Building Better Cybersecurity Tools: A Developer’s Guide to Threat Detection & Ethical Hacking
October 20, 2025How I Transformed My Capped Bust Half Dollar Expertise Into a $57,000 Online Course Business
October 20, 2025
Want to Charge $300+/Hour? Think Like a Rare Coin Expert
Let me share how specializing transformed my consulting business – and how it can work for you. The secret? Stop being a generalist and start treating your expertise like rare currency. Just as numismatists become the world’s top authorities on specific coins, you can dominate niche tech areas that command premium fees.
Why Your Specialty Determines Your Rate
The Coin Dealer’s Million-Dollar Secret
Rare coin experts don’t know “a little about everything.” They master ultra-specific areas – like 19th-century silver dollars or Civil War tokens. When I narrowed from “cloud infrastructure” to “Kubernetes migrations for hedge funds,” magic happened. Within a year, my rates jumped from $150 to $450/hour.
Where Tech Consultants Make Bank
- IT Generalist: Stuck at $100/hour
- Broad Specialist (e.g., AWS): $150-$250/hour
- Rare Coin Consultant (e.g., AI compliance for healthcare): $300-$500+
Create Your “Rare Coin” Value Formula
Spot Hidden Gaps Like a Pro
Coin dealers assess condition gaps that affect value. For clients, I use this simple framework:
def find_client_gaps(company):
current_tech = analyze_systems(company)
industry_ideal = research_top_performers()
money_left = (industry_ideal - current_tech) * $30,000 # Monthly value gap
return money_left
Your Service Menu = Coin Certification
My proposals now resemble rare coin certificates showing:
- Exact Problem Grade (Like “MS63” network vulnerability)
- Authentication Results (Verified through discovery)
- Market Premium (Specialization surcharge)
Build Your “Rare Coin” Reputation
Become the PCGS of Your Niche
Just as collectors trust PCGS-graded coins, create proof of expertise:
- Niche case studies (Your “population reports”)
- Problem-specific checklists (Condition census guides)
- Short video explainers (Modern TrueView verifications)
Finding Clients Who Pay Premiums
My 3-step rare coin prospecting system:
- Pan for Gold: LinkedIn searches for “[Industry] + [Pain Point]”
- Authenticate Value: Discovery calls that uncover hidden needs
- Present Graded Solution: Proposals showing certified ROI
Price Like a Rare Coin Dealer
Use tiered pricing based on problem rarity:
| Service Grade | Solution Level | Your Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Common | Basic Fixes | $250/hr |
| Choice | Strategic Solutions | $400/hr |
| Premium | Executive Advisory | $700+/session |
Become the Consultant Everyone Collects
The market pays extraordinary rates for extraordinary specialists – whether you’re grading 1804 silver dollars or securing blockchain networks. When you position yourself as the “rare coin” expert in your tech niche, clients won’t haggle over price. They’ll line up to own a piece of your expertise.
Related Resources
You might also find these related articles helpful:
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