03_Pricing_Partnership_Models

Instant Nonprofits — Pricing & Partnership Engagement Models

Purpose: Think through every possible way to structure the Instant Nonprofits engagement, from conservative service-for-fee to aggressive partnership models. This is Dmitri’s internal strategy doc — NOT for the client. Prepared: 2026-03-16 Context: Christian needs massive operational help (easily 20+ hrs/week for the first 2-3 weeks, then ongoing). He may not be able to afford full market rate right now, but the upside (5,000 clients, Iconic Impact, his network) is enormous. We need creative models that get us in the door, prove value fast, and build toward a long-term embedded partnership. Related docs:

• Call Pricing Cheat Sheet — standard pricing reference
• Market Pricing Research — competitive benchmarks
• Discovery Call Prep: Instant Nonprofits
• Agent Architecture Proposal

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The Situation

What Christian Needs (Scope Reality Check)

Based on the 93-minute call, here’s the realistic workload:

Work Area	Estimated Hours (First Month)	Ongoing Monthly
Systems audit (ClickUp, Clay, website, email, passwords)	15-20 hrs	—
Security baseline (backups, MFA, access review, policies)	10-15 hrs	2-4 hrs
ClickUp restructuring/optimization	10-15 hrs	2-3 hrs
Personal automation for Christian (email triage, daily briefing)	15-20 hrs	3-5 hrs
Assistant onboarding infrastructure (SOPs, systems, training plan)	10-15 hrs	—
Data enrichment project kickoff (5,000 clients)	15-20 hrs	5-10 hrs
Agent system design + Phase 1 build	15-20 hrs	5-8 hrs
Website staging + automated testing setup	8-12 hrs	1-2 hrs
Client intake questionnaire design + implementation	8-12 hrs	1-2 hrs
Strategic advisory (meetings, roadmap, planning)	8-12 hrs	4-8 hrs
TOTAL	~115-160 hours	~25-45 hrs/mo

At standard rates ($175-$200/hr), the first month alone would be $20,000-$32,000.

That’s likely more than Christian is budgeting. But the work genuinely needs this much time — you can’t cut corners on a systems audit + security baseline + automation buildout + onboarding infrastructure all at once.

What Christian Can Probably Afford

Based on context clues from the call:

• He’s profitable but not highly — Instant Nonprofits is a mature lifestyle business
• He’s fundraising for Iconic Impact (pre-revenue)
• He has contractors at $10-$20/hr (Egypt, Catherine)
• He just hired a “full stack marketer/PPC/CRO” person
• He’s onboarding a new personal assistant
• He was on GoFundYourself and has investor interest, but nothing closed yet

Realistic budget range: $3,000-$8,000/month without significant pain. Could stretch to $10K-$15K/month if he’s convinced it’s directly tied to revenue.

The Leverage We Have

• Christian literally said “I need a fractional COO, CTO, even if that’s fractional”
• He has 5,000 clients generating $0 in recurring revenue — the reactivation ROI dwarfs any fee we charge
• Iconic Impact could be a $100K+ platform buildout if it takes off
• His network (David Meltzer, Marcus Lemonis, Aspire Tour) is worth more than money if we’re positioned as “his tech partner”
• He’s a friend — higher trust threshold but also higher scope creep risk

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The Models: From Conservative to Aggressive

Model 1: Standard Project-Based (Lowest Risk, Lowest Upside)

How it works: Traditional fixed-scope, fixed-fee projects. Each phase is a separate SOW (Statement of Work).

Phase	Scope	Price	Timeline
Phase 1A: Systems Audit + Security Baseline	Full tech stack audit, security review, ClickUp assessment, access inventory	$5,000-$7,500	2 weeks
Phase 1B: Quick-Win Automations	Email triage setup (SaneBox), 3-5 Make.com automations, daily briefing agent	$3,000-$5,000	1-2 weeks
Phase 2: ClickUp + CRM Optimization	Restructure ClickUp, build pipeline, design dashboards, train team	$5,000-$8,000	2-3 weeks
Phase 3: Data Enrichment Sprint	Enrich 5,000-client database, segment, score, design upsell campaigns	$8,000-$12,000	3-4 weeks
Phase 4: Agent System Buildout	Full 6-agent system per architecture proposal	$7,500-$15,000	4-6 weeks
Ongoing: Fractional CIO Retainer	Monthly advisory, systems oversight, AI governance	$3,000-$5,000/mo	Ongoing

