Mike Blake, High Score Strategies (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 124)

In this episode of The Price and Value Journey, host John Ray welcomes back Mike Blake, CEO of High Score Strategies, to explore the untapped potential of intellectual property (IP) for professional services firms. The discussion centers on the significant value that firms often overlook in their accumulated data and institutional knowledge. Mike explains the importance of structured data and how firms can monetize it through consulting services, thought leadership, and even AI-driven insights. The conversation delves into practical steps for firms of all sizes to start leveraging their data, the potential impediments, and the broader implications for firm valuation and exit strategy. Whether an accounting firm, law firm, or any other professional practice, Mike offers actionable advice to transform data into a valuable, saleable asset.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Mike Blake, High Score Strategies

Mike Blake, High Score Strategies
Mike Blake, High Score Strategies

Mike is the CEO of High Score Strategies (HSS), a consultancy devoted to guiding clients to understand the value of their businesses and intangible assets for acquisition, investing, capital raising, disposition, and succession planning.

Investors and owners rely on Mike’s “information over validation” advisory approach, understanding that the questions he asks unearth hard but crucial answers that support their next transformative step or business stage.

Mike’s background spans 20+ years in valuation and 8 years in venture capital and investment banking. Before founding HSS, he served as Managing Partner with Brady Ware Arpeggio, Director of Valuation Services with Aprio (formerly Habif, Arogeti, & Wynne), and Managing Director with Adams Capital.

He is also a Special Lecturer at Georgia Tech, where he teaches graduate students about the valuation of emerging technologies and intellectual property, with a focus on Monte Carlo simulations and real options theory.

Mike founded and ran Startup Lounge, a nonprofit in Atlanta that helped connect hundreds of investors and startups over a decade. He currently serves on the board of the BVIUK (Business Valuation Institute UK).

He has coached six teams to victory in business plan competitions, leading to over $300,000 in cash prizes and nearly $2 million in services—including an entrepreneur who secured funding through ABC’s Shark Tank.

A highly engaging and deeply knowledgeable speaker, Mike has delivered 100+ presentations on a range of topics, including startup valuation, business appraisal, risk management, intellectual property, and emerging tech valuation.

He holds an MBA from Georgetown University and a BA from Franklin & Marshall.

Mike is multilingual, speaking fluently in English, Ukrainian, Russian, and French, and is conversant in Portuguese, German, and Spanish.

He currently lives with his family in Caldas Da Rainha, Portugal, about an hour outside of Lisbon.

Website | Mike’s LinkedIn | Firm LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction and Recap
00:50 Reintroducing Mike Blake, High Score Strategies
02:40 The Value of Intellectual Property in Professional Services
04:09 Monetizing Data and Information in Professional Services
10:46 Leveraging AI for Data Analysis
14:33 Challenges and Opportunities in Data Utilization
27:09 The Cost of a Conservative Mindset in Accounting
28:41 The Overwhelming Task of Data and Information Management
29:18 Leveraging AI for Competitive Advantage
32:22 Challenges and Solutions for Small Firms
40:06 Creating Value Through Structured Data
48:39 Prioritizing Data Management in Your Firm
52:19 Conclusion and Contact Information
23:19 Guidance for Business Owners
28:40 Success Stories and Impact
30:49 Conclusion and Contact Information

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional service providers are on: building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value you offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire, and trying to do all that at pricing that reflects the value you deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line and the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is hosted and produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. The show can also be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include business coaching and advisory work, as well as advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, coaches, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a podcast show host, strategist, and the owner of North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. John and his team work with B2B professionals to create and conduct their podcast using The Generosity Mindset® Method: building and deepening relationships in a non-salesy way that translates into revenue for their business.

John is also the host of North Fulton Business Radio. With over 850 shows and having featured over 1,300 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in its region like no one else.

John’s book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

The Generosity Mindset, by John RayJohn is the #1 national best-selling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

If you are a professional services provider, your goal is to do transformative work for clients you love working with and get paid commensurate with the value you deliver to those clients. While negative mindsets can inhibit your growth, adopting a different mindset, The Generosity Mindset™, can replace those self-limiting beliefs. The Generosity Mindset enables you to diagnose and communicate the value you deliver to clients and, in turn, more effectively price to receive a portion of that value.

Whether you’re a consultant, coach, marketing or branding professional, business advisor, attorney, CPA, or work in virtually any other professional services discipline, your content and technical expertise are not proprietary. What’s unique, though, is your experience and how you synthesize and deliver your knowledge. What’s special is your demeanor or the way you deal with your best-fit clients. What’s invaluable is how you deliver great value by guiding people through massive changes in their personal lives and in their businesses that bring them to a place they never thought possible.

