Do You Charge What You're Worth? (And Why Most Business Owners Can't Say Yes)

Last week, I asked a room full of business owners a simple question:

"Do you charge what you're worth?"

Out of everyone there - skilled, experienced, brilliant at what they do - only TWO people raised their hands.

Two.

The rest? Undercharging. They are all brilliantly talented. But they are stuck at prices that don't match their value.

Would you have raised your hand? Be honest with yourself.

The Real Problem:

It's not that you don't know your value. You DO. You've got the qualifications, the testimonials, the results that prove you're good at what you do.

So why does typing "£4,500" into a proposal make your palms sweat and your heart race?

Why do you find yourself adding "does that work for you?" at the end of your price, giving them an escape route before they've even responded?

Why do you justify, explain or even apologise for what you charge?

The answer is that it's not about the number. It's about what your mind and nervous system think that number means.

The Fear Behind the Price:

When I ask entrepreneurs why they undercharge, here's what I hear:

"What will people think?" (Fear of being judged)

"Who am I to charge that much? Maybe I need one more qualification..." (Fear of not being good enough - you are, by the way!)

"What if I charge that - and then it doesn't work?" (Fear of failure)

These aren't logical business concerns. They're survival fears.

Your nervous system genuinely believes that charging premium prices could get you rejected. And rejection, can be painful, and to your mind threatening.

So it keeps you safe. And small. And undercharging.

The Facts Your Brain Is Ignoring:

Fact 1: People will say whatever they want, regardless of your price. The right people for you will find you and want to work with you - IF you show them how amazing you are by being your authentic self.

Fact 2: You probably already have everything you need. The only thing missing is self-belief. That next course won't fix the pricing problem. Addressing the nervous system block will.

Fact 3: "What if it does work?" is the question you should be asking. What is that transformation worth to your client? How does their life or business change because of your work?

Fact 4: The more you charge, the more your client will value what you do. Psychology is real. Investment creates commitment. I have learned this from my own experience. It took me longer than I would care to admit to believe it and do something about it.

My Own Journey:

I undercharged for YEARS. I told myself I was being "accessible" and "reasonable."

I once has a lady say she could not afford my prices as an osteopath - so I halved it for her. She would cancel and move the times or be late. I let her. She then disappeared for a few months. When she came back do you know what she said...."I was trying an osteopath who charged 4x what you charge me. I went weekly for 3 months and I realised you helped so much more!" You see, she did have the money....she just did not value me because I didn't.

You would hope that after this conversation I put my prices up for her......I must disappoint you. I had not done the work yet. I charged her the cheaper rate until I moved away.

I have done this many times over the years. Keeping things cheap - I excused it in my mind, rationalised it.

Really? I was scared.

Scared of being judged. Scared someone would laugh. Scared they'd see me as "too much" or "who does she think she is?"

It wasn't until I did the nervous system work - the same work I now do with clients - that I could look at premium pricing and not feel my body scream "DANGER."

Now? I charge £4,500 for my UNLEASHED program. And I haven't apologised once.

The Shift:

If your revenue has stalled and you know you're capable of more, it's worth exploring the internal story that's holding you back.

Not another pricing strategy course. Not another "know your worth" pep talk.

The actual nervous system blocks that make premium pricing feel threatening.

Because you're not undercharging because you don't know your value.

You're undercharging because your nervous system thinks charging what you're worth might get judged, criticised and it is scary.

Your Turn:

I'm curious - would you have raised your hand in that room?

And if not, what fear comes up when you think about charging premium prices?

Drop it in the comments. I read every one.