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.
