Okay, let’s talk money.
Not in the “close a million-dollar deal” way. I mean the awkward, palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy kind of moment when someone asks, “So, how much do you charge?” and your brain short-circuits.
When I first started freelancing, I charged way too little. Like, really little.
I was scared people would say no. Or worse… laugh at my price.
What if they thought I was full of myself?
So I played it safe. Gave “starter rates.” Took on low-paying work just to fill the calendar.
And if someone pushed back on the price? I’d drop it even further. Anything to close the deal.
Zero self-respect.
Cue internal scream.
To no one’s surprise: I ended up tired, underpaid, and completely resentful.
Not because the clients were bad, but because I wasn’t respecting my own time.
Eventually, something had to give.
There was a week where I had 17 active commissions, 2 days to deliver, and not enough caffeine in the universe to save me. I looked at my to-do list and thought:
“This isn’t working. This can’t be it.”
So, I made the scariest (and smartest) move:
I raised my prices. Not by a lot, just 20%. I figured that maybe I’d lose a few clients and finally breathe again.
But what happened next caught me totally off guard: I got more commissions.
Turns out, pricing sends a message. People saw the higher rate and thought, “Oh, this must be quality work.” They trusted the number more than they trusted my portfolio.
Wild, right?
This started a chain reaction of good things.
I started working with clients who valued what I did, not ones who wanted to squeeze everything out of me for $50. I worked fewer hours but made more. I had space to think, to actually do better work, and enjoy it. And I stopped feeling like a vending machine and more like a creative partner.
And here’s the kicker: the clients who pay more are often easier to work with. They respect your time, trust your process, and don’t nickel-and-dime every little thing. They’ve likely been burned by cheap options before, so when they find someone who delivers real value, they’re relieved, not resistant. It flips the dynamic completely. Instead of chasing clients and trying to prove your worth, the right clients come to you, already bought in.
For a while, I even rode this wild wave where every time I increased my prices, more clients came in. Each jump filtered out people who weren’t serious and attracted the ones who were ready to invest.
It gave me breathing room to reinvest into my business too. Whether that was buying better tools, taking courses, or just having a weekend off without guilt. That margin made all the difference.
Eventually, I reached a sweet spot. A place where my prices reflected my skills, my time, my growth, and the kind of projects I wanted to do. Not everyone said yes. But the ones who did? They were the ones who actually mattered.
You don’t need to 5x your prices tomorrow. But maybe try raising them 10–20% and see what happens. You might be surprised by how much more people respect your work once you do too.
Here are some starting tips:
And remember… You’re not just charging for a logo, a website, or a strategy session.
You’re charging for years of experience, the problems you solve, and the headaches you prevent. So stop pricing like you’re a favor. Price like you’re a solution.
It’s not just about making more money. It’s about building a sustainable business that you actually enjoy running. When you charge appropriately, you free up your time, energy, and creativity. You can say no to the wrong projects without panic. You can focus on growth, not survival. And most importantly, you can finally feel proud of the work you do and the way you’re compensated for it. Because the truth is, thriving creatively and financially isn’t mutually exclusive. You deserve both.
