Impact Pricing

Mark Stiving, Ph.D.
  • 4.8 (50)
  • MARKETING
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The Impact Pricing Podcast will help you win more business at higher prices by teaching you about pricing and value. Once you understand how your buyers perceive the value of your product, you can build, market and sell products that win at higher prices. Pricing is really about creating, communicating and capturing value.

  1. AI Agents, Zero Humans, and the End of SaaS Per-Seat Pricing with Ajit Ghuman

    3D AGO

    AI Agents, Zero Humans, and the End of SaaS Per-Seat Pricing with Ajit Ghuman

    Ajit Ghuman is the co-founder of Monetizely, former VP of Product at Segment, and author of Price to Scale. In this episode, Ajit breaks down one of the biggest pricing challenges AI companies are about to face: what happens when software no longer supports employees — but starts replacing them entirely? If your company is building, pricing, or monetizing AI products, this episode will change how you think about per-seat pricing, buyer psychology, and the future of SaaS monetization.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Understand why per-user pricing may stop working as AI agents increasingly replace human workflows inside software products. Learn Ajit Ghuman's 3-part "Agentic Pricing Spectrum" for evaluating AI products based on autonomy, operational scope, and output-to-cost dynamics. Discover why buyers are suddenly comfortable with tokens, credits, and bundled AI pricing — even when they don't fully understand what those units actually mean.   "Unless you understand what your market is, who your buyers are, what do they want... it's the only thing that I start with when I do any project." – Ajit Ghuman   Topics Covered: 02:02 – Why Pricing Became the Most Direct Link to Customer Value. How pricing became the clearest connection between products, value, and business strategy.  06:29 – The AI Pricing Problem Nobody Has Fully Solved Yet. Why AI is forcing SaaS companies to rethink seats, tokens, outcomes, and margins.  07:38 – "Zero Human Companies" and the End of Per-User Pricing. Ajit explores a future where AI agents replace entire job functions — and asks the terrifying question: what happens when there's no user left to charge for? 12:30 – Why Cursor Still Charges Per User (For Now). A fascinating breakdown of AI coding tools, human "anchors," and why most AI products still can't fully move to outcome-based pricing. 16:51 – The Coming AI Commoditization Wave. Why Ajit believes agentic AI companies could rise — and collapse — dramatically faster than traditional SaaS businesses. 23:07 – Why Buyers Suddenly Accept Tokens, Credits, and Weird AI Pricing. Ajit explains how ChatGPT normalized token-based pricing — even though most buyers still don't fully understand what they're paying for. 26:00 – The Real Reason AI Pricing Feels So Chaotic Right Now. Inference costs are dropping, users are disappearing, and pricing anchors keep shifting faster than companies can adapt. 29:35 – The One Pricing Principle That Still Matters in the AI Era.  Despite all the chaos around AI monetization, Ajit says successful pricing still starts with deeply understanding your buyers and their problems.   Key Takeaways: "The anchor is still the human… but the moment the human disappears, per-user pricing starts breaking." – Ajit Ghuman  "Agentic AI may compress 20 years of SaaS evolution into just a few years." – Ajit Ghuman    People / Resources Mentioned: Cursor — Used as a real-world example of current AI pricing models Harvey AI — Referenced as an example of high-value AI transformation inside the legal industry Anthropic — Mentioned in relation to inference models powering AI tools OpenAI — Referenced throughout the discussion on tokens and AI pricing behavior Salesforce — Discussed in relation to potential future shifts away from per-seat pricing Zoom — Used as an example of changing pricing priorities during growth stages   Connect with Ajit Ghuman: Website: https://www.getmonetizely.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajitpalghuman/   Email: ajit@getmonetizely.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

    31 min

  2. 6D AGO

    Buyer Insight: Credits Trade Clarity for Flexibility

    This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on March 9, 2026, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/credits-trade-clarity-for-flexibility/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

    4 min
  3. Your Customers Don't Care About AI (And That's Your Pricing Problem) with Dan Balcauski

    MAY 18

    Your Customers Don't Care About AI (And That's Your Pricing Problem) with Dan Balcauski

