Working Harder Will Not Make You More Money
Psst! If you’ve ever felt like you’re working all the time but still not making the money you want, this episode is for you.
In this week’s episode, Fi gently but firmly challenges one of the most common beliefs small business owners carry: that the only way to make more money is to work even harder (spoiler: it's not).
Listen to Episode 32
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why working more hours rarely leads to more income
How to understand your real capacity — and price accordingly
The power of branding, marketing, and communication when raising your rates
Why your ideal clients are the key to sustainable success
How letting go of the wrong clients creates space for growth
Transcript: Working Harder Won’t Make You More Money
Money Secrets Podcast – Episode 32
Introduction
We've made a lot of progress as a society in many areas, but one thing that hasn’t changed enough is our relationship with money. If we want to tip the scales in favour of marginalised people, we need to understand the secrets to making money in small business.
The more we talk about money — especially the secrets that usually stay behind closed doors or on the golf course — the more empowered we become. My mission is to get more money into the hands of good people, specifically business owners like you.
Because I believe small business can change the world. And to do that, we need to be making more money.
Acknowledgement of Country
This episode was recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation. I’d like to acknowledge them as the Traditional Owners and custodians of this land and water that I live, work and play on.
I pay my respects to Elders past and present, and recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded. This always was, and always will be, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land.
The Belief That Holds Us Back
“If I want to make more money, I need to work even harder than I already am.”
This is one of the most common beliefs I hear from small business owners. Maybe you’ve felt this too:
“I’m working all the time, but I’m still not making the money I want.”
“My client load is full, I’m constantly behind on deadlines, and I never have time for my own marketing.”
“I’m not present with my family the way I want to be.”
Sound familiar?
The Real Problem: Capacity
If working harder isn’t the answer, then what is?
The first step is to understand your capacity — the actual amount of time and energy you have to deliver your product or service sustainably.
For service providers, a good rule of thumb is that only 50% of your workweek is billable. That means if you have 40 hours available, you likely have about 20 hours for income-generating work. The rest is spent on:
Admin
Emails
Marketing
Bookkeeping
Business development
…and just being human
This is normal, not a failure.
Your Price is Your Power
Nothing affects your financial wellbeing more than your price.
Once you understand your true capacity, you’ll probably realise you’ve been undercharging — simply because you’ve been trying to squeeze more hours into the week than you actually have.
To earn more without burning out, you need to raise your prices. But that doesn’t mean doubling your rate overnight. It starts with building up the quality of your brand, marketing, and communication.
Check out my FREE Pricing Training you need to set your prices for profitability.
Attracting Better Clients
To raise your prices successfully, you need to:
Communicate what makes you different and valuable
Get clear on your ideal client — who gets the best results from your work?
Use messaging that actually speaks your client’s language (not jargon)
Most business owners are too close to their own expertise, and fall into the “curse of knowledge.” But your clients don’t need fancy words — they need to understand how you’ll help them.
Trade Clients, Not Time
The goal of raising your prices is to lose clients — on purpose.
If you raise your prices, and keep the same clients, you’re likely not charging enough. The aim is to work with fewer people, but make the same or more money — and create more breathing room for your marketing, creativity, and life.
That’s where your brand and message come in. They do the heavy lifting of attracting higher-quality clients who are aligned with your values and willing to pay for your expertise.
Good Money Club
Are you a female or LGBTQIA+ business owner who wants to make more money and create meaningful change? My 6-month program, Good Money Club, is designed to help you do exactly that.
We work on your pricing, positioning, business model, and mindset — so you can build your bank account and your impact. Read more about Good Money Club.
Make Marketing a Priority
One of the biggest shifts in my business came when I made marketing a non-negotiable. Yes, it feels impossible when you're overwhelmed — but that’s exactly why it matters.
And the first step? Put your prices up.
That creates space to step back and work on your business — not just in it.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been telling yourself you just need to hustle harder, stop. Step back. Look at your real capacity. Then ask:
What do I need to charge to make this sustainable?
Who is the client that values what I do most?
How do I position and communicate the value I already offer?
You are improving every single week. Your work is more valuable than it was a year ago. Your prices should reflect that.
Outro
Thank you for listening to Money Secrets. If you loved this episode, please subscribe, share it with a friend, or leave a review. Your support helps us get these conversations into the hands of more good people who deserve to thrive in business.
We’ve come so far as a society in many ways, but money is one of the areas where progress hasn’t been enough. If we want to tip the scales in favour of marginalised people, it starts with understanding the secret: money in small business.
In this podcast, Money Secrets, host Fiona (Fi) Johnston—Chartered Accountant, small business advocate, and impact enthusiast—dives into the conversations we need to have about money. The secrets that once stayed behind closed doors (or on the golf course) are finally out in the open.
Fi’s mission? To get more money into the hands of good people, like you. She believes small businesses have the power to change the world, and the key to making a bigger impact is to make—and manage—more money.
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Thank you to everyone involved for bringing this podcast together. We are excited to hear from you with any questions, feedback or suggestions for future episodes that you might have. Send a Direct Message to @peach.business
If you are excited for what’s to come, please like this episode, follow the podcast and share it with your friends. We are thrilled you're here.
Want to find out more about Good Money Club? It's for female and non-binary business owners ready to make more money and impact. Join us?
Check out my FREE Pricing Training you need to set your prices for profitability.
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This podcast episode was recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation and I'd like to acknowledge them as the Traditional Owners and custodians of this land and water that I live, work and play on. I'd like to pay respect to elders both past and present, and note that sovereignty has never been ceded. This always was and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land.
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