Leeway Planning's guiding philosophy is “Process Over Outcomes.”

In other words, it’s best to avoid “putting the cart before the horse.”

By prioritizing effective systems and processes, favorable outcomes tend to naturally produce themselves.

On the other hand, dialing in on a preferred outcome without understanding which activities to prioritize can result in more frequent and/or more painful headaches.

Picture yourself attempting to play sports when you desperately need glasses. You literally won’t see the outcomes you might prefer. Things change when you can see clearly with the help of corrective lenses!

Adopting an hourly fee model is the best way to ensure that Leeway Planning “eats its own cooking,” even though the hourly model is far less popular than other fee models out there today.

I firmly believe the hourly model is ultimately the best option for a client, and will only continue to pick up steam moving forward.

By billing on an hourly basis, an even flow of value between client and planner is naturally maintained. Let’s examine from a few perspectives.

From the client perspective:

If value is no longer being received, the client is free to cut ties, and the invoices stop. This allows the client to remain in the driver’s seat, which is exactly where they belong, anyway.

By being compensated for their time, knowledge and experience, any incentive the planner might have for steering a client in a particular direction that potentially competes with what is in the client’s best interest is materially limited, if not eliminated entirely.

From the planner perspective:

With the client remaining in their rightful position, they are likely more invested in the process. This is a good thing in and of itself! It could also reverse the trend of clients choosing not to implement sound advice and maintaining status quo to their detriment.

Better client outcomes lead to a greater sense of fulfillment for the planner.

From a mutual perspective:

An arrangement that requires the constant flow of value between client and planner ensures that each side of the table keeps the other side accountable. The client and planner each understand that there is an incentive to deliver value, otherwise there’s no need for an invoice.

Adopting this process promotes efficiency and a relationship that is mutually beneficial.