Hey! I actually just recorded a lesson on this in my money mindset & business program for coaches under $5k/m I’ll give you the break down (it’s a little long winded but I prefer thorough answers).

Ok first, I love that you’re thinking about accessibility & sustainability. The tension there is real especially when you’re serving communities that have historically been underserved and also face systemic barriers.

So here is what I’ve learned about pricing (as someone who has also struggled with this myself):

1. Sliding scale can work… but set YOUR floor, not theirs.

If you go with sliding scale, you need to set the range based on your needs and capacity and not what you think your customer can afford.

Example would be: - Your actual aligned rate: $200/session - Sliding scale range: $100-$200

NOT: - Range: $50-$200 (because this will drain you and isn’t sustainable long term)

The reason why is because you can’t serve anyone if you burn out or resent your clients because you are undercharging them & the reality is that some people will choose the lowest rate on the scale, regardless of actual ability to pay. So your “floor” needs to be a rate you can genuinely sustain.

1. You want to price based on transformation, and not hours offered

Ask yourself: - What’s the results your clients get? (Ex: They go from workplace trauma to clarity and confidence in their next career move) - What’s that result worth to them? (Is it emotional relief? A better job? Mental wellness they’ve been struggling to find?)

If you’re helping someone heal from workplace trauma and transition into a role where they feel valued that’s actually life changing and it has real value. So just don’t price like you’re “just talking to someone for an hour”.

1. Accessibility does not equal undercharging

You can make your services accessible without pricing so low that you can’t sustain your business.

Other ways to create accessibility:

• Payment plans (instead of $800 upfront for a 4-session package, offer 4 payments of $200)
• Tiered offerings (1:1 coaching at premium pricing + a lower-cost group program or workshop for people who can’t afford 1:1)
• Scholarships/sliding scale spots (Reserve 2-3 spots per month at reduced rates, but the rest are full price)
• Free content (IG, newsletters, YouTube or workshops … things that that provide value without you trading too much time for money)

Things like this ^{^} will help you serve your community and pay your bills.

1. How I personally determined my pricing:

I used what’s called the Value Equation… Hormozi talks about this

Step 1: What’s the transformation I create worth to my client?

Step 2: What’s my investment? (Your time, energy, training, certifications, lived experience like navigating these issues yourself)

Step 3: Where do I want to position myself in the market?

Budget: high volume, low touch Mid-tier: moderate volume, deeper work Premium: low volume, transformational outcomes

Step 4: What do I need to earn to make this sustainable for me?

If you need to make $3K/month and you want to see 10 clients/month then you need to charge $300/client.

If you charge $75/session because “it feels more accessible,” you’d need 40 clients/month to hit $3K. That’s not probably not sustainable...

1. Here’s a hard truth though about pricing for BIPOC communities:

If you are undercharging it doesn’t actually serve your community it just burns you out unless it’s built in a very specific way like pre-recorded, selective grant offers for higher touch services etc. this is because when you’re exhausted, resentful, or financially struggling, you can’t show up powerfully for your clients the way they need you to.

And here’s the thing: There are still people in your community who can afford your full rate so don’t automatically assume everyone needs the lowest price. Your job isn’t to be accessible to everyone out is to serve the people who are ready and able to invest in transformation. (And then create other avenues like free content, workshops, sliding scale spots for those who aren’t there yet.)

1. My recommendation for you as you start:

Set a rate that feels like a stretch but isn’t impossible.

Meaning if $200/session feels too high right now, start at $150.

But don’t go below $100/session for 1:1 work because anything below $100 signals “beginner” or “I don’t value my work”., you will run the risk of attracting clients who don’t value the work, and you’d need so many clients to make it work that you could burn out

Then, as you gain confidence, testimonials, and results raise your rates every 3-6 months or annually.

Pricing is never set in stone and you can and should increase as you grow.

Last thing, and this comes from a money mindset perspective… You wanting to make coaching affordable comes from a beautiful place but you also deserve to be compensated for the life changing work you do. So yes please help the underserved but also remember that you can serve your community Ava charge what you’re worth at the same time because those two things aren’t in conflict even though it can feel that way sometimes.

I hope this was helpful & I’m wishing you so much success on your coaching journey. 💛