The combination of all these elements is quite different for you compared to any other service provider in your industry. Therein lies your value, but it’s not the value you see. It’s the value your best-fit customers see in you.

If pricing your value feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar to you, this book will teach you why putting a price on the value your clients perceive and identify serves both them and you, and you’ll learn the factors involved in getting your price right.

The book is available at all major physical and online book retailers worldwide. Follow this link for further details.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: 360 Pest & Food Safety Consulting, AI, artificial intelligence, intellectual property, Ip, John Ray, Mike Blake, professional service firms, professional services, The Price and Value Journey

Consulting in the Digital Age, with Prof. Joe O’Mahoney

February 26, 2025 by John Ray

Consulting in the Digital Age, with Prof. Joe O'Mahoney, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John Ray
North Fulton Studio
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Consulting in the Digital Age, with Prof. Joe O'Mahoney, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John Ray

Consulting in the Digital Age, with Prof. Joe O’Mahoney (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 123)

In this episode of The Price and Value Journey, host John Ray welcomes Professor Joe O’Mahoney, a leading authority on the consulting industry. They discuss significant shifts in the consulting field, including industry growth, client sophistication, and the impact of AI on consulting processes and pricing. Joe highlights the importance of managed knowledge and systems in consulting firms and how firms can leverage AI to improve efficiency. They also touch on issues like value-based pricing, the role of luck in business success, and how consultants can build reliable, scalable models for long-term growth. Joe shares insights from his latest book, Growth: Building a Successful Consultancy in the Digital Age, making a compelling case for why modern consulting firms must embrace both digital transformation and personalized client relationships.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Prof. Joe O’Mahoney

Joe is a leading authority on the consulting industry and a consultant to boutiques and small consulting firms. His research on the profession has won several prestigious awards and publications and resulted in leadership of high-profile government-funded research into the profession. Joe’s textbook on management consulting, Management Consultancy (published by Oxford University Press) was the best-selling book of its kind in Europe and his academic research has been published in the top international journals. His most recent, evidence-based book on growing consulting firms in the digital age, Growth: Building a Successful Consultancy in the Digital Age (published by Routledge), is the “go-to” growth text for consulting CEOs and managing partners all over the world.

Joe also practices what he preaches: he has been a corporate consultant, an internal consultant and a solo consultant. He has spent fifteen years providing advisory services to small consulting firms on growth and, in 2007, sold his own company, StayMobile Technology Ltd. In addition to his private practice, he is the founder of Repair Café Wales CIC and Consulting Mastered Ltd.

Joe has taught and coached over 2,000 executives and MBA students about management consultancy and helped hundreds of students gain places at leading consulting firms. Joe’s work has been recognized by awards from the British Academy of Management, the Centre for Consulting Excellence, the ESRC and several university prizes.

Joe studied history at Oxford University and obtained his PhD and MSc at Warwick University. He lives within Cardiff with his wife, Hannah, and two sons.

Website | LinkedIn

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Prof. Joe O’Mahoney
01:36 Big Shifts in Consulting
04:08 Myths and Outdated Beliefs in Consulting
08:03 Scaling and Growth Challenges
14:23 Managed Knowledge and Intellectual Property
19:46 Artificial Intelligence in Consulting
23:35 Implementing AI for Long-Term Success
25:25 Strategizing with AI: Efficiency vs. Personalization
26:45 Leveraging Off-the-Shelf Solutions for Process Improvement
28:20 AI’s Role in Consulting: Current Capabilities and Future Potential
30:12 The Impact of AI on Consulting Pricing Models
36:19 Building Value and Trust in Client Relationships
44:50 The Role of Luck in Consulting Success
48:34 Conclusion and Contact Information

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional service providers are on: building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value we offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire, and trying to do all that at pricing that reflects the value we deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line and the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is hosted and produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®. The show can also be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of "The Price and Value Journey"
John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include business coaching and advisory work, as well as advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, coaches, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a podcast show host and producer and owns the North Fulton (Georgia) affiliate of Business RadioX®. John and his team work with B2B professionals to create and conduct their own podcast using The Generosity Mindset™ Method: building and deepening relationships in a non-salesy way that translates into revenue for their business.

John is also the host of North Fulton Business Radio. With over 840 shows and having featured over 1,300 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in its region like no one else.

