If Prices Could Talk

Holden Advisors
  • 5.0 (7)
  • BUSINESS

Welcome to If Prices Could Talk, the podcast where we explore the strategies and tactics that drive effective pricing, sales, and negotiations in B2B. Join us for candid conversations with thought leaders and industry experts as we dive into what’s working, what’s changing, and how to build and sustain pricing power in today’s markets. We’ll explore tactical approaches to value-based pricing, improving sales effectiveness, and best practices for negotiating with backbone.

  1. JAN 29

    The most common mistakes in pricing for B2B services

    In this episode of If Prices Could Talk,  Tracy Dent sits down with Jeet Mukherjee (Chief Strategy Officer) to unpack why pricing services feels more emotional, more political, and more fragile than pricing products - and why that can quietly destroy pricing power inside otherwise strong companies. We’ll explore why discounts show up late in the deal, why confidence matters more than math, and what leaders can do to stop services pricing from going off the rails. In this episode, we discuss: Why services pricing breaks down faster than product pricingHow internal alignment (or lack thereof) sabotages price executionHow discounting creeps in even when value is obviousWhat leaders get wrong about buyer types, value, and negotiation when selling services 00:00 Introductions 01:43 Why B2B services pricing feels so much harder than products 04:47 Most common way to price in B2B professional services 09:31 What’s my differentiation and how do I charge for it? 12:34 How to put the client in control when they’re buying 14:26 Understanding your client’s price sensitivity 21:55 When AI pushes us towards outcome-based pricing 28:10 Understanding your market and benchmarking Connect with Jeet: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeet-mukherjee-58462a1/ Connect with Tracy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyleighdent/ ABOUT HOLDEN ADVISORS Holden Advisors is a boutique consulting firm specializing in B2B pricing and sales performance. We help companies understand their value through the eyes of their customers and use these insights to develop, price, and sell solutions that meet evolving market demands.  Our tailored strategies are designed to improve differential value and go-to-market execution. With decades of expertise in value-based pricing, sales implementation, and negotiation, we partner with companies to build and protect their pricing power. Learn more at www.holdenadvisors.com

    32 min

  2. JAN 13

    Why price changes fail

    Without strong execution from client facing teams, even the best price model will underperform. In this episode of If Prices Could Talk, Tracy Dent sits down with Jeet Mukherjee (Chief Strategy Officer) and Travis Umpleby (Negotiation Master Facilitator) to unpack why price increases derail once they hit the field. This episode breaks down why price increases collapse in the real world: misaligned leadership, weak discount governance, poor preparation for pushback, and sales teams left with no tools beyond discounting.  Join us for practical stories and tactics in using service levels to create choice, tightening escalation paths, and rolling out changes to decrease risk and ensure smooth execution. Key topics:  The 3 most common reasons price changes fail (and how to prevent them)How discount approval behavior quietly trains buyers to escalateWhy quotes are fuel for sales confidenceHow to use service levels and packaging to give buyers choices and decrease pushbackWays to drive executive alignment and ensure teams have the right tools to go get the new pricing Chapters 00:00 Introductions 01:01 The human and emotional aspects of a price change 04:53 Building belief in your value so sellers can negotiate with backbone 10:11 The top 3 issues in price changes: executive alignment, preparation, and tool kits for sellers 19:47 How to reduce negotiation pressure through choices and tiered offerings 25:41 How to think about timelines for executing a price change 32:25 Learnings from early price changes and key takeaways from trial and error Connect with Jeet: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeet-mukherjee-58462a1/  Connect with Travis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-umpleby/  Connect with Tracy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyleighdent/ ABOUT HOLDEN ADVISORS Holden Advisors is a boutique consulting firm specializing in B2B pricing and sales performance. We help companies understand their value through the eyes of their customers and use these insights to develop, price, and sell solutions that meet evolving market demands.  Our tailored strategies are designed to improve differential value and go-to-market execution. With decades of expertise in value-based pricing, sales implementation, and negotiation, we partner with companies to build and protect their pricing power. Learn more at www.holdenadvisors.com

