When money matters but it is not the whole point

A few weeks ago, during a conversation in my community, someone said something that led to a lot of nodding.

She was talking about networking and about values. About how, when you are clear on what matters to you, you tend to attract nicer people and people with the right intent. The kind of people you actually want to work with and build something alongside.

From there, the conversation shifted to the idea of value. Not value in the add more bonuses sense, but in a deeper, more thoughtful way. She was talking about asking better questions about what we offer. How we can enrich our work without simply dropping our prices. How the experience of working with us can feel better for the people we serve.

The thing we feel we need to justify

Then she paused and said, almost apologetically, “I mean, I am all about revenue. Because revenue enables growth.”

And everyone knew exactly what she meant.

That familiar tension. The thing many of us feel we need to say out loud, almost as a disclaimer.

Money matters. But it is not the point

Most women I work with do not need convincing that money matters.

They already know that revenue keeps the lights on, creates stability and enables impact rather than undermining it.

What they are often uneasy about is the culture around making money. The version of business where growth means more pressure. Where selling feels uncomfortable and performative. Where joy is something you are told will come later, once you have pushed harder.

Many women have tried that way of working. Quite a few have been very good at it. And many have decided it is just not how they want to work anymore.

Money matters. It just is not the point.

When we responded in that conversation, I said something very simple.

I said I cannot pretend money does not matter. It absolutely does. Life is expensive. Businesses need to make money. We all need to live.

And I think it is important to be honest about that, without dressing it up or pretending it is something else.

The false choice many women think they are making

What often sits underneath all of this is a quiet assumption. We tell ourselves that at some point, you have to choose.

You can build a business that feels good to run, or you can build one that makes money. You can lead with care and integrity, or you can grow. You can prioritise your clients experience, or you can scale.

Many women have come to believe that growth requires a kind of hardening. That selling has to feel uncomfortable. That ease is something you earn later, once you are successful enough.

But that is not an inevitable reality. It is a story we have been told.

What actually changes when you lead with care

When you lead with your heart, and when you genuinely commit to doing the best for the people you serve, it becomes much easier for people to feel comfortable investing their money with you.

That is not wishful thinking. It is how trust works.

People part with money more easily when they feel cared for, respected and understood, not when they feel pushed or pressured.

This is not about being soft. It is about being clear, thoughtful and grounded in what you know makes a difference.

A business you do not have to brace yourself for

What I am noticing more and more is that women are getting very clear about what they do not want anymore.

They do not want businesses they have to brace themselves for. They do not want that tight feeling on a Sunday night. They do not want to dread certain clients popping up in their inbox, even if those clients pay well.

They want work they are proud of on an ordinary Tuesday. Clients they respect and enjoy talking to. A business that supports their life instead of constantly rubbing up against it.

Money still matters, of course it does. But it sits alongside things like ease, trust and actually liking the thing you have built.

So maybe the question is not about growing faster or doing more.

Maybe it is this.

What would need to change for your business to feel better to live inside, day to day?

And if you want to have those kinds of conversations, the honest and practical ones where money is not awkward and values are not too much, you would be very welcome in the Impactful Community.

That is exactly what we talk about there and you can find out more here:
https://go.racheldunfordconsulting.co.uk/impactful-community-membership