Raising Prices on a Tuesday

I raised my prices on a Tuesday because nothing felt dramatic about a Tuesday.

That morning I opened my “Services” doc and read the promise I made to clients: clearer plans, kinder systems, steady growth. I thought about the calls where I did twice the scope to save a deal, and how I left those Zooms exhausted and a little resentful.

I scribbled two columns: what clients actually need vs. what I actually do. The lists matched, but the price didn’t match the care. I wasn’t charging for the hard part—the thinking that removes the 20 extra steps.

So I did the math. Not perfect math, but honest math. I rounded up to the number that made me sit up straight. Then I added one line I’d avoided writing:

“If we’re not a fit for your season, I’ll suggest alternatives.”

At noon, a prospect asked for a discount to “try it out.” I read my new line out loud and waited. They paused. “Okay,” they said, “let’s keep the full scope. We want the real thing.”

In the afternoon, someone else said the price wasn’t right. I offered two smaller moves and three referrals. They thanked me—genuinely—and left the door open.

By evening I noticed I was breathing with my shoulders down. The work didn’t change; the container did. Tuesday turned into a boundary I could keep.