⚡️Lessons from Antoine Lefebvre: Pricing & Packaging High-Value Consulting

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In our latest Office Hours, Antoine Lefebvre (“Remote CFO”) shared how he built and scaled his consulting practice over the past two years. His focus: value-based pricing, client retention, and clarity in offers.

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🚀 From Corporate to Independent

• 21–22 years of work experience → 15 in corporate, 6–7 in consulting.
• Went independent two years ago, branding himself as a Remote CFO.
• At the start, he didn’t define a narrow niche. Instead, he focused on identifying his best customers and building around them.

💰 Pricing Model & Evolution

• Charges a flat fee based on value and function, never by the hour.
• Tracks hours internally, but only for self-control and planning.
• Over two years, he has doubled recurring service prices.
• Initial pricing strategy:
  • Desired monthly revenue ÷ Number of clients he could realistically manage.

📈 Growth & Retention

• Two factors drive his revenue growth:
  1. How much he charges per customer
  2. Retention
• Current average retention: 11 months.
• His first client is still with him after 2 years.
• Increasing fees became possible as he delivered more value and earned client confidence.
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💭Participant Q&A Highlights
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Hernán F → How did you find leverage and what resonated with clients?

• This came with experience.
• At first, he had to actively seek clients.
• Today, most come through referrals and inbound inquiries.
• Early strategy: reach out to contacts with the “Remote CFO” concept, highlighting value instead of hours.

Alejandro B→ How do you manage your time across multiple clients?

• Estimates available hours by subtracting time spent on branding, sales, and admin.
• Divides remaining “productive” hours by target number of clients.
• This forms the basis for his flat fee per client.

Nicolas V → Have you considered hiring staff to scale?

• Having managed employees before, he initially didn’t want to build another company.
• Now acknowledges the need for help (e.g., hiring for accounting).
• Strongly recommends creating your own content → the value provider is best positioned to connect with the audience.

David T→ How do you know when to raise prices, and how do you handle pushback?

• He knew his market well.
• Raised prices gradually for new clients, aligned with growing confidence and value delivered.
• Clients who value his services don’t see prices as too high.
• Those who negotiate heavily rarely become good long-term clients.

Rodrigo P → What about results-based compensation (% of savings or revenue)?

• Can be motivating, but financially tricky.
• Risks conflicts of interest.
• Generally refuses these arrangements, including equity in startups, to maintain impartiality.

Gary M → One tip for new consultants on pricing? Is it okay to start lower?

• Yes, it’s acceptable.
• Advice: “Do the math.”
  • Define your financial needs and wants.
• His own approach: start with many satisfied customers → later, increase prices once value was proven and accepted by the market.

🗝 Antoine’s Golden Rules

• ✅ Charge for value, not hours.
• ✅ Use flat fees, adjusted for client complexity.
• ✅ Track retention as a core growth lever.
• ✅ Increase prices as you deliver more value and gain confidence.
• ✅ Publish your own content → your voice matters.
• ❌ Avoid results-based or equity deals that create conflicts.
• 🌱 For beginners: starting lower is fine, but know your numbers and grow from there.

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⚡️ Antoine’s journey shows: sustainable consulting is not about hours worked — it’s about proving value, keeping clients, and growing with confidence.

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