The Problem with “Easy”
“Oh, that’s just something I’m naturally good at, it’s no big deal.”
“Anyone could do that.”
“It feels too easy to charge properly for.”
I hear variations of these phrases constantly from creative entrepreneurs and every single time, I think the same thing… you’re completely undervaluing your biggest business asset.
There’s this strange guilt that creative business owners have about charging for things that come naturally to them. As if somehow, because it’s easy for you, it should be cheap. But that’s completely backwards thinking.
What You’re Actually Dismissing
What feels effortless to you is often exactly what clients and customers will pay premium prices for. The skill that comes naturally, that you barely have to think about, that you assume everyone can do… that’s probably the most valuable part of your offerings.
I see this pattern repeatedly. Designers who can instantly spot what’s wrong with a design and know exactly how to fix it will undercharge for that insight because it felt “too easy”, even though that five-minute solution comes directly from years of experience and natural ability, and is exactly what the client needed but couldn’t figure out themselves.
Photographers who have a natural eye for capturing the perfect moment, price themselves like beginners because creating beautiful images “doesn’t feel like work” to them.
Your natural abilities are your competitive advantage.
The Reframe That Changes Everything
Easy for you doesn’t mean easy for everyone else. In fact, it usually means the opposite.
The reason something feels effortless to you is because you have a natural talent for it. You’ve developed an intuitive understanding that others simply don’t have. That’s not something to downplay or undercharge for, it’s very much something to recognise as genuinely valuable.
Your clients aren’t just paying for your time. They’re paying for your perspective, your expertise, your ability to see solutions they can’t see. They’re paying for the years of experience that allow you to make something look effortless.
A Personal Example
I remember struggling with this in my previous flower business. I could walk into a space and immediately envision how flowers should be arranged to transform it. It felt so obvious to me, so simple. But my clients were amazed by this ability; they couldn’t see what I saw, they couldn’t envision what I envisioned.
That was part natural skill and part expertise finely tuned over several years, and that was exactly what they were paying for.
Your Action Step This Week
Start paying attention differently. Notice what clients consistently compliment you on that you think is “no big deal.” What do people always ask for your help with? What comes so easily to you that you almost feel guilty charging for it?
Keep a note this week – on your phone, in a notebook, wherever works for you – of every time someone compliments something you did that felt easy to you.
When a client says “I love how you just knew exactly what would work,” write it down. When someone asks “How did you think of that?” about something that seemed obvious to you, note it. When people are amazed by something you consider basic, pay attention.
At the end of the week, look at your list. Really see them for what they are – not just nice compliments, but real indicators of your unique value. They’re showing you exactly what people are willing to pay for.
The Truth About Your “Easy” Skills
That ease you feel? That’s expertise. That natural ability? That’s real, genuine value.
The things that feel too easy to charge for are often the very things you should be charging the most for. Because easy for you doesn’t mean easy for everyone else. It means you have something special that others genuinely need.
Ask yourself: what would happen if I owned this skill instead of dismissing it? What if I positioned this natural ability as the valuable asset it actually is?
Your natural skills aren’t something to apologise for or undercharge for. They’re the foundation of a profitable, sustainable creative business built around what you do best.
Moving Forward
Start noticing your “no big deal” moments this week. They’re much bigger deals than you think.
If you know someone who’s brilliant at something but doesn’t see it in themselves, share this episode with them. We all know people who are completely talented but don’t recognise their own value. This insight could be exactly what they need to start seeing themselves differently.
Your expertise matters. The things that come naturally to you are gifts that others genuinely need. It’s time to start valuing them accordingly.
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