    39 min

  3. 07/17/2025

    Value selling in the age of AI with MG Gurbaxani, CEO of Cuvama

    In this episode, Cuvama CEO MG Gurbaxani joins Jeet Mukherjee and Tracy Dent to break down myths in value based selling and what it takes to succeed when AI is no longer a differentiator. Learn how to sell on value versus features, what CROs are saying behind closed doors about the pressure to scale sales with automation, and how to maintain the human element of discovery. Topics: What value-based selling looks like (done right)How to sell a value story instead of insist on ROIHow to fix discovery so pricing reflects impact, not costWays companies are quantifying impact to build and protect pricing power Chapters 00:00 Introductions 02:38 The value selling illusion and what CEOs think is happening 11:21 How to navigate a large buying center 20:51 CRO insights on AI and value selling  35:46 Stories of how value quantification builds pricing power 44:08 What B2B SaaS CEOs need to get right in H2  About MG MG Gurbaxani is the co-founder and CEO of Cuvama, a Customer Value Management platform designed to help B2B GTM teams uncover and communicate value at scale. Over the last two decades, he has guided more than 80 global B2B clients across industries to sharpen pricing strategies, accelerate sales cycles, and enhance customer retention. Cuvama is MG’s answer to the persistent failures he witnessed in value-based selling - transforming his advisory IP into software that empowers sales teams to drive real business outcomes. Connect with MG: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mg-gurbaxani/ Connect with Jeet: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeet-mukherjee-58462a1/ Connect with Tracy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyleighdent/ About Cuvama Cuvama is a London-based Customer Value Management platform that empowers B2B sales and customer success teams to sell business outcomes, not just products. Founded in 2022, Cuvama guides teams to run expert discovery, link buyer needs to impact, and reinforce success post-sale.  By codifying your unique value proposition into structured workflows, Cuvama enables consistent messaging, higher win‑rates, better pricing, and improved customer lifetime value. https://cuvama.com/ About Holden Advisors Holden Advisors is a boutique consulting firm specializing in B2B pricing and sales performance. We help companies understand their value through the eyes of their customers and use these insights to develop, price, and sell solutions that meet evolving market demands.  Our tailored strategies are designed to improve differential value and go-to-market execution. With decades of expertise in value-based pricing, sales implementation, and negotiation, we partner with companies to build and protect their pricing power. https://holdenadvisors.com/

    48 min

  4. 07/10/2025

    How to break out of the cost-plus pricing trap

    Many B2B companies still rely on cost-plus pricing. For good reason! It’s clear, it’s simple to explain and defend, and it’s predictable. But when buyers use it as an excuse to call you a commodity and demand discounts, it can lead to extremely thin margins and dilute your pricing power.  In this episode, Tracy Dent and Jeet Mukherjee discuss five levers to escape the cost-plus pricing trap without blowing up your commercial model.  Key topics covered: The basics in quantifying differential value and understanding quality of revenueHow to differentiate beyond the product itselfWays to reevaluate your price metric to be outcome-specificHow to protect resources and assets in a scarce marketHow to build rules to price with confidence and reward the right customer behaviors   If your commercial team struggles to defend pricing in the face of buyer pressure, this episode will help you start making the shift one step at a time. Chapters 00:00 Introductions 01:32 Why cost plus pricing still dominates 06:05 When buyers call you a commodity 11:45 Handling price negotiations at the time of renewal 19:39 Reframing price from SKUs to outcomes 22:38 Understanding your quality of revenue 25:49 Rules-based pricing that reflects value https://holdenadvisors.com/how-to-break-out-of-the-cost-plus-pricing-trap/ Connect with Jeet: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeet-mukherjee-58462a1/ Connect with Tracy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyleighdent/ ABOUT HOLDEN ADVISORS Holden Advisors is a boutique consulting firm specializing in B2B pricing and sales performance. We help companies understand their value through the eyes of their customers and use these insights to develop, price, and sell solutions that meet evolving market demands.  Our tailored strategies are designed to improve differential value and go-to-market execution. With decades of expertise in value-based pricing, sales implementation, and negotiation, we partner with companies to build and protect their pricing power. Learn more at www.holdenadvisors.com

