Episode 131: Unearthing Hidden Stories Behind Your Pricing to Charge What Your Worth with Colleen Underwood
Have you ever felt a knot in your stomach when putting a price on your work? Same. This week, I’m joined by my dear friend and returning guest, Colleen Underwood. What started as a deep Voxer chat turned into an episode I knew we needed to bring to the Tillage Podcast. We’re talking all about pricing! Yes, the dollars and cents part, but also the stories, beliefs, and emotional baggage that come with it. And trust me, this one goes deep in the best way.
The Stories We Carry Into Pricing
We all carry stories about money, value, worth, and identity and they come rushing in the moment we sit down to price our work. Colleen shares how these stories, whether handed to us from childhood or shaped by culture, show up in sneaky ways when we're building our businesses. From being the “good girl” to fearing we’ll be seen as greedy, we unpack why pricing feels so personal and vulnerable and why it’s not just about the numbers.
Pricing With Integrity and Without Shame
One of my favorite parts of this conversation was hearing Colleen break down the internal tug-of-war we feel. Wanting to be both generous and good, but also needing to build a sustainable business. She offers such practical and compassionate insight on how to price your services with integrity, while letting go of the weight of being responsible for other people’s outcomes. Whether you’re just starting out or years into your creative journey, this part will speak to you in all the right ways.
Becoming Whole Through the Work We Do
At the heart of this conversation is something much bigger than pricing, it’s about becoming. Entrepreneurship asks us to stretch, face ourselves, and grow. And Colleen reminds us that doing the inner work (even when it's messy!) is not only necessary, it’s beautiful. If you’ve ever doubted your value, felt overwhelmed by your story, or wondered if you’re “enough” to charge what you dream of, this episode will feel like a deep breath and a warm nudge forward.
This episode is an invitation not just to rethink your pricing but to honor your story, your gifts, and the wholeness you’re becoming. I’m so grateful to have Colleen back on the show, and I can’t wait for you to listen in.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Pricing isn’t just numbers—it’s personal. It stirs up stories we carry about worth, money, and what it means to be “good.”
Your background shapes your pricing. Family messages, cultural beliefs, and fears of being seen as greedy or inexperienced often get in the way of owning your value.
You’re not meant to price in isolation. Trusted community can reflect your worth back to you and help separate facts from fear.
Clarity comes from both data and self-awareness. Market research is helpful, but true confidence comes from understanding your own story.
Small shifts create momentum. Whether it’s adjusting your studio or updating your wardrobe, external changes can help you step into a new internal identity.
You don’t need to “arrive” to charge more. Pricing is a growth process—and you’re allowed to become someone who owns their value along the way.
Learn More About Colleen:
Colleen is a surface pattern designer and a coach for creatives. After living overseas in Asia and Europe for most of her adult life, you can now find her putting down roots between the Smoky Mountains and the ocean coasts of North Carolina. She is daily inspired by what is good, true, and beautiful and desires to infuse hope back into the world by creating work that evokes reminders of the goodness and beauty in our daily lives.
Visit Colleen's website at www.colleenannalea.com and her Instagram.
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