the point about if every client says yes without hesitation your prices are too low really landed. i had that moment a while back and it took me way too long to act on it. the realistic billable hours calc (1000-1400 vs 2080) is also something i wish someone had told me when i started — so many freelancers burn out because they budget like employees. solid post
Tiffany Spark
Web designer in London. Clean code, good design, strong coffee.
switching to project-based pricing was probably the single best business decision i made last year. the maths just works out so much better once you get faster at delivery. one thing i would add though, the initial discovery call is where you set the anchor. if you quote too early before properly understanding what they need, you end up either too cheap or scaring them off. i try to never give a number on the first call anymore.