Just a quick anecdote. When we first started our company coming from an agency position where I provided technical advice and help without needing to ask for money, one of the first problems I had was believing in my value (though I knew I had value).

I still give away more of my time than I'd care to admit, or that my wife would care for, but I've gotten far better at not feeling any remorse when putting a bid together for what is needed to do the job and earn a living.

Though I've gotten better, I realized the other day that I need maybe to take a page from the world of attorneys and medical professionals.

We recently consulted an attorney for some patent expertise and ended up putting them on retainer (not something I ever expected to be doing in life).

Up to the point where we put them on retainer they would answer my emails and questions freely with a sentence or two.

After the retainer was in place I realized last week when a bill came that every question I ask via email, results in a billing for the response of .20 or more hours at their hourly rate even if the response is one sentence (literally).

So thought I'd post this just to say, it took me two years of startup to realize, that the norm in society is to charge for your time and if you know what you are doing, you shouldn't devalue that time.

***

I will never bill someone for the kind of things a lawyer can (or is required to as they'd say), but I do realize in order to thrive and succeed you can't let free or cheap be your monicker.

Best,

Justin

Justin, I don't know anything about the finances of New Mexico but I know a lot about southeastern Wisconsin. We have some of thriftiest people on earth. ( I know, I'm one of them ) Okay, with one exception. If you are our waiter or waitress, you will receive a 20% tip. In the land of the 15% tip, my wife and I are treated like Gods and Goddesses!

Once again, I'm straying from my point, which is, if you are the only employee of your company, and reasonably young, there is only one thing that is stopping you from making as much as your local attorney. And that is, amount of clients. I know from personal experience that you can have 60% or more of your inquires turn you down and still make some reasonable six figure wages. Will you be happy? That's entirely up to you and your family.

I recently wrote this on-line and I think it pertains to nearly all of us. If I make $30,000 a year busting my butt and you make $300,000 a year doing practically nothing, but I am a lot happier with my life than you are, who's the winner?

Paul,

I couldn't agree more with your whole post, but this last statement especially, Eric has said similar things many times, lots of folks would be considered part timers but make good money or what they want to make, enjoy the work load and so forth.

I'm all about the balance and happiness where it can be found. Most guys work me under the table in quantity of jobs, but the jobs I do I enjoy, the clients I choose to work for I enjoy and my bottom line works for me, which as you say, that is the important part for some of us.



Good reply!!

I have been using the retainer idea in a sense for a while now with inquiring individuals seeking personal advice or solutions to their problems.

When I receive a call with the individual asking what they can do for a certain situation pertaining to my service expertise, I ask for a credit card number before proceeding to give them any answers or potential resolutions.

If they ask why? I simply say I charge for professional advice/solutions on the phone and I charge for on site service calls as well if I come to their home or business.

The initial first phone call consultation is $19.95 for the first 10 mins. or less that is a timed call once the card number has been verified and billed. Each additional minute beyond is billed at $1.00 a min.

You would be surprised at how many decide to take the phone consultation initially over taking the on site service call. This sure helps eliminate the price shoppers and free advice individuals.This kind of service will become more popular as our technology continues to make leaps into the way we do business.

So yes I believe in charging for my time and what I am worth.

You pay to play or you deal with your own trial and error methods the best you can, or you try the local remedies to solve your problems.

After reading volumes in the archives and listening to numerous podcasts, I can quickly see the value in charging for your time versus charging by the animal or other methods that I have used. That last beaver that just doesn't quite want to comply can sure turn into a loss real quick! I appreciate the well though out responses here.

I never found any sound reason to charge by the animal over the years. Too much time vested and wasted at times to bring a happy ending to a job.

If an animal charge is assessed it is only after other fees have been applied such as a set up and a per trip charge to cover time and expense then a nomimal animal charge can be added if you see the need to do so.

If you base your whole monetary charge system hinged upon catching an animal only it will eventually bite you over and over again in the pocket in time if you do the math correctly and are reasonably business minded.

Bob, do you have a 900 number (call now to talk to young ....)?
Yuk yuk

I do both, flat rate and per animal. I do per animal 90% of the time with a set-up/trip charge/animal fee and it works. I only do flat if it looks real cut and dry, so far so good but my bite in the rear is coming. On a side note I only do flat in town, my travel distances could be 40,50 or 100 miles, flat would be financial suicide.

I do per animal 90% of the time with a set-up/trip charge/animal fee and it works. Quote

Doing a combo of all the areas suits our needs best in most cases but never a stand alone per animal only. Any other way but that will cost you alot of $$ over time.

[quote=Bob Jameson]I do per animal 90% of the time with a set-up/trip charge/animal fee and it works. Quote

Doing a combo of all the areas suits our needs best in most cases but never a stand alone per animal only. Any other way but that will cost you alot of $$ over time. [/quote


Agree 100 % with Jameson !

Is gas free in your area ?

At $19.95 for the first ten minutes and a dollar a minute after that, I figured out that Trapperman owes Bob Jameson exactly $49,758.27 for consultation and reccommendations for 2013 and the first two months of this year. Don't worry Bob, the check is in the mail.

I will be waiting at the post office box down the lane. That will come in handy for my vacation/retirement fund.:)