Total first 90 days: $28,500-$47,500 Ongoing: $3,000-$5,000/mo

Pros:

• Clean scope boundaries
• Standard payment terms (50/50)
• Easy to add change orders
• Professional, familiar structure

Cons:

• Sticker shock — $28K-$47K upfront is probably too much
• Doesn’t reflect the partnership nature of the relationship
• Christian might cherry-pick Phase 1A and stall on the rest
• Doesn’t tie your compensation to the outcomes you’re generating

When to use: If you want maximum clarity and minimum risk. Good fallback if creative models make him uncomfortable.

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Model 2: Compressed Intensive + Retainer (The “Sprint” Model)

How it works: A single intensive engagement (2-3 weeks, heavy hours) followed by a monthly retainer. This matches Christian’s actual need — he needs someone to come in full-throttle and get things in order, then stay on to maintain and optimize.

The Intensive (2-3 weeks):

What’s Included	Details
Systems audit + security baseline	Full tech stack, access review, backup verification
ClickUp restructuring	Optimized for CRM + PM, dashboards, reporting
Top 5 automation quick wins	Email triage, daily briefing, follow-up automation, form → ClickUp, stale deal alerts
Assistant onboarding infrastructure	SOPs, system access plan, training checklist
Agent system Phase 1	Personal briefing agent + follow-up guardian
Strategic roadmap	Phased 90-day plan for everything else

Pricing:

Option	Hours	Price	Effective Rate
2-week intensive (full-time)	~80 hrs	$12,000	$150/hr
3-week intensive (heavy part-time)	~80-100 hrs	$15,000	$150-$188/hr

The pitch: “Instead of paying for 5 separate projects over 3 months, let’s compress the most critical work into a 2-3 week sprint. I’ll be essentially full-time on your business. You get systems audit, security baseline, ClickUp optimization, your first automations, and a full roadmap — all in one burst. That’s $12-15K for the sprint.”

Then the retainer:

Tier	Hours/Month	Price	Includes
Starter	15-20 hrs/mo	$3,000/mo	Advisory, systems oversight, agent maintenance, monthly check-in
Growth	25-35 hrs/mo	$5,000/mo	Above + data enrichment project management, new automation builds, Iconic Impact advisory
Embedded	40+ hrs/mo	$7,500/mo	Above + acting fractional CIO/CTO, attending team meetings, owning tech roadmap

Total first 90 days: $21,000-$37,500 (intensive + 2 months retainer) Ongoing: $3,000-$7,500/mo

Pros:

• Matches Christian’s actual need (fast, intensive help NOW)
• Lower upfront number than Model 1 ($12-15Kvs.$28-47K)
• Retainer locks in recurring revenue
• The intensive builds trust fast — they see massive progress in 2-3 weeks
• Natural escalation from Starter → Growth → Embedded as they see value

Cons:

• Still requires $12-15K upfront, which might stretch his budget
• You’re committing 80-100 hours in 2-3 weeks — is that realistic alongside other work?
• Intensive model is harder to scope cleanly (scope creep risk)

When to use: If Christian has budget for an upfront investment and wants fast results. This is probably the BEST model for the situation.

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Model 3: Reduced Rate + Success Fee (The “Bet on Ourselves” Model)

How it works: You charge a reduced base rate, but tie a bonus to measurable outcomes — specifically revenue generated from the work you do. This works because the 5,000-client reactivation has a clear, measurable revenue impact.

Structure:

Component	Amount	Details
Intensive sprint (2-3 weeks)	$8,000(reducedfrom$12-15K)	Same scope as Model 2 intensive
Monthly retainer	$2,500/mo(reducedfrom$3-5K)	Fractional CIO, advisory, systems maintenance
Success fee: Client reactivation	10% of new revenue from reactivated clients	Triggered when a past client (from the 5,000 database) purchases a new service
Success fee: New automation revenue	10% of revenue attributed to automations you built	Triggered when an upsell sequence or agent you built generates a sale
Cap	$25,000/year on success fees	Protects Christian from unbounded liability

Example math:

