Part 4: The Growth Formula – Service + Experience = Value

Catch up now on Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3:

• Part 1: 5 Ways to Optimize Your Business for Growth
• Part 2: Remove the Mental Roadblocks – Simplify How Clients Start Working with You
• Part 3: Clarity in Communication – Every Message Needs a CTA

Let’s talk about the one thing every small business owner wrestles with: pricing.

Many entrepreneurs charge based solely on the service they deliver—time, labor, or deliverables. But the most successful, growth-oriented business owners understand a key truth:

It’s not just what you deliver. It’s how you deliver it.

In this part of the series, we’ll break down the real formula behind value and help you shift your mindset to one that supports growth, increased pricing, and better client retention.

Service = Skill. Experience = Knowledge.

Let’s break it down:

• Service = Skill
• Experience = Knowledge

Skills are what you can do. Knowledge is what you’ve earned through years of doing it.

Here’s an example:
I can paint a house. But it takes me hours, it’s messy, I make mistakes, and I say things I probably shouldn’t. Why? I don’t have the knowledge or tactical experience to make it a smooth, professional process.

That’s the difference between hiring a beginner and hiring an expert.

In business, the same applies. Many starting entrepreneurs have skills — but they haven’t yet built the depth of knowledge to create a refined client experience.

When clients pay for your service, they’re also paying for the expertise that makes the process easier, smoother, and more valuable.

Make the Business Model Shift

Consider this:

• Marshalls sells products.
• Nordstrom sells experience and expertise.

If you want to raise your prices, you have to raise the perceived value. That doesn’t just mean adding more — it means enhancing the way your client feels throughout the process.

What are you doing that’s thoughtful, proactive, or insightful?

How are you guiding your client instead of simply serving them?

The more value they feel, the more they’re willing to invest.

✅ Audit Your Time and Value

Here’s an exercise to help you assess where your true value lies, and where you might be underselling yourself.

For the next  3 clients:

1. List every touchpoint, start time, and stop time
   Emails, research, calls, meetings, prep, follow-up – everything
2. Assess where you’re giving away value for free
   Are you offering advice, edits, or extra deliverables that aren’t in the contract?
3. Identify areas to streamline and eliminate
   Find tasks that can be automated or streamlined. Can you hand off tasks or chunk tasks to save time? 

Growth happens when you start charging for what you’re already doing—and delivering it like a pro.