I’m not from a rich family. My dad was one of three brothers to a single mum in one of the poorest areas of England. My mum grew up in one of the toughest places in Northern Ireland (bogside Derry—where ‘bloody sunday’ happened). We’ve done well, but the scarcity mindset runs deep. When I was younger, I would never spend money. At University I’d wear shoes until my toes poked out. But I didn’t realise I had an unhealthy relationship with money until I became an entrepreneur. Building a business was a wake up call: Money is infinite. Time is not.If you don’t fix your relationship with money, it will ruin you. My business only took off when I realised money was energy. It’s not something to hoard but something to spread. I learned this after embracing a framework that changed my life: Naval Ravikant’s Aspirational Hourly RateNaval says:
No one is going to value you more than you value you. Set a high personal hourly rate, and stick to it… Say you buy something from Amazon and they screw it up. Is it worth your time to return it? Is it worth the mental hassle? Keep in mind that you will have less time for work, including mentally high-output work. Do you want to use that time running errands and solving little problems? Or do you want to save it for the big stuff? When you have no personal hourly rate, you have no reason to say no. This lack of boundary traps you in low leverage opportunities. You end up busy going nowhere. These days, I run every time-based decision through it (unless I’m doing something out of joy—you can’t be on the clock 24/7). For example, I made a booking at a restaurant on the weekend. Last minute, I couldn’t make it. It’s a £25 fee. Old Kieran would’ve called to argue for a refund. But that’s 10 minutes of my time and mental energy. My ‘aspirational hourly rate’ is $1,000. So I took the hit with zero consideration. And whilst this is just a small example, this time adds up. The rule: If something saves you time, it’s worth the dime.But if you’re like me, you can’t just click your finger and fix your relationship with money. Instead, begin gradually. For example, I first embraced Naval’s idea when I was an early writer. It was May 2022. I’d just sold my first high ticket offer. $500 for 10 hours of calls, plus content critiques. I could’ve made more money flipped burgers. But I didn’t care. The point was momentum, not money. And it beat staring in mouths all day. When my client told me how good the experience was, I decided my hourly rate was $100. Then $250. Then $500. After a year or so, I said $1,000. If anything, I’m now thinking ‘too small’ as a7 figure entrepreneur. It should be to $2,000. But I’ll need a tonne of therapy for that. Here’s the best part: By picking a future number, you drag it into reality. You say no to ‘good’ opportunities, which creates space for great ones. I remember when I increased my consulting calls from $350 to $700, I was terrified no one would pay. Instead? Better customers. And more time in the diary to work on bigger projects. Reader, have you decided how much your time is worth? What would happen if you increased it by 20%? Food for thought, Kieran P.S. This framework requires flexibility and foresight. For example, when I create a digital product, the return on time isn’t great. But once it’s built, you have an asset that scales. So the hourly rate climbs higher and higher. I’ve lost track of what I estimate High Impact Writing to be. But considering it’s made over $634,000, it’s at least $2,200/hour. If you want to package your expertise into a quality product, you’d love my upcoming course Productize Your Knowledge. It’s the blueprint I wish existed when I started (covering how to build and sell). The launch is 4th July (because who doesn’t love freedom). Join 1,328 people on the waitlist here. |
On a mission to become a better writer, thinker, and entrepreneur • Ex-dentist, now building an internet business (at ~$500k/year)
"I was undercharging, doing way too much work for what people were paying me." That’s how Hussain felt when we began working together in January. He wanted a high-leverage business where he didn’t have to sell his time for money. He’d bought courses from popular brands that promised the usual results, telling me he’d spent “more than $5,000, and almost never made my return back.” Despite these investments, he felt stuck. "I had too many ideas that all seemed important. But it turns out 90% of...
A harsh truth: Most writers will never build a product that sells. Not because they lack knowledge. But because they're waiting to become experts first. I almost made the same mistake. When I quit dentistry to write online, I wanted a product so I could make money writing without costing my time. But every time I tried to plan one, I froze. I didn’t know what to build. I saw people like Justin Welsh and Dan Koe with their smash hit products and felt so small. Who was I to compete with these...
Over the past 5 years, I’ve developed a serious case of IBS. It started when I quit dentistry. I used to see 20-30 patients a day… The clinic was chaos, a constant barrage between nurses and reception… During weekends, I’d attend dentistry seminars to network and talk more about… teeth (so much fun). So when I quit my job to write, I took one look at my calendar and self-diagnosed my disorder. Kieran, you have ‘Introverted Business Syndrome’. I was so fed up of people. The cure? A healthy...