John’s book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

The Generosity Mindset, by John RayJohn is the #1 national best-selling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

If you are a professional services provider, your goal is to do transformative work for clients you love working with and get paid commensurate with the value you deliver to those clients. While negative mindsets can inhibit your growth, adopting a different mindset, The Generosity Mindset®, can replace those self-limiting beliefs. The Generosity Mindset enables you to diagnose and communicate the value you deliver to clients and, in turn, more effectively price to receive a portion of that value.

Whether you’re a consultant, coach, marketing or branding professional, business advisor, attorney, CPA, or work in virtually any other professional services discipline, your content and technical expertise are not proprietary. What’s unique, though, is your experience and how you synthesize and deliver your knowledge. What’s special is your demeanor or the way you deal with your best-fit clients. What’s invaluable is how you deliver great value by guiding people through massive changes in their personal lives and in their businesses that bring them to a place they never thought possible.

The combination of all these elements is quite different for you compared to any other service provider in your industry. Therein lies your value, but it’s not the value you see. It’s the value your best-fit customers see in you.

If pricing your value feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar to you, this book will teach you why putting a price on the value your clients perceive and identify serves both them and you, and you’ll learn the factors involved in getting your price right.

The book is available at all major physical and online book retailers worldwide. Follow this link for further details.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn

Tagged With: AI, consulting, consulting industry, intellectual property, Joe O'Mahoney, John Ray, pricing, process improvement, professional services, The Price and Value Journey, value pricing

Navigating Hidden Risks in Professional Services, with Mike Blake, High Score Strategies

February 19, 2025 by John Ray

Navigating Hidden Risks in Professional Services, with Mike Blake, High Score Strategies, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John Ray
North Fulton Studio
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Navigating Hidden Risks in Professional Services, with Mike Blake, High Score Strategies, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John Ray

Navigating Hidden Risks in Professional Services, with Mike Blake, High Score Strategies (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 122)

In this episode of The Price and Value Journey, host John Ray delves into risk management for solo and small professional service providers, with guest Mike Blake, CEO of High Score Strategies. Mike, a seasoned valuation expert with over 20 years of experience and more than 400 completed valuations, discusses the unseen risks faced by small firms, including client selection, revenue management, and execution pitfalls. The conversation explores the implications of client concentration, the importance of strategic pricing, the impact of mindset on risk assessment, and practical tips for managing client relationships. Mike offers insights on maintaining business autonomy, handling imposter syndrome, and the value of transparent and strategic pricing. This episode is packed with strategies for mitigating business risks and optimizing decision-making in professional services.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Mike Blake, High Score Strategies

Mike Blake, High Score Strategies
Mike Blake, High Score Strategies

Mike is the CEO of High Score Strategies (HSS), a consultancy devoted to guiding clients to understand the value of their businesses and intangible assets for acquisition, investing, capital raising, disposition, and succession planning.

Investors and owners rely on Mike’s “information over validation” advisory approach, understanding that the questions he asks unearth hard but crucial answers that support their next transformative step or business stage.

Mike’s background spans 20+ years in valuation and 8 years in venture capital and investment banking. Before founding HSS, he served as Managing Partner with Brady Ware Arpeggio, Director of Valuation Services with Aprio (formerly Habif, Arogeti, & Wynne), and Managing Director with Adams Capital.

He is also a Special Lecturer at Georgia Tech, where he teaches graduate students about the valuation of emerging technologies and intellectual property, with a focus on Monte Carlo simulations and real options theory.

Mike founded and ran Startup Lounge, a nonprofit in Atlanta that helped connect hundreds of investors and startups over a decade. He currently serves on the board of the BVIUK (Business Valuation Institute UK).

He has coached six teams to victory in business plan competitions, leading to over $300,000 in cash prizes and nearly $2 million in services—including an entrepreneur who secured funding through ABC’s Shark Tank.

A highly engaging and deeply knowledgeable speaker, Mike has delivered 100+ presentations on a range of topics, including startup valuation, business appraisal, risk management, intellectual property, and emerging tech valuation.

He holds an MBA from Georgetown University and a BA from Franklin & Marshall.

Mike is multilingual, speaking fluently in English, Ukrainian, Russian, and French, and is conversant in Portuguese, German, and Spanish.

He currently lives with his family in Caldas Da Rainha, Portugal, about an hour outside of Lisbon.

