You know you’re good. You feel like you’re doing all the right things. But your income still doesn’t reflect your talent, creativity, or effort. If this is resonating, this article was written for you.
Firstly, please know you’re not alone. Many of the designers who come to me are undercharging for the designs they envision, develop, and bring to life; for the level of service they’re delivering.
They’re very good at what they do - their clients love them. But when we look at the numbers, they’re not profitable. And the issue often isn’t strategy - it’s their energy around money that’s holding them back.
Let’s explore what this looks like.
How Money Mindset Shapes Your Strategy (and Sabotages It)
In my coaching, I’ve seen time and again how your mindset - your beliefs, attitudes, and emotional patterns - impacts your behaviours and energy around money.
Think about it:
If you believe a client won’t pay 10k/20k/50k/100k for your service (despite having no firm evidence about their financial situation), you lower the fee before you’ve even hit send.
When they question the fee or ask you “can you do it for less?” you wobble and worry they’ll walk away. The client feels that wobbly energy (just look at dogs and horses if you need further evidence of how energy is felt), takes advantage of your uncertainty, and before you know it you’re committing to an even lower fee.
On the other hand, if you’ve grounded yourself in the truth that money is circulating constantly - everywhere, everyday, all around you. That clients find money for what matters to them, and that the highly creative, close, collaborative, and detailed nature of your work requires a fee of 10k/20k/50k/100k… you’ll confidently present your proposal with an energy of empowered certainty that says: I know our value and the life-changing benefits you’ll receive; I’m not available for negotiation.
You Say You Want to Earn More - But Energetically, You’re Closed Off
This one requires some honest introspection. You might consciously want to raise your fees, attract higher-level clients, perhaps create a new income stream in your business. But if you’re simultaneously avoiding investing in your pricing skills, side-stepping conversations with next-level clients, or holding back from new opportunities because you’re worried about taking on too much… there’s a disconnect.
Energetically, you’re not open to receiving the things you say you want.
Maybe you’re scared of spending money because “there’s never enough” is a narrative you grew up with. Maybe you’re carrying guilt about charging ‘too much’. Maybe you’re worried a high-end client will think you're not ‘professional enough’. Maybe you’re afraid of burning-out as you attempt to justify what you’re charging.
So you hold yourself back from gaining the skills that change everything.
You lower your prices.
You over-deliver.
You say yes when your gut says no.
You talk yourself out of expansive ideas.
And slowly, without realising it, you’re teaching your business - and the universe - that you don’t really want more.
Avoidance Is a Symptom of Fear (Not Inability)
It’s not that you don’t know you’re undercharging for the time, care, and creativity that goes into your work. You do.
But if you find yourself shutting down when faced with the opportunity to uplevel your pricing, hesitating on your ideas, or dreading money conversations with clients - it’s not because you don’t want more clarity, more ease and more income. It’s because your nervous system doesn’t feel safe with more.
More money. More visibility. More risk. More potential rejection.
This fear often hides in plain sight. It shows up as procrastination, perfectionism, “not having time,” or taking on misaligned projects because they feel safer than going after the clients you really want.
In truth, you’re playing small to stay comfortable—and it’s costing you both business growth and personal expansion.
Receiving Is an Energetic Skill
One of the most powerful shifts you can make is understanding that receiving is a skill—and a practice.
If you want to consistently earn more without burning out, you have to build both the energetic and strategic capacity that's needed. That means getting comfortable with bigger fees, more visibility, and greater responsibility - without spiraling into imposter syndrome, overthinking every decision, and crumbling under the pressure.
It means building systems and processes that allow you to work smarter and hold more, not just do more. It means showing your nervous system: look, we’re safe here, we’ve built a strong foundation.
It requires bringing self-awareness and intentionality to your relationship with money:
- Letting go of the beliefs and behaviours that lead to undercharging.
- Creating new beliefs that are supportive of charging more.
