The ten-minute answer
For years, if someone rang me with a question about their business, they got an answer. Usually a lot more than one.
Has that always been a good business model?
Definitely not.
I’ve given away far too much of my time and knowledge over the years in casual phone calls that somehow turn into free consulting sessions, often with people I never hear from again.
And that’s something I’m changing too.
Not because I want to become less generous. I don’t. Helping people is a huge part of what fills my cup.
But I’ve learned to value my time and put respectful boundaries around it.
Because what I’m offering isn’t just curiosity or an opinion I’ve formed over a coffee.
It’s knowledge I’ve earned the hard way.
I’ve built businesses. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve lost money. I’ve learned how to read the numbers, spot where things are going wrong and understand the knock-on effect one bad decision can have across a business.
And more recently, I’ve gone deep into AI and taught myself tools that are fundamentally changing the way I run my own business and the businesses I work with.
I’ve put in the hours. A lot of them.
I’m still learning, and I probably always will be, because that’s just how my brain works. But there’s a difference between being endlessly curious and having knowledge that creates actual value for someone else.
That deserves to be respected.
And reimbursed.
Not because I’ve suddenly become precious about my time, but because there’s a lifetime of learning behind an answer that might only take me ten minutes to give you.
So perhaps sharpening the pencil has been about more than figuring out what I want Illuminate to be.
It’s been about recognising the value of what I already know, getting very bloody good at learning what I don’t know yet, and putting the two together to help other people change their businesses too.
It feels solid. It feels like me. And I’m bloody excited about it.
And I don’t think I’m the only one.
If you run a building business, I’d put money on you doing exactly the same thing. Just in different clothes.
The client who asks you to price all three versions of their concept, then never gives you the work.
The “can you just pop round and have a look” site visit on a Saturday.
The small change on site that never becomes a variation, because it felt petty to charge for it.
The mate of a mate who rings with “just a quick question” about their reno.
Each one on its own feels like good service. Add them up over a year and it’s weeks of your time, handed over for nothing. Time you could have spent on paying work, on your business, or at home.
This isn’t about becoming the builder who charges for every phone call. It’s about knowing what your time is worth, and deciding on purpose where you give it away.
A few questions worth sitting with:
How many quotes did you price last year, and how many did you win?
Do you charge for pricing or design work on bigger jobs, or is it all free until they sign?
When did you last let a change go uncharged because it felt awkward?
If any of those made you wince, you’re not alone. It’s exactly why Estimating & Quoting is one of the 11 areas in my Gap Check.
The Gap Check is free. Eleven quick questions, and your gaps land in your inbox. That’s me being generous, with boundaries.
If you want me in your corner after that, that’s what my three-month-plus programme is for.
