There’s a moment in every designer’s journey that feels bigger than the project itself.

It’s not the design presentation. It’s not the sourcing or the install. It’s the moment where you have to say your fee… out loud… and trust that you are worth it.

And I want to talk to you about that moment, because it’s one of the most important thresholds you’ll ever cross in your business.

The Moment Where Everything Tightens

By the time you get to presenting your fee, you’ve usually done everything right. You’ve walked your client through the budget and the scope. You’ve aligned on what they want. You’ve done the math, and the number makes sense.

And then suddenly… it doesn’t feel so simple anymore.

All the doubts start rushing in. What if they think I’m too expensive? What if they say no? What if I’m asking for too much?

I see this happen all the time, even with experienced designers. It’s that glass ceiling we all hit at some point—the place where your growth asks you to become someone new.

But here’s the truth: that fear you’re feeling isn’t based in reality. It’s just your old thinking trying to keep you safe.

Understanding the Value You Bring

When you’re looking at a six-figure design fee, it’s easy to focus on the number and forget what it actually represents.

These large-scale projects—renovations, new builds, full furnishings—aren’t quick jobs. They can span years. They require thousands of decisions, constant coordination, problem-solving on the fly, and a level of responsibility that most people don’t fully see.

You’re not just designing something beautiful. You’re guiding a major investment. You’re protecting your client’s time, their money, and the outcome of something deeply important to them.

In many ways, you become the steady hand on the entire process.

And when you look at it through that lens, the fee isn’t too much. If anything, by the end of the project, most designers realize they could have charged more.

So the question isn’t whether you’re worth it.

It’s whether you’re willing to stand in that truth.

Teaching Yourself to Say the Number

This is the part that surprises people—you don’t just think your way through this, you practice your way through it.

Because when the moment comes, your body will react before your logic does.

If you’ve been rehearsing fear in your mind, that’s what will show up. But if you’ve practiced saying your fee—clearly, calmly, without emotion—something shifts.

I always say it should feel like saying, “pass the salt.”

Simple. Neutral. Matter-of-fact.

That kind of confidence doesn’t come from hoping you’ll feel ready. It comes from repetition. Saying the number out loud, again and again, until it no longer makes you hesitate.

And when you do that, something powerful happens—you move through that glass ceiling.

Your Client’s Story Isn’t Yours

One of the biggest things to remember in all of this is that your money story is not your client’s money story.

What feels like a big number to you may feel completely expected to them.

I’ve seen it time and time again—designers bracing themselves to present a fee, only for the client to respond with ease… sometimes even expecting it to be higher.

So much of what holds you back is simply assumption.

And when you let that go, you open yourself up to opportunities that truly match your talent and your vision.

This conversation goes deeper into what it really takes to step into your worth, ask for what you need, and move into those larger, more expansive projects with confidence.

Listen to the full podcast episode here.

If you’ve ever felt that hesitation, that tightening in your chest when it’s time to say your number… you’re not alone.

And more importantly, you can move through it.

Until then, design something beautiful… and get paid what you’re worth.

With love,
Terri