If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the past 7 years of business, it’s that value is subjective. The quicker you can learn that as a business owner, the quicker you’ll find peace and success in what you’re selling.
🙋♀️ Hi, it’s me, LeeAnn, coming in today to talk about money, honey!
Why? Because money and I have had a complicated relationship.
As a child who grew up extremely poor and on welfare, my adult life was colored by a perception that money was evil—and not something I was meant to have.
That’s a terrible mindset to carry, especially as a business owner.
Navigating what to charge while calibrating what feels comfortable for me has been an ebb-and-flow journey.
Today, I’m sharing why redefining your relationship with money is paramount to the success of your business—and I’m going to give you real-life scenarios to help shift your perspective around money, worth, and value.
1. Value is Subjective
Don’t believe me? Think about the last time you spent extra money on something you could’ve gotten cheaper.
People pay for what they value—and that’s a great thing. It means you can charge your worth, and people will pay you.
If I told you how many conversations I’ve had with well-meaning people about the “value” of photography, I’d be rich.
But what most people miss in those conversations is their own bias.
If value is subjective, how do we define it for ourselves in business?
This is where your brand plays a huge role.
The value you provide is both tangible and intangible. Tangibles are easy to price—but the real value is often in the intangibles.
A few examples of intangible value:
* Professional experience — the longer you do something, the more skilled you become
* The way you make your clients feel
* Professionalism — contracts and insurance protect you and your client
* Custom proposals, thoughtful emails, clear communication
* The overall client experience
For a while, I had a hard time identifying my own intangible value because those things come so naturally to me.
For example, I’m hyper-organized and loathe chaos—which translates into a seamless, thought-out photoshoot where my clients feel safe and at ease. That sense of ease leads them to actually enjoy the experience.
Here’s how to identify your value-adds:
* Gather testimonials, client surveys, and emails where someone talks about what they loved in working with you. Copy/paste them into one document.
* Print it out and mark that shit up. Highlight words that repeat. Circle or underline phrases.
* Pull out the patterns you see and put them on a new sheet—these are your gifts. To you, they may seem insignificant, but this is what matters to your clients.
Next, look at your expertise, skill, and professionalism.
We all start somewhere. When I started in brand photography, I charged $500 for a 3-hour photoshoot.
It was portfolio and skill-building work—there were no thoughtful questionnaires, no polished proposals, none of what I offer today.
If you want to charge a premium price, you’ve got to roll out that red carpet—but remember, we all build our way there.
Final step:
Take your last 5 clients and average out your hourly rate.
Now ask yourself:
* Is this where I want it to be?
* If not, what would that number be?
* What’s one small way I could start moving toward that number?
* How can I do a better job communicating my value to the people I want to serve?
And I’ll leave you with this nugget:
Right now on Instacart, 7-Eleven is charging $7.19 for Mentos Gum and $8.19 for a box of Velveeta Shells & Cheese.
If a gas station can charge that much for plastic gum and fake cheese, it’s high time we start valuing the time, energy, and care we put into our work.
And anyone who says your prices are “too much”?
They’re not your people.
2. Money is Energy
Ugh, I hate this one because it’s so damn annoying—but it’s true.
Money isn’t inherently good or evil—it’s a symbolic exchange.
When we carry a negative relationship with money, we operate from lack—and that energy gets projected outward.
In turn, we attract clients who also operate from scarcity.
Once we recognize that money is an energetic exchange, our relationship with it shifts.
Let me explain:
We’ve all had those moments where a lead comes in and we need the money.
We show up, we do our thing, but underneath it all we’re thinking, “I really need this to work.”
And then… crickets. No sale. It feels personal.
But ask yourself:
When was the last time you said no to a big purchase?
Was it about the person selling to you?
Maybe. Or maybe you were just price shopping.
Maybe you really wanted to invest but couldn’t find a way to believe in yourself enough to take the leap.
You see, when someone chooses to work with you, they’re not just saying “I trust you.”
They’re saying, I trust myself to make the most of this investment.
And your response to that energy?
You’ve made the right decision. I’m going to show up and do a damn good job for you.
We have to empower people to have agency over their money.
That’s why I don’t use pushy sales tactics or hide my pricing.
I want people to feel safe and in control of how they spend—even if it’s not with me.
Great reads on money & mindset:
* You Are a Badass at Making Money
* The Soul of Money
* The Law of Divine Compensation
* Get Good with Money
* Think and Grow Rich
* Rich Dad, Poor Dad
3. Charging Your Worth Is Easier Said Than Done
Seven years in and I still struggle to stay the course and charge what I know I’m worth.
Why?
Because:
* Amateurs charge less and undercut the industry
* Peers who focus on weddings offer brand work at lower prices
* Clients don’t understand why prices vary from one photographer to the next
But honestly?
The biggest reason is me.
I spent over 30 years believing money was bad and that I was only “worth so much.”
Those beliefs don’t vanish overnight.
But what I do know is this:
You are worth every damn penny you desire to earn.
I know it may not feel true yet.
But here’s the thing—there are people making $100 a minute, $50 an hour, and everything in between.
If someone working a 9-to-5 can make $100K a year, you can too.
You’re wearing all the hats. Doing all the things.
And you're worthy of making the money that reflects that.
My Rates Then vs. Now
As I shared earlier in this post, when I first started in brand photography, I charged $500 for a three-hour brand photoshoot. To say that was an insane steal doesn’t even begin to capture how wildly low that was—but I needed to start somewhere, and at the time, it felt right to me! I only offered three shoots at that rate.
Take a peek at how my prices have increased over time. Keep in mind that as my rates went up, so did the quality of my client experience. I continued to invest in my education so I could offer the best service and product possible.
What this graph doesn’t show:
As my prices increased, so did the structure and intention behind my offers. In 2022, I was including way too much in each brand photoshoot and ended up losing money because I hadn’t properly accounted for the true cost of goods and services.
In 2023, I hired a consultant to audit my rates and behind-the-scenes systems. Their verdict? If I wanted to be profitable and continue offering a premium experience, I’d need to charge $10K per session.
Since then, I’ve found my sweet spot between $3,500–$6,500—where I can honor my clients and my business.
Final Thoughts
Charging appropriately for the work you do not only benefits you — it also supports and uplifts others in your industry to do the same. When you compete on price, you devalue your work and others — and I’m not sure that’s why you got into business ownership to begin with.
The belief that if you succeed others must fail is a false narrative ingrained in us over years and years of the wealthiest few holding the power. But in small business — especially in heart-centered, service-based industries — community thrives when we all rise.
Your pricing sets a tone. It says: I value my time. I value the transformation I offer. I trust that the right clients will see that, too.
So if you're wrestling with what to charge, ask yourself:
What would it look like to honor your work — and the version of you who had the courage to start this in the first place?
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