Author/creator of Sales for Nice People, Martin Stellar, joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about sticking to your guns in a sales meeting and how to build the confidence to do so.

Martin's Links:

• https://martinstellar.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinstellar/
• https://salesfornicepeople.com/academy

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Do you have questions about how to improve your business?

Things like:

• Value pricing your work instead of billing for your time?
• Positioning yourself as the go-to person in your space?
• Productizing your services so you never have to have another awkward sales call or spend hours writing another custom proposal?

Book a one-on-one coaching call with me and get answers to these questions and others in the time it takes to get ready for work in the morning.

Best of all, you're covered by my 100% satisfaction guarantee. If at the end of the call, you don't feel like it was worth it, just say the word, and I'll refund your purchase in full.

To book your one-on-one coaching call, go to:

https://jonathanstark.com/call

I hope to see you there!

Yuval Yeret, founder of Yeret Agility and OG Agile expert, joined me on Ditching Hourly to discuss the current state of Agile as a platform, how it has evolved over the years, and what practitioners should consider when pivoting their careers as the platform matures.

About Yuval

Yuval Yeret is a Product/Scaling/Agility Coach focused on helping product/tech leaders scale their organizations without slowing down, improving outcomes by leveraging flow, agility, and product orientation. (while avoiding the dogma and process BS of Agile Theater). Yuval is a globally recognized expert on scaling w/ agility, a SAFe Fellow, a Professional Scrum Trainer, and a co-author of the Kanban Guide for Scrum Teams. These days Yuval is focused on helping organizations evolve from Feature Factories to Empowered Product Organizations, as well as helping deeper tech organizations develop a pragmatic agility strategy. Yuval shares his insights on scaling w/ agility at https://yuvalyeret.com/scaling-with-agility-newsletter/

Chapters

• (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome
• (00:17) - Yuval's Background and Journey into Agile
• (01:35) - Early Days of Agile
• (03:56) - Transition to Consulting and Coaching
• (07:21) - Agile's Evolution and Current State
• (09:46) - Challenges and Criticisms of Agile
• (17:30) - Future of Agile and Role Adaptation
• (22:18) - Advice for Agile Practitioners
• (30:22) - Reflecting on Agile Leadership
• (31:24) - Anecdote: Transition from FileMaker to Web Development
• (34:57) - The Future of Agile and Product Operating Models
• (39:20) - Adapting Skills for New Opportunities
• (41:48) - Navigating Organizational Change
• (44:47) - Strategies for Career Pivoting
• (48:01) - The Role of Scrum Masters in Modern Organizations
• (52:00) - Consulting and Value Proposition
• (57:55) - Closing Thoughts and Resources

Notable Quotes

• "What happened over the years is... agile has become mainstream for most of corporate America, technology organizations and product companies. And this created the reality where the people that are, the organizations that are currently adopting agile are the late adopters."
• "[Late adopters] are slapping names like Scrum Master and Sprint and User Story and Daily Scrum... on the way that they've been doing things already. And it's like lipstick on a pig. It's not really creating any impact other than a bad name for Agile and a bad name for people in these roles."
• "The biggest issue with Agile... is the over-reliance on specific roles in organizations."
• "We will have a significantly smaller number of people that dedicate their career to something like agile, whatever it's called. You will need to specialize. You will need to start to think like consultants need to start to think and build your content solar system."

Yuval's Links and Other Resources

• Yuval's article on "The Future of Agile Roles and Agility"
• Yuval's private podcast on navigating the landscape of Agile theater, feature factories, and product operating models
• "Crossing the Chasm" by Geoffrey Moore (book on technology adoption)
• Netflix culture book (featuring the "Netflix question")
• The career mini-course that Jonathan mentioned: Unblock Your Career by Shachar Meir

----

Do you have questions about how to improve your business?

Things like:

• Value pricing your work instead of billing for your time?
• Positioning yourself as the go-to person in your space?
• Productizing your services so you never have to have another awkward sales call or spend hours writing another custom proposal?

Book a one-on-one coaching call with me and get answers to these questions and others in the time it takes to get ready for work in the morning.

Best of all, you're covered by my 100% satisfaction guarantee. If at the end of the call, you don't feel like it was worth it, just say the word, and I'll refund your purchase in full.

To book your one-on-one coaching call, go to:

https://jonathanstark.com/call

I hope to see you there!

Ex-java developer and CoffeeSprout founder Barry van Someren joined me on Ditching Hourly to talk about the surprising alignment between “Ditcherville ethos” and the government of the Netherlands.

LINKS MENTIONED

• Barry’s website
• Barry’s LinkedIn
• California Law AB 5

AI SUMMARY

In this episode of Ditching Hourly, Jonathan Stark speaks with Barry Van Someren about his transition from hourly work to value-based services, the implications of new tax laws in the Netherlands for independent contractors, and the importance of having multiple clients. They discuss how these changes affect client relationships and the necessity of shifting to results-based contracts. Barry shares insights on navigating the complexities of government regulations and the benefits of diversifying client portfolios to ensure business resilience.

SOUND BITES

• “I wanted to transition into something that was more predictable.”
• “It’s just refreshing to see that kind of advice from the IRS.”
• “I kind of wanted to make myself less vulnerable to this law.”
• “The IRS and various countries are giving you that encouragement.”
• “If you stay at one place too long, you become stagnant.”
• “Hourly billing is bad.”

TAKEAWAYS

• Transitioning from hourly work to value-based services can lead to more predictable income.
• New tax laws classify independent contractors more strictly, impacting their work.
• It’s essential to define clear results in contracts rather than relying on hourly billing.
• Having multiple clients reduces vulnerability to market changes and legal issues.
• Government regulations can align with good business practices, encouraging consultants to diversify their client base.
• Freelancers should be aware of the risks associated with being classified as employees under new laws.
• Building a strong network is crucial for finding clients and maintaining a steady workflow.
• Consultants should focus on delivering results rather than just completing tasks.
• The importance of compliance with tax laws cannot be overstated for independent contractors.
• Hourly billing is often seen as a less favorable model for sustainable business growth.

----

Do you have questions about how to improve your business?

Things like:

• Value pricing your work instead of billing for your time?
• Positioning yourself as the go-to person in your space?
• Productizing your services so you never have to have another awkward sales call or spend hours writing another custom proposal?

Book a one-on-one coaching call with me and get answers to these questions and others in the time it takes to get ready for work in the morning.

Best of all, you're covered by my 100% satisfaction guarantee. If at the end of the call, you don't feel like it was worth it, just say the word, and I'll refund your purchase in full.

To book your one-on-one coaching call, go to:

https://jonathanstark.com/call

I hope to see you there!