Fee Structure
Payment terms vary by project type and duration.
This list is not exhaustive and I'm open to customized engagements. These are jumping off points.
Minimum Budget: It's highly unlikely that I'll take on a project for less than $500. I have found a level of seriousness and dedication from potential clients comes at least at that cost and I set that base level expectation for the smallest projects. However, I also set the floor low enough as to not scare away potentially interesting early-stage entrepreneurial projects.
Daily Rate: When I facilitate workshops such as strategy sessions, leadership retreats, corporate team building and other events I charge a base rate of $2,000 per day plus travel and expenses. The details, as always, can vary.
Project-Based:
- Hourly Rate: Some projects make sense at hourly billing. Often these are strategy and white-board heavy projects (they may also utilize a daily rate if it's more cost effective). My hourly rate fluctuates between $150 and $250 per hour depending on the project needs and specifications.
- Milestone Billing: Some projects make sense to bill based on deliverables or milestones from the specification or project plan. In instances where that makes sense I work with the client to determine a timeline and billable rates for each deliverable. It's my general preference that I facilitate clients creating documents and plans because that's much more productive than just handing one over to put on the shelf, but there are instances in which expediency requires I produce the document or specification and deliver it for production use.
Pro-bono and Sliding Scale: For more than 16 years I've allocated at least 500 to 1,000 hours per year to pro-bono and service clients. I maintain a budget for this kind of work because I think giving back to the community is important. My only requirement is that we sit down and be honest with each other about whether or not you are a client who needs free work for survival or whether you can afford some payment. I am not one who believes that non-profits should receive free services for all of their needs because I don't believe that doing so breeds a sustainable organizational culture. We can discuss this in person for each circumstance.
Equity: In some instances I have included equity in my payment plan when working with promising startups. Terms are always customized in these cases.
Barter: I generally do not take on barter contracts but I won't rule it out until we discuss options.