08/13/2026
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurship
Business Owner
Small Business Owners
Building a Brand
Being a small business owner and entrepreneur has taught me something very important: it’s okay to ask to be paid.
- Paid for your time.
- Paid for your service.
- Paid for your product.
- Paid for your expertise.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with discussing price and budget upfront. In fact, we should normalize it. Before I spend hours planning, creating, sourcing, meeting, designing, producing, or preparing, we need to know whether the budget aligns with the work being requested.
As small business owners, we are often asked to “help out,” sponsor an event, donate our services, provide a product, offer a discount, or work in exchange for exposure.
And while I would LOVE to say yes to every great cause, organization, event, friend, or opportunity that comes my way, the reality is simple:
I cannot afford to run my business for free.
There are times when I choose to donate my services or support something because it aligns with my heart, my business, or my community. But that has to be my choice, not an expectation.
My business has expenses. My time has value. My experience has value. My creativity has value. And just like every other business, I have to generate revenue in order to continue doing what I do.
So entrepreneurs, get comfortable talking about the money.
“What is your budget?”
“My fee for that service is…”
“Here is what’s included in that price.”
Those conversations don’t make you difficult, selfish, or all about money.
They make you a business owner.
Support small businesses by respecting their prices, their time, and their craft.
