People often quote the number on the invoice. That number is the plate before the wipe. Fees, tools, unpaid messages and learning that never bills are the oil film. The keen edge is what remains after the film is wiped off.
Write the hours. Write the money in. Write the costs out. Divide what remains by the hours. That is the rate after the wipe. If that rate is lower than the day job after tax, the pass may still be useful for skill or for cash flow — but it should be named honestly.
Costs that hide in the film
- Platform fees and payment processing.
- Software and tools bought only for the side pass.
- Unpaid setup that has no invoice attached.
Burnisher makes no earnings promises. The point of the wipe is clarity, not a sales pitch. Read next: a weekly wipe of the record.