Pricing your work can be harder than the work itself. You quoted for the job, then knocked money off before the client could even react. Or you have not raised your prices in three years, because the thought of telling people makes you feel slightly sick.
If you run a business with an ADHD or AuDHD brain, pricing is rarely a simple numbers decision. It gets tangled up with how you read your own worth, how you handle a hint of conflict, and a brain that struggles to hold on to the value of what you do.
Pricing is one part of running the whole thing. If it helps, my guide to running a business with ADHD covers the rest.
Undercharging is not something you can just think your way out of
You can know your rates are too low and still not be able to say the higher number out loud. That is not a lack of business sense. Several ADHD traits quietly push the price down at the same time.
Why ADHD makes pricing so hard
- Rejection sensitivity. A higher price risks a no, and a no can feel like personal rejection, so you go in low to avoid it.
- Value blindness. It is hard to hold on to the worth of work that came easily to you. If it was quick or enjoyable, your brain quietly discounts it.
- Conflict avoidance. Raising a price or chasing an invoice means a slightly awkward conversation, and awkward conversations are exactly what an ADHD brain will dodge.
- Time blindness. You under-quote because you genuinely cannot gauge how long the work will take, then resent the job you priced.
- The feast and famine loop. In a quiet month you take any work at any price, which teaches clients, and you, that your time is cheap.
How to price in a way that fits your brain
- Decide your number when you are calm. Set your rates and a minimum once, write them down, and read from the page. Take the decision out of the live moment.
- Price the value, not the hours. If the work is quick because you are good at it, that is a reason to charge more, not less.
- Quote in writing. A short email or a simple template removes the pressure of saying a number to someone’s face.
- Add a buffer for time blindness. Whatever you estimate, add a margin. You are not padding the price, you are correcting for a bias you already know you have.
- Make getting paid automatic. Send the invoice the moment the work is done, use recurring invoices and reminders, and let a tool or a person do the chasing for you.
Raising your prices without the dread
You do not have to make an announcement. New clients simply meet the new rate, and most of your worry never reaches them.
When you do need to tell someone, a plain line is enough. Something like, from the new year my rate will be X. No apology, and no long explanation.
Expect the discomfort, and do it anyway. The fear of losing everyone is rarely matched by what actually happens.
What changes when your pricing fits you
Steadier income you can plan around. Work that feels worth doing, because it is paid properly. Less of the quiet resentment that builds when you know you sold yourself short. A business that pays you what you are worth, rather than what you were afraid to ask for.
This is the kind of thing we work on together in coaching for entrepreneurs and business owners: not a sales script, but understanding why the low number keeps winning, and building something steadier around how your brain actually works.
Frequently asked questions
Click on a question to reveal the answer.
How do I raise prices with existing clients without losing them?
Give a little notice, keep it short, and do not over-explain. A plain message that your rate is changing from a set date is enough. Some clients will not blink. The few who leave were often the ones costing you the most for the least. You may also find my post on ADHD and money helpful.
I freeze and drop my price in the actual conversation. What helps?
Take the number out of the live moment. Decide your rate in advance, quote in writing rather than out loud, and have a set line ready so you are reading, not improvising. The less you have to decide on the spot, the less room there is to cave.
Is it greedy to charge more for work that comes easily to me?
No. Clients pay for the result and the years behind it, not for how hard it felt on the day. Work being quick is a sign of skill, and skill is exactly what is worth paying for.
How do I decide what to charge in the first place?
Start from two things: what similar people charge, and what you actually need to earn to make the work worth it. Look at a few comparable rates so you are not guessing, then sense-check against your real costs and the income you want. Set the number when you are calm, write it down, and treat it as your default rather than something you reinvent for every job.
What if a client pushes back on my price?
Some will, and it is rarely personal, even when rejection sensitivity makes it feel that way. Decide your lowest acceptable number in advance, so you are not negotiating against yourself in the moment. You are allowed to say you will think about it rather than dropping the price on the spot. A no, or a haggle, is information about fit, not a verdict on your worth.
Considering 1:1 coaching?
If you are seriously considering one-to-one coaching for yourself, a Discovery Session is the place to start. It is a short conversation to see whether we would be a good fit to work together. Twenty minutes on Zoom, free, with no commitment.
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About Linda Fox
Linda Fox is an ICF-ACC credentialled adult ADHD coach (ADHD Life & Business Coach, CALC), coaching since 2000, with lived experience of ADHD herself. She works with entrepreneurs, legal and medical professionals, and others navigating demanding careers, helping them build practical strategies that fit how their brain actually works rather than fighting against it. UK-based, supporting clients with ADHD and AuDHD worldwide on Zoom.
