Pricing on Gut Feel? Here's What It's Costing Your Trade Business - Ep 368

Ever wondered what happens behind the scenes once you sign up with a business coaching team? In this episode, Lucy (business coach) and Riley (accounting coach) pull back the curtain on how their two sides work together to get real results for trade business owners. They break down the "gym membership" comparison that makes it all click: your business coach is like your PT, focused on systems, hiring, and growth, while your accounting coach is the nutritionist, digging into the numbers that actually drive those results. Neither works without the other. The conversation covers the pricing mistake almost every tradie makes early on: setting prices off a gut feel instead of real numbers. Lucy and Riley talk through why understanding your break even per hour changes everything, why aiming for 20 to 30% net profit isn't arbitrary, and how customer loyalty (using a local coffee shop price rise as the example) plays into how confidently you can raise your own prices. They also share a client success story involving a tradie who scaled from $70K jobs to $700K projects, and how forecasting a full 12 months ahead, including planning for the slow December, January, February period, helped him avoid the classic post project cash crunch that catches so many trade businesses off guard. If you've ever felt unsure about your pricing, your cashflow, or whether you're actually on track for the year, this episode gives you a real look at how coaching, planning, and honest numbers work together to build a trade business that lasts. In this episode: How business coaching and accounting coaching work as one team, not two separate services Why most tradies price off gut feel and what to check instead Understanding your break even per hour and why 20 to 30% net profit matters How to talk to customers about price increases with confidence Planning ahead for seasonal slumps so a big project doesn't leave you short later Why the coaching only works if you take the actions between sessions Resources mentioned: Follow Upscale Business Coaching on Instagram for daily content for your trade business: https://www.instagram.com/upscalebusinesscoaching/ Book a free session with a Growth Specialist: https://upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcast Watch more insights and tips on YouTube: https://www.upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtube Find out where your business stands with the Tradie Quiz: https://upscale-coaching.com/application-podcast Hear from tradies who've grown their business with Upscale: https://www.upscalecoaching.com.au/success-stories/ Live Coaching Events 2026: https://www.upscale-coaching.com/upscale-live-events