Michael charges $180/hour and can't explain why
Feb 04, 2026Michael is an engineer. Consults to mining companies. His work has saved clients millions. Literally millions. He has the spreadsheets to prove it.
He charges $180 an hour. Has for six years. Hasn't moved it.
His competitors charge $350. Some charge $500. They have less experience. Worse track records. They charge it anyway.
Michael's thought about raising his rate every January since 2020. Every January he doesn't.
He'll tell you the market is tight. Clients won't pay more. He doesn't want to be greedy.
Funny thing — three of his clients have actually asked why he's so cheap. He laughed it off. Changed the subject.
His dad fixed machines. His mum cleaned houses. Good people. Proud people. Didn't ask for much. Didn't believe in "too much." Thought wanting more was a character flaw.
Michael absorbed that like a sponge absorbs water. Silently. Completely. Before he had any say in the matter.
That's subconscious programming. His father's beliefs about what honest people are allowed to charge — running silently inside a man who doesn't know they're there. Setting his prices. Capping his income. Every single year.
No business coach will find this. They'll tell Michael to "charge his worth." He'll nod. Then he'll quote $180 again. Because the instruction hits his conscious mind and the programming runs deeper.
This is the gap nobody talks about. The thing between the strategy and the execution. The reason good advice doesn't stick.
Perry Mardon