• You reactivate 100 of 5,000 clients at an average of $1,500each=$150,000 in new revenue
• Your 10% success fee = $15,000(wellunderthe$25K cap)
• Plus your $2,500/moretainer=$30,000/year
• **Total year 1: $53,000\ast \ast ($8K sprint + $30Kretainer+$15K success fee)
• vs. Model 2 standard: $51,000-$105,000 at full rate

The pitch: “Here’s what I’ll do. I’ll cut my sprint rate from $15Kto$8K, and my retainer from $5Kto$2,500/month. But here’s the deal — when the systems we build start generating revenue from your existing 5,000 clients, I get 10% of that new revenue, capped at $25K/year. That way, I only make more when YOU make more. We’re betting on ourselves together.”

Pros:

• Much lower upfront commitment ($8Kvs.$12-15K)
• Aligns incentives — you win when they win
• Christian feels like you’re a partner, not just a vendor
• Success fee is capped, so it’s predictable for him
• Forces you to focus on revenue-generating work (which is what he needs anyway)
• Great story for your case study: “We generated $150K from dormant clients”

Cons:

• You’re taking a revenue haircut in the short term
• Success fee tracking requires clear attribution (who generated that sale?)
• Need a written agreement defining what counts as “reactivated revenue”
• Risk: if they don’t execute on your recommendations, you don’t earn the success fee
• Could create tension if attribution is unclear

When to use: If Christian loves the partnership framing but doesn’t have $12-15K lying around. This model signals that you believe in what you’re building — and it’s much more compelling than just “discounting.”

Pro Tip: Success-fee models are uncommon in the SMB consulting world, which makes them memorable. This is the kind of “Smartcuts” approach you resonate with. But the written agreement MUST be airtight — define “reactivated revenue,” define attribution, define measurement period, define cap, and define what happens if the relationship ends early.

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Model 4: Deferred Payment + Retainer Lock-in (The “Invest in You” Model)

How it works: You do the intensive at a reduced rate (or partially deferred), but they commit to a 6-month or 12-month retainer. The deferred amount gets recovered through the retainer commitment.

Structure:

Component	Amount	Details
Intensive sprint	$5,000 upfront (remainder deferred)	Full value: $12-15K.The$7-10K difference is deferred.
Monthly retainer (6-month commitment)	$4,000/mo	Includes recovery of deferred amount (~$1,000-$1,700/mo built into the retainer)
After month 6	$3,000/mo (retainer drops to standard)	Deferred amount fully recovered

The math:

• Month 0: $5,000 upfront
• Months 1-6: $4,000/mo\times 6=$24,000
• Months 7-12: $3,000/mo\times 6=$18,000
• Year 1 total: $47,000 (close to standard Model 1 pricing, but much more digestible cash flow)

The pitch: “I know the upfront investment for all this work is significant. Here’s what I propose — you pay $5,000tokickofftheintensivesprint,andwelockina6-monthretainerat$4,000/month. That covers the full engagement and spreads the cost out. After month 6, the retainer drops to $3,000/month.Yougetthesameoutputasa$30K project, but the cash flow is manageable.”

Pros:

• Very low upfront barrier ($5Kvs.$12-15K)
• Predictable monthly cost for Christian
• Guaranteed 6 months of recurring revenue for Solanasis
• Long-term commitment builds a deeper relationship
• You recover full value — just over a longer timeline

Cons:

• You’re financing the engagement (cash flow risk for you)
• If they stop paying month 3, you’ve done $12-15Kofworkfor$17K (sprint + 3 months)
• 6-month commitment might feel like a big ask for a first engagement
• Need a solid contract with clear termination terms

When to use: If Christian explicitly says “I believe in this but I can’t write a $15K check right now.” This model respects his cash flow while protecting your revenue over time.

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Model 5: Revenue Share Partnership (The “Co-Founder Lite” Model)

How it works: Instead of (or in addition to) a retainer, you take a percentage of revenue from a specific initiative — most likely the Iconic Impact platform or the 5,000-client reactivation program.

⚠️ WARNING: This is the most aggressive model. Only consider it if the relationship is strong, the upside is significant, and you have a clear legal agreement.

