Money is not the enemy
You can charge fairly, generously, and without shame. In fact, you must.
June 4, 2026
Money is not the enemy
A lot of thoughtful, ethical people are uncomfortable charging money.
They worry about being greedy. They worry about excluding people. They worry that putting a price on their work somehow cheapens it.
I understand the worry. I have felt it. And I want to say, gently and firmly: the worry is wrong.
What money actually is
Money is a way of saying this was worth something to me. It is a vote, in the only currency our world consistently recognizes, that what you made mattered.
When you refuse to charge, or charge so little you cannot sustain the work, you are not being generous. You are quietly guaranteeing that the work will disappear. Because nothing un-funded survives.
A fair price is a kind price
A fair price says: I respect my time. I respect your time. I respect the exchange between us. And because I am being paid honestly, I can keep showing up for you — next week, next year, in ten years.
Underpricing is not humility. It is a slow withdrawal from the world.
Charge what allows you to stay.
Keep reading.
More essays in the library — or build your own plan with the blueprint tool.