Transparent Rates
I believe pricing should make sense. Salaried employees talk about compensation during hiring; independent contractors should be just as clear.
This calculator lets you choose the full-time salary equivalent that best fits your company and my role, and how you’d like to value my contribution. It starts from what you’d pay a full-time product leader, adds the employer costs I cover myself, and adjusts for healthcare and time off. The result is what it takes to earn an equivalent income on an hourly basis.
I include an optional “value premium” for cases where higher rates make sense—like replacing equity or bonuses, or when I’m delivering impact that would normally take a full-time team much longer to achieve.
After adjusting the inputs to see what feels right, share with me the number that fits best.
$225,000 — Product Lead
Player-coach guiding team process, mentoring PMs, and contributing hands-on when needed.
$250,000 — Director of Product Senior leader shaping strategy across teams and driving product outcomes.
$265,000 — Head of Product
Cross-functional leader setting vision, aligning executives, and scaling product discipline.
$300,000 — Top of Market
Compensation for exceptional scope, speed, and impact in competitive environments.
1.0 — Default; mirrors a full-time salary without any benefits.
1.15 — Accounts for benefits such as equity or bonuses not included in contracting.
1.25 — Reflects greater efficiency and impact relative to a full-time role.
FAQs
Do you bill for breaks?
No. I only bill when I’m actively working. If I step away to cook, take a walk, or scroll social media, the clock stops. If I’m eating lunch while working, that time counts.
In what increments do you bill?
I bill in 15-minute increments, always rounding down.
How do you track your hours?
I track time using my calendar. If I have a company email, I use that calendar to add both meetings and individual work blocks. Each Friday, I send a short wrap-up reflecting on what I accomplished that week and what’s ahead.
How do you bill and invoice?
I invoice monthly, with each week listed as a separate line item. Payment is due within the same month the invoice is received.
How do you bill for hours?
We agree on a weekly cap—the maximum number of hours I’ll bill in a given week. I don’t exceed it without checking in first. If I worked under the cap the previous week, I might go a bit over the next to even things out, but it all stays reasonable and transparent.
Do unused hours roll over?
Not formally. The cap sets an upper limit, not a quota. Some weeks are lighter depending on priorities, and that’s expected.
Can we set a maximum number of hours per week or month?
Yes. I always work within a defined weekly cap so you have predictable costs and I can balance time across clients.
Do you offer flat rates or retainers?
No. I only bill hourly, up to the agreed cap. Flat rates and retainers tend to create “always on” expectations or encourage overwork, which I intentionally avoid. My hourly rates already reflect the experience and efficiency I bring, so you pay only for the time I actually spend working.
What hours do you work, and how flexible are you?
I typically work between 9:30am and 6:30pm Eastern and organize my schedule around client needs and project flow. I value work–life balance and structure my workload intentionally, so I don’t take on engagements that exceed a full work week.
Do you charge for meetings?
Yes. Meetings are part of the work, whether I’m strategizing, reviewing, or collaborating, it all contributes to outcomes.
Can you work specific hours or align with our team’s schedule?
I’m flexible for key meetings and collaboration windows but manage multiple clients, so I appreciate reciprocal flexibility.
Why shouldn’t I just hire someone full-time?
I can eventually help you hire my full-time replacement once the company is ready for that next step. But before then, I’m here to fill a gap that exists in a lot of early-stage tech companies—when you’re not quite ready for, or are between, full-time product leadership. Maybe there isn’t enough work yet, or the need isn’t steady enough to justify a hire. That’s where I fit best.
It’s often less expensive to hire me overall, since I work fewer hours and don’t have your in-house benefits. I also try to make working with me as low risk as possible. My contracts include a 7-day out, meaning you only need to give a week’s notice to end our engagement. It’s a much lighter lift than offboarding a full-time employee or ending a contractor agreement with a 30-day notice period.