- Understanding the psychology of pricing and how your clients’ brains are wired to respond - not only to the fee you present, but the way it’s presented.
- Setting new standards (like not reducing your fee just because someone asked).
- Detaching your worth from whether a client says ‘yes’ to your proposal.
- Mastering your energy so your pricing feels grounded and expansive, and you feel calm and confident talking about fees.
Simplicity Creates Space for Growth
There’s a saying: the universe won’t give you more than you can handle.
If your calendar, mind, or systems are already overloaded, there simply isn’t space - literally or energetically - for the clients, fees, or opportunities you’re trying to call in.
There are so many ways you could “do more” to earn more: more marketing, more clients, new services or products. But if doing more leaves you exhausted and overwhelmed, you won’t have the bandwidth to deliver the high level of clarity, creativity and service you want to be known for.
This is where simplification will serve you.
Declutter your services.
Clarify your messaging.
Tighten your client experience.
Reduce all the noise and time-sucking activities from your schedule.
Create breathing space.
You’ll find more clarity, more creative energy, and a stronger and more confident sense of leadership. You’ll notice the places in your life where you’re bringing a ‘mothering’ energy to your relationships with team members, collaborators or family members; taking on responsibilities that aren’t yours to carry. (Obviously this doesn’t apply if you’re mothering small children whose needs are very real and constant - this is about the people around you who are fully capable of stepping up). Try asking yourself - what can I let go of that will create the capacity to receive more? And how can I give myself permission to do so? Because when you’re clear, calm and energised, everyone wins.
The Strategic Part of Earning More
So is mindset and energetic work all it takes to raise your fees and attract higher-level clients?
It’s not. Attempting to manifest your way to a 7 or 8-figure studio is a risky gameplan. This work matters deeply, but let’s be real - earning more also requires smart, sustainable strategy.
That means:
- Marketing that speaks directly to your ideal client with complete congruence between your brand identity, messaging and vibe.
- Strategic, intentional lead generation so you’re never wondering where your next client is coming from.
- An empowered qualification process that ensures you're only working with clients who are truly an aligned fit.
- A value-based pricing strategy that’s grounded in real numbers—not guesswork. We build your financial model in my money mindset and pricing program The Charge and clients regularly message me saying it completely changed how they think about profit and pricing. (“I wish I’d done it years ago” is the most common feedback I hear.)
- Services and a client experience that’s designed for referrals and repeat business so your client base grows and selling becomes easier over time.
The good news is, these are all things you can master. Send me a DM and let me know where lack of strategy or skill is holding you back and I’m happy to chat about the ways I can support you around marketing, selling, branding, pricing, processes, team, services, client experience, along with the deeper mindset and energetic work which runs through everything I do.
You need to get the foundations right, with alignment across every part of your business.
Otherwise any revenue spikes you create will be short-lived - and unsustainable.
Your Invitation to Receive More
If you’re ready to stop playing small, undercharging, and quietly carrying the weight of an unprofitable business - this is your invitation.
The truth is, your income can absolutely reflect your talent, creativity, and effort - when you get out of your own way and align effective business strategy with a million dollar mindset and the energetics of next-level selling.
To learn more about what this looks like in practice, join me on Wednesday 25th June when I’ll be hosting a live masterclass for Business & Interiors Members:
Pricing for Profit: A Smarter Approach for Interior Designers
I’m going to be talking about the practical application of value-pricing, along with how you can build the money mindset and energetic readiness to confidently charge more and grow a profitable, easeful interior design business.
Katy Stevenson Bretton
Katy Stevenson Bretton is a mindset and business coach who helps interior designers grow their businesses with proven strategy and depth coaching. After a decade managing multi-million-pound projects at London’s City Hall and seven years running a successful interior design studio, Katy now empowers designers to connect to their unique purpose, build their brand, price profitably, and create next-level income and freedom. Known for her clarity, insight, and intuitive coaching, she unlocks your biggest vision along with the strategy and inner work to achieve it.
