I want you to imagine something for a second.
You're at a job interview. The company loves you. They offer you the position. Then they say: "We can't really pay you, but the work is really meaningful and you'll get great experience."
You'd walk out. Obviously. Nobody would take that deal.
But here's what I see vegan service providers do every single day: they build their own business, work harder than they ever did at a 9-to-5, serve clients, create programs, show up week after week — and pay themselves almost nothing. Or literally nothing.
And when someone asks about their pricing, they say: "I'm not really in it for the money."
I get it. I really do. You started this business because you care about something bigger than a paycheck. You want to help people. You want to advance the vegan movement. You want to do work that matters.
That's beautiful. And I respect it deeply.
But caring about your mission and charging real prices are not opposites. You can be deeply committed to helping people AND charge enough to pay your rent, cover your health insurance, save for the future, and not panic every time a client cancels.
In fact, I'd argue you HAVE to charge real prices if you actually care about your mission. Because you know what happens when you undercharge? You burn out. You resent the work. You cut corners because you can't afford to invest in your business. And eventually, you quit — and the people you were serving lose you entirely.
An underpaid business is not a sustainable business. And an unsustainable business doesn't serve anyone.
WHY WE REALLY UNDERCHARGE
I've coached a lot of vegan service providers through pricing, and I've been through it myself. Here's what I've learned about why we really do it — and it's usually not what we tell ourselves.
We say: "I'm not about the money."
The truth: We're scared to find out what happens if we charge more. What if nobody pays? What if people think we're greedy? What if we're not actually worth it? It's easier to keep prices low and avoid those questions than to be brave enough to test what the market will actually pay.
We say: "My clients can't afford higher prices."
The truth: We're deciding what other people can afford without asking them. You are not your client's bank account. Some people won't pay your price — that's fine. But plenty of people will. You just haven't met them yet because your low pricing is attracting the wrong audience.
We say: "I just want to help people."
The truth: You can't help people if you can't keep your business open. Nobody would work a 9-to-5 for free. But somehow we've convinced ourselves that because this work is mission-driven, we should be willing to do it for nothing. That's not noble. That's a fast track to closing your doors.
And here's the one that nobody talks about: most vegan service providers have never actually done the math. They picked a number that felt "reasonable" or looked at what someone else was charging and went lower. They've never sat down and calculated what they actually need to earn to pay themselves, cover their expenses, and have a real business.
That changes today.
THE MATH (this is your exercise):
I'm going to walk you through the same calculation I do with my coaching clients. It takes 10 minutes, and it will probably make you uncomfortable. Good. That discomfort is data.
Step 1: What do you need to earn per month to live? Not your dream salary. Your real number. Rent or mortgage. Food. Insurance. Transportation. The basics. Write it down.
Step 2: What does it cost to run your business per month? Software, tools, hosting, insurance, contractors, professional development — all of it. Even the small stuff. Write it down.
Step 3: Add those together. That's your monthly minimum. This is what your business needs to generate just for you to break even. Not profit. Not growth. Survival.
Step 4: How many clients can you realistically serve per month? Be honest. With your current schedule and energy, how many clients can you actually work with and do good work? Not the aspirational number — the real one.
Step 5: Divide your monthly minimum by your number of clients. That's your minimum price per client.
Now look at that number. Compare it to what you're currently charging.
If your current price is lower than that number, you are literally paying to work. You're subsidizing your clients with your own financial security. That's not generosity — that's a math problem.
THE REFRAME
Charging real prices isn't greedy. It's brave. It means you've decided your work has value and you're not going to apologize for it. It means you'd rather serve fewer clients at a price that sustains you than serve a hundred people while your bank account is empty.
And here's something I've seen happen over and over with my clients: when they raise their prices, the quality of their clients goes up. People who pay real prices show up differently. They're more committed. They do the work. They get better results. Which means you do better work. Which means you feel better about your business.
Undercharging doesn't just hurt you. It hurts the work.
YOUR ONE THING THIS WEEK:
Your one thing this week: do the math. All five steps. Write the numbers down on paper — not in your head, on paper. See what your minimum price per client actually is.
You don't have to raise your prices tomorrow. But you need to see the number. Because once you see it, you can't unsee it. And that's where the courage starts.
Reply and tell me: what did the math show you? Was your current price above or below your minimum? I want to know.
You just did the math on your pricing. Now let's talk about your time.
This month, I launched Ready to Run Your Week — a 30-page workbook that helps vegan coaches and consultants rebuild their week around their life, not their business. It's completable in one sitting and it might be the most useful hour you spend this month.
To celebrate my birthday, I'm offering it at 25% off until the end of May — just $12.75.
Here's a peek inside:
Grab it for $12.75 before the price goes up!
HIT PLAY:
Tired of reading? Listen to a fellow vegan entrepreneur talk about betting on herself when nobody else would.
When every publisher told Chef Adina her cookbook was "too niche," she self-published it anyway — and won awards. Her story is about charging what your work is worth, doing it on your own terms, and not waiting for someone else's permission.
When was the last time you raised your prices?
You deserve to get paid for what you do. All of it.
— Stephanie
PS: Last issue, I challenged you to shorten your free consultations into 20–30 minute discovery calls and ask the question at the end. If you tried it, I want to hear what happened. Reply and tell me — even if it was awkward. Especially if it was awkward. That means you're growing.
