One of the mindset shifts that helped us grow as an agency was letting go of the idea that every client engagement had to command top dollar.

To be clear, we care deeply about pricing. We track our numbers, we understand our margins, and we know that pricing has a direct impact on our ability to build a sustainable business. But what we’ve moved away from is dogmatic pricing, the idea that there's one "right" rate or one ideal client that everything must conform to.

Clinging to a fixed hourly rate or project minimum can feel principled. But over time, we’ve seen that this rigidity often works against us. It limits flexibility, disconnects us from what clients actually need, and can leave money on the table, not always by undercharging, but sometimes by over-complicating what could’ve been a lighter-weight, more profitable engagement.

Instead of being anchored by absolute hourly rates, we’ve shifted to thinking in terms of target margins.

For example, if our goal is a 55% gross margin, then for every $10,000 we bring in, we aim to keep $5,500 after paying for direct labor and delivery. This framing gives us more room to experiment with how we deliver value so long as the economics work.

That’s where intentional service design comes in.

Building a Service Matrix

A helpful exercise is to start with the types of clients you want to serve. As an example, let's take a product design agency that focuses on startups. Even within that niche, we can recognize very different stages and needs:

• Pre-seed and seed-stage founders with limited funding, sometimes solo or part-time

• Series A teams with some traction and a small product or growth team

• Series B+ startups with dedicated design, product, and engineering teams

Each of these segments has different expectations, working styles, and budgets. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model, we can build a matrix that maps level of involvement to client type. A simple structure looks like this:

By plotting services along this matrix, we unlock a broader set of options. Clients at any stage can find a way to work with us, and we can meet them in a way that makes financial sense for both sides.

Smart Pricing = What They’ll Pay × What We Can Deliver Profitably

Once we have this mapped out, the next step is making sure these services can be delivered at high margins. This is where we've been tripped up in the past, excited about a new service offering but failing to ensure we could do it profitably.

It’s one thing to say “we’ll offer embedded design sprints,” but another to ensure those sprints don’t eat up twice as much time as scoped or rely on a rare superstar designer to pull them off.

The goal is to pair what the client is willing to pay with our ability to deliver efficiently. That’s the balance. If a client sees value in a $15,000 engagement but it costs us $14,000 in time and effort, that’s not a win.

The creativity in service design doesn’t just live in the offering, it lives in the delivery model.

Can we build repeatable processes? Can we develop templates, toolkits, and working cadences that make delivery smooth and scalable? Can we train our team to execute with confidence without needing to reinvent the wheel every time?

For example:

• Our DIY audits might be delivered using a standardized format, quick Loom videos, and a bank of insights pulled from previous client work.

• Our DWY sprints could run on a shared virtual whiteboard and a tight cadence of async reviews plus just two live sessions per week.

• Our DFY redesigns might have a kickoff playbook, reusable design components, and a clear handoff structure to engineering.

When we take the time to build these capabilities, we’re not just being efficient, we’re also enhancing the client experience. Fast, clean delivery builds trust. It communicates that we know what we’re doing, and we’ve done it before.

The Strategic Advantage of a Flexible Service Model

This kind of intentional service design gives us strategic range. We’re no longer locked into saying “yes” or “no” based on whether a client can afford our base price. Instead, we can say, “Here’s how we can help, at these levels.”

And when a client’s needs or budget grow? We already have the pathways in place to grow with them.

It also protects us from relying too heavily on one type of work. Markets shift. Budgets tighten. Some clients will want more coaching; others will want to hand everything off. With a well-designed matrix, we can adjust while still operating from a place of clarity and profitability.

Final Thought

We care deeply about pricing. We have financial goals. But we’ve learned that holding pricing too tightly can sometimes keep us from seeing the bigger picture.

Thoughtful service design is about creating choice for us and for our clients. It’s about finding the overlap between what a client values and what we can deliver well. And it’s about making sure that, whatever path we take, we do so profitably, sustainably, and with intention.