Never Went To Business School

In this episode, we talk with Katharina Luger, former managing director of Traktor, about her journey through the advertising industry and her recent exit from the agency. Together, we look at her path from creative roles into leadership, how Traktor built its distinct approach to advertising, and what it really means to lead creative teams through change, including the challenges of the pandemic years.
We also get into the realities of pricing creative work, building long-term client relationships, and how AI is shifting expectations in the industry. A big part of this conversation is about transitions: stepping away from a leadership position, rethinking identity beyond a company, and staying adaptable in a field that is constantly evolving.

LinkedIn

We break down the main things you should factor into your prices: creator factors like experience level and whether you are a solo freelancer or a team, commissioner factors like client size, funding stage, location and influence, and industry factors that change how much companies are willing to spend on design. We also talk about rush fees, discounts, payment provider fees and why most people forget to include them.

Sign up to our newsletter: www.faktor.so
Follow on LinkedIn
Follow on Threads
Follow on Instagram

In this episode, we break down how hourly pricing emerged from male dominated consulting models, why it rewards speed and constant availability, and how that harms women, especially mothers and anyone who cannot or does not want to sell 40 hours a week. We explore value based pricing as a feminist position that centers impact, insight and emotional labor instead of hours, and what it means for women to step into roles as strategists, decision makers and value definers without simply reinforcing the existing system.

In this episode, we talk about value in the creative industry through a feminist lens. Who decides what is valuable and how has it affected our industry? We look at how execution work and emotional labor are still treated as less valuable than strategy, how that connects to the history of women doing the invisible parts of design, and why the industry keeps rewarding awards, speed and output instead of process. We also get into how AI will push execution work to be worth even less, why that makes value based pricing more important than ever.

In this episode, we talk about what it really takes to build a creative business that does not burn you out. We share how we went from severe burnout in our first years as a studio to building systems, boundaries, and pricing that actually support us. We cover planning your year with realistic capacity, making time for holidays, choosing tools and workflows that fit how you work, and setting working hours that match your energy instead of a 9 to 5 template. We also get into positioning, pricing, and project planning so you can avoid scope creep, chaotic timelines, and clients who do not respect your time. A practical check in for anyone who wants their business to feel sustainable this year, not just busy.