    31 min

  5. 06/26/2025

    AI price wars and the new rules of SaaS differentiation

    In this episode, we unpack the impact of AI on SaaS pricing, differentiation, and value - and a rundown of pricing related pops and flops. From Notion’s bundling strategy to the GenAI price war and Reddit’s data lawsuit against Anthropic, this episode digs into how commoditization is forcing B2B software leaders to rethink what they’re really selling—and what buyers are still willing to pay for. Roundtable episode with host Tracy Dent and in-house pricing experts Jeet Mukherjee, Pete Morelli, and Richard Klein. Key topics: Notion AI’s move from add-on to bundled featureAmex vs. Chase value messaging strategiesGenAI price wars and what they mean for innovationPricing around compute vs. value deliveredReddit vs. Anthropic and data monetization implicationsWhat to do when AI features are table stakes Chapters 00:00 Introductions 01:09 Price pops and flops: Amex, Chase, Cox Internet, and Notion AI 12:29 G2 buyer behavior report and where we are in the AI market lifecycle https://learn.g2.com/hubfs/G2-2025-Buyer-Behavior-Report-AI-Always-Included.pdf 19:36 When AI becomes a commodity, how can a business differentiate itself? https://techstrong.ai/articles/when-ai-becomes-a-commodity-how-can-a-business-differentiate-itself/ 21:49 Monetizely: The Gen AI price war is coming and customers will lose https://www.getmonetizely.com/blogs/the-genai-price-war-is-coming-and-customers-will-lose 27:03 WSJ: Reddit sues Anthropic, Alleges unauthorized use of site’s data https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/reddit-lawsuit-anthropic-ai-3b9624dd? https://fortune.com/2025/06/11/nvidia-jensen-huang-disagress-anthropic-ceo-dario-amodei-ai-jobs/  https://searchengineland.com/openai-may-pay-reddit-70m-for-licensing-deal-451882  Connect with Jeet: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeet-mukherjee-58462a1/ Connect with Pete: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petermorelli/  Connect with Richard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardfgklein/ Connect with Tracy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyleighdent/  Learn more at www.holdenadvisors.com

    30 min

  6. 06/12/2025

    Leading sales teams to protect value in high stakes negotiations

    How do you build a sales team that doesn’t crumble under pressure? 30-year sales veteran Vanessa Giuliani joins Holden Advisors CEO Brian Doyle and host Tracy Dent to unpack real-world lessons from high-stakes negotiations across the US, UK, and Canada.  From poker-playing procurement tactics to sales team transformation, this episode is full of stories and takeaways for sales leaders up against tough procurement teams and challenging negotiations. Topics covered: Sales leadership during pricing pressureBuilding sales teams that protect value and don’t fold against procurementRegional differences in negotiation styleReal stories from negotiations and what to do when it turns into a game of poker ABOUT VANESSA Vanessa has been leading teams for 30 years with in-depth experience in financial services, data management, software, technology, credit, and fraud. Most recently, she was the general manager of an international business unit of a multi-billion dollar Fortune 1000 company. With experience with large and complex organizations like Equifax and CIBC Bank, she has built new revenue streams, set up data exchanges, product transfer between countries, migrations, transformations, and developing new lines of business from the ground up. Connect with Vanessa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-giuliani-/ Connect with Brian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianadoyle/ Connect with Tracy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyleighdent/ ABOUT HOLDEN ADVISORS Holden Advisors is a boutique consulting firm specializing in B2B pricing and sales performance. We help companies understand their value through the eyes of their customers and use these insights to develop, price, and sell solutions that meet evolving market demands. Our tailored strategies are designed to improve differential value and go-to-market execution. With decades of expertise in value-based pricing, sales implementation, and negotiation, we partner with companies to build and protect their pricing power. Learn more at www.holdenadvisors.com