Website | Mike’s LinkedIn | Firm LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction to Risk Management
00:18 Meet Mike Blake: Valuation and Risk Expert
01:14 The Hidden Risks in Professional Services
03:41 Revenue Challenges for Small Firms
04:17 Execution and Malpractice Risks
05:16 Concentration Risk and Client Dependency
16:43 Client Due Diligence and Ownership
21:21 Naming Your Business and Succession Planning
25:22 Mindsets in Risk Management
26:53 Embracing Mistakes for Success
27:10 Mindsets: Scarcity, Fear, and Growth
27:34 The Impact of Poverty on Decision-Making
29:24 Professional Services and Poor Decisions
30:33 Managing Fear and Risk in Business
32:30 Imposter Syndrome and Pricing Challenges
38:19 The Language of Pricing
47:32 Radical Approaches to Pricing
51:03 Conclusion and Contact Information

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional service providers are on: building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value we offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire, and trying to do all that at pricing that reflects the value we deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line and the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is hosted and produced by John Ray and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®. The show can also be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of "The Price and Value Journey"
John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include business coaching and advisory work, as well as advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, coaches, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a podcast show host and producer and owns the North Fulton (Georgia) affiliate of Business RadioX®. John and his team work with B2B professionals to create and conduct their podcast using The Generosity Mindset® Method: building and deepening relationships in a non-salesy way that translates into revenue for their business.

John is also the host of North Fulton Business Radio. With over 850 shows and having featured over 1,300 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in its region like no one else.

John’s book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

The Generosity Mindset, by John RayJohn is the #1 national best-selling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

If you are a professional services provider, your goal is to do transformative work for clients you love working with and get paid commensurate with the value you deliver to those clients. While negative mindsets can inhibit your growth, adopting a different mindset, The Generosity Mindset™, can replace those self-limiting beliefs. The Generosity Mindset enables you to diagnose and communicate the value you deliver to clients and, in turn, more effectively price to receive a portion of that value.

Whether you’re a consultant, coach, marketing or branding professional, business advisor, attorney, CPA, or work in virtually any other professional services discipline, your content and technical expertise are not proprietary. What’s unique, though, is your experience and how you synthesize and deliver your knowledge. What’s special is your demeanor or the way you deal with your best-fit clients. What’s invaluable is how you deliver great value by guiding people through massive changes in their personal lives and in their businesses that bring them to a place they never thought possible.

The combination of all these elements is quite different for you compared to any other service provider in your industry. Therein lies your value, but it’s not the value you see. It’s the value your best-fit customers see in you.

If pricing your value feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar to you, this book will teach you why putting a price on the value your clients perceive and identify serves both them and you, and you’ll learn the factors involved in getting your price right.

The book is available at all major physical and online book retailers worldwide. Follow this link for further details.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: client communication, client risk, High Score Strategies, imposter syndrome, Improved Decision Making, John Ray, Mike Blake, pricing, professional services, Risk Management, The Price and Value Journey

Lessons in Pricing, Value, and Funk, with Chris Lalomia, The Trusted Toolbox

February 5, 2025 by John Ray

Lessons in Pricing, Value, and Funk, with Chris Lalomia, The Trusted Toolbox, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John Ray
North Fulton Studio
Lessons in Pricing, Value, and Funk, with Chris Lalomia, The Trusted Toolbox
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Lessons in Pricing, Value, and Funk, with Chris Lalomia, The Trusted Toolbox, on The Price and Value Journey podcast with host John RayLessons in Pricing, Value, and Funk, with Chris Lalomia, The Trusted Toolbox (The Price and Value Journey, Episode 121)

In this episode of The Price and Value Journey, host John Ray chats with Chris Lalomia, owner of The Trusted Toolbox, the largest handyman service in Atlanta and in the top three nationwide. Chris discusses his journey from a successful corporate career to entrepreneurship, highlighting the challenges and insights he gained from starting his business from scratch. They discuss the importance of self-awareness, overcoming funks, and the impact of pricing and value on business success. Chris also highlights the significance of mentorship, setting the right prices, and recognizing the value delivered to customers. His insights include the necessity of understanding one’s business costs, process development, and customer relationships, culminating in the personal growth and business achievements he’s made.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Chris Lalomia, Founder and CEO, The Trusted Toolbox

Chris Lalomia, Founder and CEO, The Trusted Toolbox, with host John Ray on The Price and Value Journey podcast
Chris Lalomia, Founder and CEO, The Trusted Toolbox

Chris Lalomia is the CEO of The Trusted Toolbox. He also hosts the Small Business Safari podcast and is the author of the book From the Zoo to the Wild: Your Guide to Entrepreneurial Freedom and Wealth.

