Pricing as Language: How It Influences Valuation and Market Perception with Mike Blake
Release Date: 05/12/2025
How to Turn Vendors Into Paying Customers (And Other Pricing Secrets) with Ashish Gupta
Impact Pricing
Ashish Gupta, founder and CEO of ScaleUp Exec, brings a unique perspective to pricing from his experience building and selling multiple companies across technology, e-commerce, and subscription businesses. Starting his career at Anheuser-Busch (as the company's only non-drinker), Ashish has led businesses from startup to eight-figure valuations, giving him deep insights into pricing across different business models and growth stages. In this episode, Ashish shares unconventional pricing strategies that transformed his businesses, including how he convinced vendors to provide products for free...
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Blogcast: Why Pricing AI Is So Hard
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This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on June 9, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at [email protected]. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: LinkedIn:
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How AI Is Breaking Traditional Per-User Pricing Models with Craig Wilson
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Craig Wilson, Director of Pricing and Packaging at Moody's Analytics, brings extensive experience from major financial services companies including S&P and Experian. Starting his career in financial analysis at a Scottish car retailer after his soccer dreams didn't materialize, Craig discovered his natural strengths in numbers and analytical tools, leading him to specialize in pricing across subscription products, deal desk operations, and information technology services. In this episode, Craig explores the dual challenge of AI in pricing: how to monetize AI-enhanced products and how to...
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This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on June 2, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at [email protected]. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: LinkedIn:
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COMPASS Framework: Rethinking Pricing Metrics in the Age of AI with Steven Forth and Michael Mansard
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Steven Forth has been a frequent guest on Impact Pricing and is a co-creator of the COMPASS framework. Michael Mansard is the Principal Director of Subscription Strategy at Zora. He's an investor in and mentor to several startups, and he started his career in consulting at companies like Deloitte and SAP, so he knows a lot. In this episode, Steven and Michael dive deep into the COMPASS framework for evaluating pricing metrics in the age of AI and agentic systems, exploring how traditional SaaS economics are being turned upside down and why companies need to move away from user-based pricing...
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Blogcast: Value Is Not the Same as Willingness to Pay
Impact Pricing
This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on May 26, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at [email protected]. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: LinkedIn:
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How to Benchmark Your Pricing Like AI Models with Steven Forth
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Steven Forth is the Co-founder and Chief Value Officer at Ibbaka, a leading value and pricing consulting firm. With deep expertise in AI applications for pricing and value modeling, Steven is at the forefront of developing intelligent agents that help businesses understand and communicate value more effectively. His work focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence, pricing strategy, and value creation, making him a pioneer in applying AI to solve complex pricing challenges. In this episode, Steven shares his insights on how benchmarking is revolutionizing both AI development and...
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Blogcast: The Two Questions Every Buyer Asks—and How to Design Your Product and Pricing Around Them
Impact Pricing
This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on May 19, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at [email protected]. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: LinkedIn:
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How AI is Breaking Traditional Per-User Pricing Models with Alan Hollander
Impact Pricing
Alan Hollander, VP of Offer Packaging and Pricing Strategy at Blackbaud, has led pricing initiatives for six years. With nearly three decades in pricing, his impressive career began in 1994 when Tom Nagle hired him after Alan excelled in Nagle's "Strategy and Tactics of Pricing" course. He also held key roles at Ellucian and Simon-Kucher & Partners, bringing deep expertise in large-scale pricing transformations. In this episode, Alan addresses a major challenge for SaaS companies: how AI disrupts traditional per-user pricing. Drawing on his experience at Blackbaud (serving nonprofits with...
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Blogcast: Markets Don’t Segment By Industry; Buyers Segment By Problem
Impact Pricing
This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on May 12, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at [email protected]. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: LinkedIn:
info_outlineMike Blake is the founder of High Score Strategies, with over 26 years of experience in business valuation and M&A markets. He specializes in advising small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) on increasing their valuations. Mike is passionate about the relationship between pricing and value, and how effective pricing strategies can significantly impact a company's worth.
In this episode, Mike shares his insights on how pricing affects valuation, the importance of differentiation in a competitive market, and the shift from growth to profitability in business models. Together, they explore the concept of context-driven pricing, the significance of signaling in pricing strategies, and how companies can leverage their unique data to enhance their market position.
Why you have to check out today’s podcast:
- Discover how pricing communicates a company's brand and market position.
- Explore the relationship between pricing, profitability, and business valuation.
- Learn about the importance of differentiation and how to create a competitive moat.
“Pricing is language. It communicates to the market what kind of brand you are.”
– Mike Blake
Topics Covered:
01:37 – The relationship between pricing and valuation.
02:30 – The importance of pricing in determining profitability and cash flow.
03:39 – Differentiation and competitive moats in pricing strategies.
04:53 – The shift from growth to profitability in business models.
08:36 – Signaling in pricing and its impact on investor perception.
11:17 – How to differentiate in a market dominated by larger players.
13:23 – The relevance of pricing strategies for SMBs, and how service-based companies offer consulting as value-ad.
17:04 – What Mike does.
19:36 – Why businesses that don't know their business model.
20:53 – Why value-based pricing is excruciatingly difficult.
25:53 – Mike’s advice on pricing and negotiation.
Key Takeaways:
“Pricing is the stem cell for all of that. [Cash flow, revenue, and profitability]” – Mike Blake
“Companies that get pricing right are the most valuable.” – Mike Blake
“If you're selling 100% of your deals you're probably not optimizing your revenue because you're selling too cheaply.” – Mike Blake
“Understanding your unique data can create alternative revenue streams.” – Mike Blake
Connect with Mike Blake:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/unblakeable/
- Email: [email protected]
Connect with Mark Stiving:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/
- Email: [email protected]