Ambition Without Compromise

83 | ​​The Courage to Charge After Leaving Corporate


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Starting a business is often sold as an exciting path to success. But for many women of color, the reality of entrepreneurship is usually a lot messier.

This week, Monique gets real about the unglamorous side of building a multi six-figure business and shares the personal experiences that helped her handle the hard parts of the journey. She also talks about the stuff that actually matters, like setting your prices, knowing what your work is worth, and how to deal with those feelings of being a "fraud" that show up when it is time to sell your services.

Tune in to learn how to get into the right headspace, feel good about your pricing, and build the confidence you need to actually grow your business. 

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GEMS DROPPED

“To ​build ​a ​multi ​six ​figure ​business ​and ​to ​sell ​what ​it ​is ​that ​you ​do ​for ​five ​and ​six ​figures ​sustainably, it ​is ​not ​magic, it ​is ​about ​having ​the ​patience ​to ​learn ​what ​your ​value ​is. ​It ​is ​about ​finding ​peace ​with ​the ​discomfort ​in ​the ​process ​and ​it ​is ​about ​releasing ​your ​attachment ​to ​asking ​reasonable ​questions. ​This ​is ​not ​a ​science, ​it's ​a ​practice.”

“Just ​based ​on ​the ​research that shows as ​a ​woman, we ​deeply ​undersell ​ourselves ​or ​​discount ​ourselves, ​I ​think ​you ​should ​just ​lean ​towards ​overcharging ​because ​that's ​probably ​what's ​going ​to ​just ​even ​get ​you ​within ​the ​band ​of ​what's ​reasonable.”

“Pricing ​and ​what ​people ​pay ​for ​things ​and ​buyer ​psychology ​is ​so ​subjective. ​​The ​longer ​that ​I ​have ​been ​running ​a ​business ​or ​I ​guess ​the ​more ​confidence ​I've ​grown ​in ​believing ​that ​you ​can ​charge ​anything ​for ​anything.”

“​I ​also ​just ​generally ​think ​that ​entrepreneurial ​skills ​are ​beautiful ​life ​skills ​to ​build. ​I ​think ​I ​feel ​so ​much ​more ​connected ​to ​myself ​as ​someone ​who ​works ​for ​myself ​because ​soup ​to ​nuts, ​like, ​I ​have ​to ​imagine ​a ​future ​that ​I ​just ​create ​out ​of ​my ​head ​and ​then ​I've ​got ​to ​figure ​out ​how ​to ​make ​it ​happen. ​I ​think ​that ​that ​is ​an ​incredible ​skill ​set ​to ​have.”

“I ​don't ​necessarily ​believe ​that ​we ​need ​to ​be ​doing ​free ​work ​all ​over ​the ​place. ​This ​is ​a ​capitalist ​society. ​And ​I ​think ​that ​if ​you're ​delivering ​value, ​even ​if ​you're ​new ​at ​doing ​a ​thing, ​value ​is ​value. ​So ​when ​there ​are ​opportunities ​for ​you ​to ​get ​paid, ​ask ​to ​be ​paid, ​and ​if ​somebody ​doesn't ​have ​the ​budget ​for ​it, ​then ​you ​can ​have ​that ​conversation.”

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Ambition Without CompromiseBy Monique R. Shields