The $54/Hour Wake-Up Call: A Lesson in Knowing Your Worth
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I almost said yes to $54 an hour.
Not because I thought it was fair. Not because my expenses would be covered. Not because it made business sense.
I almost said yes because, in that moment, sitting across from a potential client, I wanted the work. I wanted to prove myself. I wanted to be helpful, accommodating, and—if I'm being honest—liked.
So when they shared their budget of $54/hour for comprehensive HR consulting work in the Bay Area, I didn't push back. Instead, I smiled and said something that makes me cringe now: "Let me see if I can make the numbers work."
That single sentence was my wake-up call. I just didn't know it yet.
They wanted me to build their entire HR infrastructure—policies, handbooks, compliance frameworks, systems—and then stay on as an ongoing advisor.
The Math That Doesn't Lie
Here's what I learned when I got home and actually did the math:
Their offer: $54/hour
Market rate for my work: $125-200/hour
California average for HR consultants: $103/hour
My proposed rate: $175/hour for initial development phase
After self-employment taxes (15.3%), business expenses, insurance, and the reality that I receive zero benefits, PTO, or job security, that $54/hour would net me less than many entry-level positions.
But more than the numbers, something else became crystal clear: They wanted me to build their entire HR infrastructure—policies, handbooks, compliance frameworks, systems—and then stay on as an ongoing advisor.
This wasn't a simple project. This was strategic, senior-level work that mitigates real legal and operational risk. And they wanted to pay me roughly 31% of the market value for it.
Y’all know I like to provide my sources. Check out this recent article on Understanding HR Consultant Costs in 2025 (click here).
“It’s personal in a way that selling products or working a salaried job never is. And that’s exactly why these wake-up call moments are so necessary.”
The Real Cost of "Making It Work"
I spent two days trying to "make the numbers work" as I'd promised. I rearranged spreadsheets. I considered reduced scopes. I wondered if maybe I was being unreasonable. Then I realized what I was really doing: I was trying to make myself smaller to fit into someone else's budget.
And that's when the wake-up call hit me full force.
This wasn't just about one client or one dollar amount. This was about something deeper, a pattern I'd seen in myself and in countless other entrepreneurs: The willingness to compromise our value because we're uncertain about our worth.
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Why We Do This to Ourselves
My fellow trailblazers, if you've ever underpriced your services, taken a bad-fit client, or agreed to terms that made you uncomfortable, you know what I'm talking about. We do it because:
We're afraid of losing the opportunity
We question whether we're "really" worth what we're asking
We want to be seen as reasonable and flexible
We haven't had enough external validation yet
We're comparing ourselves to others who charge less
We fear that if we say no, the work will dry up
But here's the uncomfortable truth: When you sell yourself (your expertise, your time, your knowledge), rejection of your pricing feels like rejection of you.
It's personal in a way that selling products or working a salaried job never is. And that's exactly why these wake-up call moments are so necessary.
The Pattern Every Entrepreneur Faces
After talking with other consultants and business owners, mainly in our private “we in this together” groups, I've noticed a pattern:
Stage 1: Underpricing You're new, so you charge less "until you prove yourself." You take any client at any rate. You build resentment and burn out, wondering why this is so hard.
Stage 2: The Wake-Up Call Something happens—a lowball offer, a difficult client, a moment of clarity, and you realize your rates don't reflect your worth. You have to make a hard choice.
Stage 3: Value Clarity You get clear on your worth independent of client validation. You state your rates without apology. You start attracting better clients.
Stage 4: Abundance Mindset You turn down work regularly. You raise rates proactively. You understand that saying "no" creates space for better "yes" opportunities.
Most entrepreneurs get stuck between Stage 1 and 2. They sense something is wrong, but they don't act on it. They keep accepting less than they're worth, hoping things will change.
The wake-up call is what moves you forward.
What I Did Next
I wrote an email declining the engagement.
It wasn't easy. Part of me still wanted to make it work. Part of me worried I was being difficult or unreasonable. Part of me feared I'd just turned away my only opportunity.
But I did it anyway.
I explained the market context, the disconnect between their budget and the scope of work, and why I couldn't deliver quality results at that rate. I was professional, educational, and firm.
And here's what happened: Nothing catastrophic.
The sky didn't fall. My business didn't collapse. I didn't regret it.
Instead, I felt something unexpected: relief. And more importantly, clarity.
The Lesson in the Wake-Up Call
Your wake-up call might not look like mine. Maybe it's:
A client who nickels-and-dimes every invoice
A project that expands far beyond the original scope
A rate so low you feel resentful every time you do the work
A voice in your head asking "Why am I doing this?"
Whatever form it takes, pay attention to it.
Because that discomfort isn't a problem—it's information. It's your internal compass telling you something is misaligned between what you're offering and what you're receiving.
What I Want You to Know
If you're early in your entrepreneurial journey, or if you're struggling with pricing, boundaries, or knowing your worth, here's what I've learned:
Your expertise has value independent of your confidence level.
The market doesn't care if you feel uncertain—it cares about the problem you solve and the risk you mitigate.Cheap clients are expensive.
They take more time, demand more energy, and question everything. Premium clients who understand value are actually easier to work with.Every "no" creates space for a "yes."
Walking away from misaligned opportunities isn't a loss; it's strategic positioning for better fits.You're not for everyone (and that's okay).
The right clients will pay your rates. The wrong ones won't. Both outcomes are information.The doubt doesn't disappear—you just get better at navigating it.
Even successful entrepreneurs question their worth sometimes. The difference is that they don't let it dictate their pricing.
The Work of Knowing Your Worth
This isn't just about business tactics or pricing strategies. This is identity work.
It's learning to advocate for yourself when no boss is giving you raises. It's trusting your expertise even when you can't see it clearly because you live it every day. It's decoupling your self-worth from whether a particular client says yes.
It's hard work. But it's the work that matters. And the beautiful thing about wake-up calls? They only work if you listen.
“If you stumble, make it part of the dance!”
An Invitation
If you're facing your own wake-up call right now: if you're looking at a lowball offer, a difficult client situation, or a nagging feeling that something isn't right, I want you to know:
You're not alone. And you're not being unreasonable.
Your instincts are telling you something important. The question is: Will you listen?
I hope you do. Because on the other side of that uncomfortable conversation, that declined project, or that boundary you set, there's clarity waiting for you.
And there are clients who will value what you bring to the table.
You just have to believe you're worth finding them.
What was your wake-up call moment? How did it change the way you think about your worth? I'd love to hear your story—share in the comments or reach out directly. Let's normalize these conversations and support each other through the hard parts of entrepreneurship.
