“Hey, can I pick your brain?”
It sounds innocent. Even flattering. Someone sees what you’ve built and wants to learn from you. But if you’ve been in business long enough, you already know how these conversations usually go:
- The “quick” chat turns into 45 minutes or more.
- You share hard-earned insights that took years to develop.
- A month later, that same person is asking someone else the exact same question—having done nothing with the advice you gave them.
At first, it feels like the right thing to do. After all, someone helped you along the way, right? But eventually, the reality sinks in: these conversations are draining your time, energy, and focus, while providing almost zero ROI.
The real cost of “Can I pick your brain?” isn’t just the time spent—it’s the opportunity cost of everything else you could be doing.
Why This Becomes a Problem
Years ago, when I was still growing my businesses, I used to take these calls. I’d block off an hour, listen to someone’s challenges, and lay out everything I knew that could help them. I’d walk away feeling like I had given them a shortcut—years of experience condensed into a conversation.
But then, something happened.
I started noticing that these people weren’t implementing. They weren’t stuck because they lacked knowledge; they were stuck because they weren’t taking action.
That’s when I made a shift. I stopped taking calls for free.
Over ten years ago, my rate was $500 for a 60-minute call—a number that felt high at the time. The result?
- People showed up prepared with real questions.
- They took detailed notes and asked follow-ups.
- 45 days later, they followed up explaining how that one-hour conversation had multiplied their revenue, optimized their operations, or solved a major bottleneck.
One group wanted free information but didn’t act. The other invested and executed.
The difference? Skin in the game.
How to Handle These Requests in the Moment
If you’ve hit a certain level of success, these requests will never stop. But you can take control of how you handle them.
Here’s a simple response you can copy and paste the next time someone reaches out:
“I appreciate you reaching out! I actually cover this in my [blog/podcast/book]. Here’s the link. If you’re looking for deeper insights tailored to your business, I offer strategy calls. Let me know if you’d like details.”
This response does three things:
- Redirects them to a resource where they can find the answer themselves.
- Establishes that your expertise is valuable—you don’t give away years of knowledge for free.
- Gives them an option to invest if they’re serious about taking action.
How to Address This Over Time for Maximum Impact
You want to help people—but not at the expense of your own business. So, instead of constantly giving away one-on-one time, build a system that allows you to help others without draining your time and energy.
1. Create a Scalable Knowledge Hub
Instead of answering the same questions repeatedly, start building a library of resources:
- A blog or newsletter covering high-level business growth strategies.
- A podcast or YouTube series where you break down key insights.
- An online community or mastermind where people can engage with you at scale.
Now, when someone asks to pick your brain, you can send them a link to a resource that already answers their question—helping hundreds instead of just one.
2. Offer Paid Strategy Calls
If someone truly values your time, they should be willing to invest in it.
Instead of taking unpaid calls, offer:
- A structured, high-value strategy session for business owners who are serious about scaling.
- A small-group mastermind where those who are ready to grow can collaborate with others at their level.
- A business accelerator or advisory program designed to help leaders implement proven frameworks.
Those who see the value will pay for access to expertise. Those who don’t? They were never going to take action anyway.
3. Leverage Live Q&A Sessions
If you still enjoy engaging with people and sharing insights, do it at scale.
- Host a monthly live Q&A where people can submit their biggest challenges.
- Take the most common business bottlenecks and address them publicly.
- Repurpose those answers into content—so the next time someone asks, you already have an answer ready to go.
This way, you’re still helping people—but on your terms.
Final Thoughts: Time Is the Most Valuable Asset You Have
At a certain point, success isn’t about working harder—it’s about working smarter.
If you keep giving away your time to people who aren’t serious, you’re stealing time from the people who are.
- If you’re constantly giving free advice, you’re devaluing your own expertise.
- If you’re always available, you’re sacrificing time that should be spent on your own business growth.
- If you don’t create boundaries, people will keep taking—without ever investing.
The next time someone asks, “Can I pick your brain?”, take a step back and ask yourself:
Is this the best use of my time?
If the answer is no, then it’s time to shift how you approach these conversations.
I’ve built, scaled, and exited 7, 8, and 9-figure companies by focusing on systems, not just one-off conversations. If you’re serious about implementing the same principles in your business, let’s talk.