I charge less than agencies — on purpose.
Pricing in this industry is mostly a function of labor cost. I removed most of the labor, so I removed most of the cost. Here's why I pass the savings on.
The traditional agency model has a problem you can see on any rate card. The price you pay is the cost of the people on the engagement, multiplied by the months they're assigned to you, plus a margin.
My cost structure looks different. Most production happens through AI systems I built and operate. I direct the work, define quality, and make the taste calls. The expensive part of an agency — the months of execution between strategy and delivery — collapses.
Two options when costs drop
When labor cost collapses, a studio has two choices. Keep the prices the same and pocket the margin, or pass the savings on and use the price advantage to compete for better work.
I'd rather earn the work on quality at a fair price than charge agency rates for agency politics.
I picked the second. The reason is a little selfish: I'd rather work with the operator choosing me on quality at a defensible price than the one paying agency rates and bracing for agency politics.
Writing about AI systems for founder-led businesses across NWA, the River Valley, and Eastern Oklahoma.
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