Chris Lalomia is a successful entrepreneur and change leader who has built on his experience working with the largest companies in America to start his own business from scratch. He brings his unique style to leadership to build a culture of professionalism in the blue-collar world of home renovations. He left the corporate zoo, ventured into the entrepreneurial wild and started The Trusted Toolbox: Home Repair and Projects in 2008. YES, he started a business right before the Great Recession, so he admits that timing the market is not his strength. He survived through that time and has grown his business into a multimillion-dollar handyman and remodeling company, which has won numerous awards in Atlanta, GA.

Chris is originally from Jackson, MI, and he uses his hand to show where he lives. He went to college and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering. His path to business ownership was similar to most people’s journey to their current position… spinning and winding… His first engineering job was at Curtiss-Wright Flight Systems making airplane parts, but soon realizing he needed to add some other business skills to his resume, he joined Accenture and began working with large banks to help them merge, which led him to SunTrust (now Truist), where he transformed the commercial loan operations department… That meandering path led him to leap into starting his own business, The Trusted Toolbox, in 2008.

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The Trusted Toolbox

The Trusted Toolbox is a leading provider of professional handyman services and home remodeling solutions in the Metro Atlanta area. With over 15 years of experience serving over 16,000 homeowners, the company specializes in a wide range of home repair and improvement projects, including kitchen and bathroom remodels, basement renovations, deck repairs, door replacements, and wood rot repair.

Committed to delivering exceptional results with a customer-centric approach, The Trusted Toolbox employs a team of skilled professionals who are fully insured, background checked, and dedicated to ensuring 100% customer satisfaction. The company’s local expertise, efficiency, and attention to detail have earned it numerous awards and accolades, solidifying its reputation as a trusted partner for homeowners in Alpharetta, Atlanta, Athens, and the surrounding areas.

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Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction and Welcome to Chris Lalomia
00:50 Corporate Life to Entrepreneurship
01:29 The Zoo Metaphor
02:44 Challenges of Leaving Corporate
07:27 Mindset Shifts and Skill Development
16:14 Mentorship and Networking
21:52 Pricing Strategies and Value
29:32 Customer Willingness to Pay for Convenience
29:42 Understanding Millennial and Gen X Mindsets
30:49 The Shift from DIY to Outsourcing
33:41 Training Employees to Reflect Company Values
35:39 The Importance of Reviews and Customer Feedback
40:17 Overcoming Business Challenges and Personal Funk
51:53 Future Goals and Business Expansion
54:59 Conclusion and Contact Information

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional service providers are on: building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value we offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire, and trying to do all that at pricing that reflects the value we deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line and the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is hosted and produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®. The show can also be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of "The Price and Value Journey"
John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include business coaching and advisory work, as well as advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, coaches, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a podcast show host and producer and owns the North Fulton (Georgia) affiliate of Business RadioX®. John and his team work with B2B professionals to create and conduct their own podcast using The Generosity Mindset™ Method: building and deepening relationships in a non-salesy way that translates into revenue for their business.

John is also the host of North Fulton Business Radio. With over 800 shows and having featured over 1,200 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in its region like no one else.

John’s book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

The Generosity Mindset, by John RayJohn is the #1 national best-selling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

If you are a professional services provider, your goal is to do transformative work for clients you love working with and get paid commensurate with the value you deliver to those clients. While negative mindsets can inhibit your growth, adopting a different mindset, The Generosity Mindset™, can replace those self-limiting beliefs. The Generosity Mindset enables you to diagnose and communicate the value you deliver to clients and, in turn, more effectively price to receive a portion of that value.

Whether you’re a consultant, coach, marketing or branding professional, business advisor, attorney, CPA, or work in virtually any other professional services discipline, your content and technical expertise are not proprietary. What’s unique, though, is your experience and how you synthesize and deliver your knowledge. What’s special is your demeanor or the way you deal with your best-fit clients. What’s invaluable is how you deliver great value by guiding people through massive changes in their personal lives and in their businesses that bring them to a place they never thought possible.

The combination of all these elements is quite different for you compared to any other service provider in your industry. Therein lies your value, but it’s not the value you see. It’s the value your best-fit customers see in you.

If pricing your value feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar to you, this book will teach you why putting a price on the value your clients perceive and identify serves both them and you, and you’ll learn the factors involved in getting your price right.

The book is available at all major physical and online book retailers worldwide. Follow this link for further details.

Connect with John Ray:

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Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: Chris Lalomia, funk, handyman, handyman services, home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, John Ray, pricing, Small Business Safari, The Price and Value Journey, The Trusted Toolbox, value

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