Structure Options:

Option A: Reactivation Revenue Share

Component	Amount
Intensive sprint	$5,000 (reduced)
Monthly retainer	$2,000/mo (reduced)
Revenue share	15% of all revenue from reactivated past clients for 24 months
Cap	$50,000total(or$25K/year)
Attribution	Any client from the 5,000 database who purchases a new service after the enrichment + outreach work begins

Option B: Iconic Impact Tech Partner

Component	Amount
Instant Nonprofits engagement	Standard Model 2 pricing (full rate)
Iconic Impact platform buildout	Reduced rate (50% of market) in exchange for revenue share
Revenue share	5-10% of Iconic Impact platform revenue for 3 years
OR equity	1-3% equity in Iconic Impact entity
Vesting	Equity vests over 2 years with a 6-month cliff

Option C: Hybrid — Full Rate Now + Equity Later

Component	Amount
All Instant Nonprofits work	Full standard rates (Model 1 or 2)
Iconic Impact: advisory equity	0.5-1% equity for strategic advisory role
Condition	Equity only vests if Iconic Impact raises funding AND you’re actively engaged
No revenue share	Keep it simple — cash for services, equity for strategic value

The pitch (Option A): “Let me propose something unconventional. Instead of charging you full rate, I’ll reduce my fees significantly — $5Ktostart,$2K/month to stay. But I want 15% of the revenue we generate together from reactivating your 5,000 past clients. If we do our job right, that could be $150K-$500K in new revenue for you, and I earn $22.5K-$75K. I only make more when you make more. If we generate nothing, you got a CIO at a fraction of market rate.”

The pitch (Option B): “For Instant Nonprofits, let’s do standard pricing — I want to earn that relationship on merit. But for Iconic Impact, I want to be your tech co-founder, not just a consultant. I’ll build the platform at half my normal rate in exchange for [5-10% revenue share / 1-3% equity]. If Iconic Impact takes off, we both win big.”

Pros:

• Maximum alignment — you’re a partner, not a vendor
• Potentially very lucrative if the 5,000-client reactivation works
• Christian gets a CIO at below-market rates
• Iconic Impact equity could be very valuable if it succeeds
• Perfect case study for Solanasis’s partnership model

Cons:

• Revenue share tracking requires robust systems (ironic if they don’t have them yet)
• Equity in a pre-revenue startup may be worth $0
• Creates complexity in the relationship (especially if things go wrong)
• Need a lawyer to draft proper agreements (revenue share AND equity)
• Risk: you invest heavily and they don’t execute
• Tax implications of equity vs. revenue share are different

When to use: ONLY after you’ve proven value with Phase 1 work. Never lead with this model on a first engagement. Prove you can deliver, THEN propose the partnership escalation.

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Model 6: The “Pay What It’s Worth” Pilot (The Growth Hack Model)

How it works: You do a defined 30-day pilot at a deeply reduced rate, and at the end, they pay what they believe it was worth (within a floor and ceiling). This is the most unconventional model — and the most on-brand for Solanasis’s “Smartcuts” philosophy.

Structure:

Component	Details
Duration	30 days
Scope	Systems audit, security baseline, top automations, ClickUp optimization, roadmap
Floor payment (guaranteed)	$3,000 (due upfront as commitment deposit)
Ceiling payment (maximum)	$10,000
Client decides final payment	At Day 30 readout, client chooses the amount between $3K-$10K based on perceived value
Retainer commitment	If they pay $7K+(indicatinghighvalue),theycommittoa3-monthretainerat$3K-$5K/mo
If they pay $3K-$6K	You delivered value but it wasn’t a fit for ongoing. Shake hands, you got a case study.

The pitch: “Here’s what I want to do. Give me 30 days. I’ll come in, audit your systems, fix the most critical gaps, build your first automations, and deliver a full roadmap. You put down $3,000asacommitmentdeposit.Attheendof30days,youtellmewhattheworkwasworthtoyou—anywherefrom$3K to $10K. If you felt I earned it, great. If not, I take the floor and we part as friends. My bet is that you’ll be blown away.”

Pros:

• Almost zero risk for Christian ($3K is manageable)
• Incredibly compelling sales pitch — shows supreme confidence
• Unusual enough to be memorable (this IS the Smartcuts approach)
• If you deliver, they’ll pay above the floor (most people do when they feel value)
• Great conversation starter for referrals (“My tech partner let me pay what it was worth — and he earned every penny”)

Cons:

• You could do $15Kofworkandgetpaid$3K
• Some clients will always pay the floor regardless of value delivered (rare but happens)
• Feels unusual in B2B — could make a more corporate-minded person uncomfortable
• Requires you to genuinely deliver outsized value in 30 days

When to use: If you want the MOST compelling offer possible and you’re confident you can blow their minds. This is the “make it impossible to say no” model.