    Dan Balcauski is the founder of Product Tranquility, where he helps B2B SaaS companies improve pricing, packaging, and monetization strategy.  In this episode, Dan breaks down the uncomfortable reality behind today's AI gold rush: buyers are tired of "AI-powered" hype, SaaS companies are struggling to monetize features nobody uses, and pricing teams are rewriting their strategies in real time. If your company is trying to monetize AI without becoming another forgettable AI feature, this episode will change how you think about pricing, adoption, and customer value.   Why You Have to Listen: Learn why AI features alone don't drive purchases — and how to position AI around customer outcomes people actually value. Discover the biggest AI pricing mistake SaaS companies are making — charging for features before customers build adoption habits. See how smart SaaS companies roll out AI strategically — using adoption-first pricing, early access models, and workflow-driven product design.   "Prove value with your new AI features before you throw a paywall in front of it." — Dan Balcauski    Topics Covered: 02:10 - "Freemium Is a Terrible Idea for Most SaaS Companies". Why most freemium models fail before companies fully understand the real costs behind them. 06:48 - Why AI Can't Automatically Set Your SaaS Prices. Dan explains where AI can help pricing teams and where human judgment still matters most. 09:53 - The Dangerous Truth About AI Pricing Advice. Most LLMs learned pricing strategy from bad SEO content and outdated thinking. 13:35 - The Adoption vs. Monetization Framework. The simple 2x2 model every SaaS company should use before pricing AI features. 17:34 - Margin Percentage vs. Margin Dollars. A smarter way for CFOs and SaaS leaders to think about AI profitability. 18:32 - "Buyers Don't Care That Your Product Uses AI". Why customers care more about outcomes and workflows than your AI technology. 24:31 - Why SaaS Companies Keep Changing AI Pricing. Most AI pricing models don't survive their first 18 months. 26:07 - The "Early Access" AI Pricing Strategy. How smart SaaS companies introduce AI features without hurting adoption. 29:24 - "Earn the Right to Monetize". Why proving customer value should happen before putting up a paywall.   Key Takeaways: "We need to prove our value first before we can monetize it." – Dan Balcauski   People / Resources Mentioned: Steven Forth — Mentioned as a trusted source of pricing expertise and strategic thinking. Anthropic Claude Code — Dan's primary AI workspace for research synthesis and pricing analysis. Readwise — Tool Dan uses to ground AI outputs using trusted expert highlights and notes. Salesforce — Referenced as an example of rapidly evolving AI pricing strategies. Pragmatic Institute — Mentioned during the discussion on product adoption and feature prioritization.   Connect with Dan Balcauski: Website: https://www.producttranquility.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/ X: https://x.com/dan_balcauski Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saas-scaling-secrets/id1682338188   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

    30 min

  4. MAY 15

    Buyer Insight: If Buyers Can't Explain It, You've Not Sold It

    This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on March 2, 2026, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/if-buyers-cant-explain-it-youve-not-sold-it/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

    4 min
  5. The Four Conversations That Change How Buyers Decide with Blair Enns

    MAY 11

    The Four Conversations That Change How Buyers Decide with Blair Enns

    Blair Enns is the founder of Win Without Pitching, author of The Four Conversations, and co-host of the 2Bobs podcast. He helps experts, agencies, and consultants move from being treated like vendors to becoming trusted advisors. In this episode, Blair joins Mark Stiving to unpack the hidden dynamics behind how buyers decide who they trust, who they listen to, and who they ultimately hire. They explore why selling expertise is fundamentally different from selling products, how authority is established long before proposals are presented, and why presenting multiple options changes the psychology of buyer decision-making. If you've ever wondered why some experts command confidence while others get stuck competing like commodities, this conversation will change how you think about selling, value, and buyer behavior.   Why You Have to Listen: Learn how buyers decide who feels like the trusted expert — long before proposals, pricing, or deliverables are discussed. Discover why presenting multiple options changes buyer psychology and keeps you out of "convince mode" during sales conversations. Understand the Four Conversations framework that helps experts move from being treated like vendors to becoming trusted advisors.   "Selling isn't talking people into things. It's helping somebody make a decision." — Blair Enns   Topics Covered: 02:44 — Why Selling Expertise Changes Buyer Behavior. Blair explains why buyers evaluate experts differently from traditional salespeople and why trust starts forming before proposals are discussed. 06:20 — The Four Conversations Behind Every Buying Decision. A breakdown of the four conversations that quietly shape how buyers decide who they trust and hire. 07:41 — Expert vs. Vendor: The Positioning Buyers Feel Immediately. Why buyers instinctively place sellers into categories and how experts avoid becoming "just another option." 11:36 — The Question That Unlocks Better Buyer Conversations. How focusing on a buyer's desired future state changes the entire direction of a sales discussion. 15:51 — Why Multiple Options Change Buyer Psychology. Blair explains why presenting choices keeps you out of "convince mode" and makes buyers feel safer saying yes. 19:17 — Why Value Should Come Before Pricing. A conversation on why buyers think differently when outcomes are discussed before solutions or costs. 23:53 — The Hidden Power of Price Anchoring. How the first numbers buyers hear quietly reshape expectations, negotiations, and decision-making.   Key Takeaways: "Selling isn't talking people into things. It's helping somebody make a decision." — Blair Enns "We rarely do the amount of thinking required to reason ourselves away from the starting point." — Blair Enns on how anchors shape buyer decisions   People and Resources Mentioned: Mahan Khalsa — Referenced for the idea that "the sale is the sample of the engagement to follow" from his book Let's Get Real or Let's Not Play. Thinking, Fast and Slow — Referenced during the discussion on anchoring, heuristics, and buyer decision-making psychology. Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky — Mentioned for their work on Prospect Theory and anchoring effects that shape how buyers evaluate pricing and options. 2Bobs — Blair's podcast co-hosted with David Baker, known for conversations on positioning, expertise, and agency growth. The Four Conversations — Blair's book introducing a framework for selling expertise through authority, value conversations, and buyer trust.   Connect with Blair Enns: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairenns/  Website: https://www.winwithoutpitching.com/ Books: https://www.winwithoutpitching.com/books    Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

