Pricing decisions are often swayed by the “HiPPO” effect—Highest Paid Person’s Opinion—resulting in gut-based calls rather than data-driven strategies. High-profile examples, like Sam Altman’s $200 ChatGPT Pro subscription and Elon Musk’s $8 Twitter checkmark, illustrate the risks of ignoring robust pricing frameworks. To maximize profitability, companies must treat pricing as a strategic function supported by data, governance, and cross-functional collaboration.