Let’s peek inside a typical self-employed woman’s head. “Am I really worth charging that much money? Will people believe my services are worth paying that much for? Will I really be able to deliver at a level equal to what I charge? Will people expect more than I can deliver if I charge at the top of the market? Just who do I think I am, anyways?!!!…..”

Part of the problem stems from over-identifying with our businesses. When I over-identify with my business, I AM my business. So when I feel confident, it is easier to charge good money. When I don’t feel that great, well… it’s harder to hold the line. And conversely, when things go well for my business, I feel great. And when things don’t go well for my business, I don’t do well.

So here it is: you must separate from your business. You are not your business. And your business is not you. Even if you run a very small business, you are still NOT your business. I’ve had to train myself in this over and over. When I over-identify with my business, I become very stressed. I tend to work too much and take everything personally—which is great, unless something is not going well.

Now I say to myself, “I am me, and that is the Women’s Earning Institute. It is not me.” When people ask me how things are going, I tell them how I am doing personally, or I tell them how the business is doing. Maybe I tell them about both. BUT THOSE ARE TWO SEPEREATE ANWERS! In the business world, as much as I may want people to know me and like me, they often don’t know me at all. They see my professional side, and that has to be okay.

Keeping my business separate from me helps me charge appropriate money. It helps keep me more objective. They are paying the Women’s Earning Institute, not me personally, and it has many costs. What I charge is a business decision, not a personal decision. It helps to keep this in mind.