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Recommended Approach for Instant Nonprofits

The Pitch Sequence (What to Actually Say)

Step 1: Lead with Model 2 (Sprint + Retainer) as the anchor

“Based on everything we talked about, here’s what I think the right first step looks like. A 2-3 week intensive sprint where I come in full-throttle — audit your systems, lock down security gaps, restructure ClickUp, build your first automations, and create the infrastructure for your new assistant. That sprint is $12,000-$15,000.

Then we shift to a monthly retainer — I become your fractional CIO. I own the tech roadmap, maintain the systems, build out the agent architecture, and advise on the Iconic Impact tech strategy. That’s $3,000-$5,000/month depending on how much hands-on work you need.”

Step 2: If he flinches at the number, bridge to Model 3 (Reduced Rate + Success Fee)

“But here’s the thing — I see a massive opportunity in your 5,000-client database. If we reactivate even 5-10% of those clients, that’s potentially $150K-$500K in revenue. So let me make you a deal. I’ll reduce the sprint to $8,000andtheretainerto$2,500/month. But I want 10% of the new revenue we generate from reactivated clients, capped at $25K/year. I only make more when you make more.”

Step 3: If he STILL needs a lower entry point, offer Model 4 (Deferred + Retainer Lock-in)

“If cash flow is the constraint, I have another option. $5,000upfrontforthesprint,andwelockina6-monthretainerat$4,000/month. After month 6, the retainer drops to $3,000. Same work, same results — just structured so the cash flow is manageable.”

Step 4: If he’s really excited but genuinely cash-strapped, go to Model 6 (Pay What It’s Worth)

“Okay, here’s what I’m going to do. Give me 30 days. $3,000deposit.Attheend,youtellmewhatitwasworth—anywherefrom$3K to $10K. I’m betting on myself because I know what I can do for your business.”

Step 5: NEVER lead with Model 5 (Revenue Share/Equity) on this call

Save the partnership escalation for after you’ve delivered Phase 1. When the results are in, THEN have the “let’s talk about Iconic Impact and what a real partnership looks like” conversation.

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Objection Handling for This Specific Situation

”That’s more than I can afford right now”

“I hear you. Let me ask — what CAN you commit to monthly? Because we can structure this in a way that spreads the investment out and ties my compensation to results. The last thing I want is for you to overcommit financially. But I also don’t want you to lose another 6 months of revenue because these systems aren’t built."

"Can’t you just do the most important parts?”

“Absolutely. Here’s the challenge though — your systems are interconnected. If I fix ClickUp but don’t address email triage, you still lose leads. If I build automations but don’t audit security first, you’re automating on a shaky foundation. The intensive sprint approach actually saves you money because we fix everything in parallel instead of doing 5 separate projects."

"I have contractors who work for $10-$20/hour, why is this so much more?”

“Those contractors are great for execution — and I want to keep them. But what you need right now isn’t execution; it’s architecture. You need someone who can look at your entire operation, see where the pieces connect, and design the system. Your $20/hour contractor will be 10x more effective once they have clear SOPs and systems to work within. I’m building the machine; they’ll run it.”

Anchor: “A fractional CTO runs $3K-$18K/month in the market. A fractional CISO is $3K-$7K/month. You’re getting both for less than either one."

"Let me think about it”

“Totally — take the time you need. But let me ask: what’s the cost of waiting another month? You told me you’re missing follow-ups, your 5,000 clients are sitting dormant, and your new assistant is starting with no systems in place. Every month you wait, that assistant learns bad habits, those leads go cold, and that dormant revenue stays at zero. What would it take to feel confident moving forward?"

"Can we start with just hourly consulting?”

“I can absolutely do hourly at $175-$200/hr, 4-hour minimum. But here’s my honest advice — hourly consulting is expensive for the scope of what you need. 115+ hours of work at $175/hris$20,000+. The sprint model actually saves you money AND gets better results because I can work on things in parallel instead of one-off sessions. But if hourly is what feels right, I’m in."