    29 min

  6. MAY 8

    Buyer Insight: Why AI Is Making SaaS Metrics Grow Up

    This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on February 23, 2026, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/why-ai-is-making-saas-metrics-grow-up/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

    5 min
  7. Why the Same Product Shouldn't Have One Price (And What to Do Instead) with Bobby Moesta

    MAY 4

    Why the Same Product Shouldn't Have One Price (And What to Do Instead) with Bobby Moesta

    Bobby Moesta is the President & CEO of The Re-Wired Group, where he helps companies understand why customers buy.He is the co-creator of Jobs to Be Done alongside Clayton Christensen, and has spent decades studying the demand side of innovation—what actually drives people to change, choose, and pay. In this episode, Bobby joins Mark Stiving to challenge some of the most common assumptions behind pricing and decision-making—starting with how buyers really think (and why it's not what most companies expect). They explore what's actually happening beneath the surface of a purchase decision—and why understanding that can completely shift how you approach pricing. If you've ever felt like your pricing "should work" but doesn't—this conversation will make you rethink what's really going on.   Why You Have to Listen: Understand why context + outcome determines willingness to pay (not features). Learn why buyers don't "choose" instead they eliminate options and build confidence. Discover why most companies underprice by targeting the average instead of high-value contexts.   "Pricing is contextual. It's based on the context they're in and the outcome they want." — Bobby Moesta   Topics Covered: 02:21 – Why buyers don't change (until something breaks). The hidden trigger that forces people out of the status quo 04:41 – What buyers actually expect when they pay. Why value isn't what you think—and where expectations really come from 06:30 – The invisible forces behind every purchase. Push, pull, anxiety, and habit—and how they quietly control decisions 12:13 – How buyers really decide (it's not what you think). Why people don't "choose"—and what they actually do instead 18:17 – Why confused buyers walk away. The simple reason deals stall (and how to fix it) 20:06 – What creates buyer confidence. How people convince themselves to finally say yes 23:20 – What "I need to think about it" really means. The hidden signals behind hesitation—and how to uncover them 27:41 – Why one price doesn't fit all. How context changes what customers are willing to pay 29:37 –Every decision is a purchase decision. Why pricing thinking applies far beyond products and sales   Key Takeaways: "We can't convince them of anything. They have to convince themselves." — Bobby Moesta "Most of the time we end up pricing at the bottom of the market… and we're giving away the high end." — Bobby Moesta   Resources Mentioned: Jobs to Be Done – Framework for understanding customer decisions The Re-Wired Group – Bobby's firm focused on demand-side insight Demand-Side Sales – Bobby's book on how customers actually buy   Connect with Bobby Moesta: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobmoesta/  Website: https://therewiredgroup.com/    Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

    31 min

  8. MAY 1

    Buyer Insight: Credits Are Both Billing and Currency and That's the Problem

    This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on February 16, 2026, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/credits-are-both-billing-and-currency-and-thats-the-problem/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

    5 min
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4.8
out of 5
50 Ratings

About

The Impact Pricing Podcast will help you win more business at higher prices by teaching you about pricing and value. Once you understand how your buyers perceive the value of your product, you can build, market and sell products that win at higher prices. Pricing is really about creating, communicating and capturing value.

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Stiving, Ph.D.
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    500
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Impact Pricing 2022
  • Show Website
    Impact Pricing

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