If you’re a business owner or creative founder stuck at $5K months and ready to scale MentorBusiness.com is where clarity meets execution. In this episode, Lewis Haydon mentors a fast-growing entrepreneur through the exact mindset and pricing shifts needed to jump from $5K to $20K/month without adding chaos.

A raw, founder-to-founder mentoring session that dismantles the “more clients, bigger team” myth and reframes growth around value, reputation, and leverage. No hype. Just real business truth from the boardroom.

Lewis Haydon sits down with Lalit Kumar Nag (Nag Lakshmi Productions Pvt. Ltd.) to turn his freelance operation into a high-ticket creative agency by focusing on pricing, positioning, and time ownership.

We get specific on:

• Why chasing volume keeps you stuck and what to do instead

• How two right-fit retainers can replace twenty low-paying clients

• The credibility, messaging, and schedule discipline needed to attract high-ticket buyers

• What to stop doing immediately so your ladder rests on the right wall

Takeaways:

• Stop optimizing for “more clients.” Optimize for fewer, higher-value retainers.

• Price follows outcome, not hours. Tie deliverables to measurable business results.

• Reallocate your week: selling/positioning > editing/ops once you’re past survival.

• Credibility compounds: proof, referrals, and a visible personal brand beat cold outreach.

• Planning protects growth: fixed marketing and networking blocks, non-negotiable.

• Think in ROI: if a client makes 10x from your work, your pricing should reflect it.

• Freedom ≠ passive. Freedom = leverage (focus, price, systems, and the right people).

Chapters:

00:01 – What’s the real difference between coaching and mentoring?

00:37 – Lalit’s current reality: 4-person creative team at ~$5K/month

01:14 – Setting the target: $20K/month (12–24 month window)

02:41 – What a $20K business actually looks like (and what it doesn’t)

03:35 – “Why not now?” Removing excuses and resource myths

04:12 – Learning vs scaling: the trade-off founders must face

04:41 – More clients = more time? Only if you stay in low-value delivery

05:53 – Talent, trust, and the startup comp challenge

06:01 – The blunt question: why not charge 4x?

07:08 – Two $10K retainers vs twenty $1K clients

07:41 – Reputation and referrals: the real currency

08:40 – Pricing to ROI: the 10x rule of thumb

09:27 – Guidance over guessing: finding high-value clients on purpose

10:14 – When you actually do need a bigger team (and when you don’t)

11:04 – Beware advice from people selling courses, not results

12:06 – Laser focus: high-profile clients as the only goal

13:42 – Your calendar is your strategy: time audit and reallocation

15:23 – Ladder on the right wall: plan your week, protect the blocks

16:47 – Why $20K? Freedom, energy, and doing the hard things now

18:16 – Final reset: you’re doing the work, point it at the right target

Keywords:

coaching vs mentoring, high-ticket clients, creative agency scaling, retainer pricing strategy, service business growth, founder time management, personal brand for founders, ROI-driven marketing, client acquisition strategy, entrepreneur mentorship

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