"I want a partner, not just a consultant”

“I hear that — and I want that too. But here’s how I think about partnerships: trust first, equity later. Let me prove what I can deliver in the first 30-60 days. Then we’ll have a real conversation about what a long-term partnership looks like, including Iconic Impact. I’d rather earn my seat at the table than negotiate it.”

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Pricing Comparison Matrix (All Models at a Glance)

Model	Upfront	Monthly	Year 1 Total	Risk to Us	Risk to Them	Best For
1: Project-Based	$28K-$47K	$3K-$5K/mo retainer	$64K-$107K	Low	High (big upfront)	Clients with budget
2: Sprint + Retainer	$12K-$15K	$3K-$5K/mo	$48K-$75K	Low	Medium	Most likely fit
3: Reduced + Success Fee	$8K	$2.5K/mo	$41K-$63K*	Medium (deferred)	Low	Budget-conscious, aligned
4: Deferred + Lock-in	$5K	$4K/mo(dropsto$3K)	$47K	Medium (financed)	Low	Cash flow constrained
5: Revenue Share	$5K	$2K/mo	Variable ($29K-$79K+)	High	Very low	Proven relationship only
6: Pay What It’s Worth	$3K deposit	TBD after 30 days	Variable ($21K-$70K)	Highest	Lowest	Maximum door-opener

*Model 3 total includes estimated $10K-$15K in success fees

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Legal Protections (Non-Negotiable for ALL Models)

Regardless of which model you choose, the agreement MUST include:

1. SOW or MSA (Master Service Agreement) — Detailed scope for each phase
2. Payment terms — What’s due when, and what happens if they miss a payment
3. Scope change process — Anything outside the SOW requires a change order (Use your existing template)
4. IP ownership — Solanasis retains ownership of methodologies, templates, and agent architectures. Client owns their data and custom configurations.
5. Termination clause — 30-day written notice for either party on retainer. Sprint work is non-refundable once started.
6. Non-circumvention (for success fee/revenue share models) — They can’t cut you out of the revenue stream by using the systems you built without paying the success fee
7. Measurement and attribution (for success fee models) — Clear definition of what “reactivated revenue” means, how it’s measured, and who reports it
8. Mutual NDA — Use your existing NDA template
9. Cap on success fees / revenue share — Always cap it. Uncapped success fees create resentment.
10. Audit rights (for revenue share models) — Right to review revenue records to verify payments

Pro Tip: For Model 3 (Success Fee) and Model 5 (Revenue Share), you absolutely need a lawyer to review the agreement. Your existing templates cover standard service engagements, but performance-based compensation has nuances around attribution, measurement periods, caps, and what happens on termination. Budget $1,000-$2,000 for legal review on these models. It’s worth it.

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The Meta-Strategy: Think Like a Growth Hacker

The real question isn’t “how much can I charge Christian?” It’s “how do I use this engagement to build Solanasis?”

What’s this engagement worth beyond the direct revenue:

1. First case study — A real client with real before/after results. Priceless for credibility.
2. First testimonial — Christian is articulate, well-networked, and enthusiastic. A video testimonial from him opens doors.
3. First repeatable playbook — Everything you build here becomes a template for the next 20 clients.
4. Network access — Christian knows David Meltzer, Marcus Lemonis, and the Aspire Tour crowd. One introduction from a satisfied client is worth more than any amount of cold outreach.
5. Proof of concept — If you generate $150Kinreactivatedrevenuefrom5,000dormantclients,tha{t}^{\prime }saheadline:"Wehelpedanonprofitconsultancyunlock$150K from their existing client database.”
6. Partnership model validation — If Model 3 or 5 works, you’ve proven that Solanasis can do performance-based engagements. That’s a massive differentiator.

This means: even if you charge below market rate on this engagement, the strategic value could be worth 10x the fee. Don’t give it away for free — that signals low value. But being flexible on price to get in the door? That’s smart. That’s the Smartcuts play.

The line to walk: Charge enough to be taken seriously, but be creative enough to make it impossible to say no.

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Bottom line: Lead with Model 2 (Sprint + Retainer). Bridge to Model 3 (Success Fee) if budget is tight. Save Model 5 (Revenue Share/Equity) for after you’ve delivered. And regardless of model, get a written agreement signed before hour one.