Stop Competing on Price: How a Web Designer Commanded $5K+ Per Project
This example combines challenges we’ve seen repeatedly among service-based business owners. A talented web designer was stuck charging $2K per project—constantly met with, “That’s too expensive.” Her work was top-notch, but without a strong financial foundation, she struggled to raise rates with confidence.
The bigger issue? She didn’t have visibility on where her money was going—and was unknowingly leaking profit.
Here’s how we reframed her financial setup:
1. Categorize Every Dollar
We set up Xero to classify expenses as Necessary, Adjustable, or Unnecessary using Tracking Categories and a customized Chart of Accounts. This gave her a crystal-clear view of where her money was actually going.
2. Audit & Eliminate Waste
Monthly Expenses by Contact and Expenses by Account reports revealed that almost 30% of her spending went to unused tools, duplicate subscriptions, and low-value perks. We cleaned house—fast.
3. Renegotiate and Realign
Using the Account Watchlist in Xero, we spotted rising trends in essential costs and renegotiated contracts to reclaim margin—without sacrificing operations.
The Outcome:
She gained clarity, confidence, and control. With expenses in check and financial strategy in place, she repositioned her services and now charges over $5K per project—no pushback, no burnout.
When you manage your money like a casino manages chips, you’re no longer gambling with your profit. You’re building it—on purpose.
