Here’s the most common conversation I have with CWEN members: “Business is busy but I’m not making any money.” Nine times out of ten, the issue isn’t volume. It’s pricing.
The three things most pricing misses
True cost of goods (including packaging, spoilage, freight). The value of your time. A reasonable reserve for the inevitable bad month. When you add those back in honestly, most founders realise they need to raise prices by 20–40%.
Raising prices won’t break you
The thing women entrepreneurs fear most about raising prices — losing customers — almost never happens at the scale they fear. Done with confidence, price increases mostly filter out the bargain-hunters and leave you with the customers who actually value your product.
“Under-pricing isn’t generosity. It is a tax you pay for feeling uncomfortable about charging what you’re worth.”
A simple framework
Start with total cost (not just ingredients). Add your target margin (aim for at least 30%). Sense-check against market. If it’s above market, you either need to differentiate harder or cut real costs. If it’s below market, raise it now. Not next quarter. Now.
One exercise
Tonight, spend 20 minutes listing every cost that touches one unit of your best-selling product. Then compare to what you charge. The number will tell you what to do.