    49 min

  7. 06/06/2025

    What autonomous cars are teaching us about pricing power

    In this episode of If Prices Could Talk, Tracy Dent is joined by Greg James and Jeet Mukherjee to break down the economic, strategic, and emotional factors shaping the autonomous vehicle industry.  What’s the difference between Tesla’s feature-based pricing and Waymo’s per-mile approach? How does trust impact pricing power? What happens when legacy companies are forced to compete in platform economics? This episode explores the economic and emotional levers driving how we think about value, and what they mean for leaders facing disruption from AI.     Key Themes: Trust as a critical lever in emerging marketsSubscription vs. CapEx vs. outcome-based pricingThe role of entropy in complex commercial modelsWhat B2B leaders can learn from the AV transformation ABOUT GREG Granted with 14 patents, Greg is a 30-year industry veteran who has led engineering teams at companies like Intel, Verizon, and Google. Throughout his career, he has led mechanical design teams, enabled customers to manufacture with Intel's advanced SMT and socketed chips, and developed and delivered thermal and mechanical solutions for mobile PCs.   Connect with Greg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryajames/  Connect with Jeet: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeet-mukherjee-58462a1/ Connect with Tracy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyleighdent/ CHAPTERS 00:00 Introductions 01:01 The rise of Waymo 08:02 Understanding the value drivers 17:23 What is entropy in auto pricing? Complexity, confusion, and value erosion 33:40 Platform economics and labor disruption; pricing the unknown 38:13 Cost per mile and what customers actually pay for 43:10 Final takeaways and B2B learnings from AV innovation Research referenced: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15389588.2025.2499887#abstract https://www.moneygeek.com/resources/costs-of-car-ownership/ https://waymo.com/safety/

    52 min

  8. 05/22/2025

    Pricing power lessons from Klarna, Foot Locker, and Airbnb

    Join us to unpack the biggest pricing and strategy headlines from the last few weeks. From Klarna’s AI stumble and rising credit defaults to Airbnb’s push to become a full-service travel platform — we explore what these moves mean for value perception, customer trust, and margin pressure. Plus: the implications of Dick’s potential acquisition of Foot Locker, and new consumer sentiment trends out of Europe. Topics include: Klarna’s AI overcorrection and credit lossesAirbnb’s push to become the “everything app”Foot Locker + Dick’s Sporting Goods: what pricing leaders should watchNew insights on European consumer sentiment and pricing sensitivityThe evolving role of AI in shaping how we buy and sell Roundtable episode with Jeet Mukherjee, Pete Morelli, Richard Klein, and Tracy Dent.  CHAPTERS 00:00 Introductions 01:21 PYMTS.com: Klarna Marks 100 Million Customers as Losses Nearly Double https://www.pymnts.com/earnings/2025/klarna-marks-100-million-customers-as-losses-nearly-double/ 11:29 TechCrunch: OpenAI upgrades ChatGPT search with shopping features https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/28/openai-upgrades-chatgpt-search-with-shopping-features/ 23:18 Reuters: Dick's Sporting to buy Foot Locker for $2.4 billion to fight soft demand https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/dicks-sporting-goods-acquire-foot-locker-24-billion-2025-05-15/   30:25  WSJ: He Revolutionized Travel. Can Airbnb’s Founder Redesign Your Entire Life? https://www.wsj.com/style/airbnb-services-experiences-founder-brian-chesky-341005e4 36:49 Price flops: Uber, Forever 21, Apple, Wendy’s

    47 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Welcome to If Prices Could Talk, the podcast where we explore the strategies and tactics that drive effective pricing, sales, and negotiations in B2B. Join us for candid conversations with thought leaders and industry experts as we dive into what’s working, what’s changing, and how to build and sustain pricing power in today’s markets. We’ll explore tactical approaches to value-based pricing, improving sales effectiveness, and best practices for negotiating with backbone.

Information

  • Creator
    Holden Advisors
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Holden Advisors
  • Show Website
    If Prices Could Talk