What’s Your Time Worth? (Spoiler: More Than You Think)

Let’s play a game.

Someone messages you on Instagram and says: “Hey! I LOVE your quilts. Can you make me one? I don’t have a big budget but I can pay $50 and tag you in the post!”

Do you:

A) Laugh so hard you knock over your scrap bin

B) Scream at your pincushion

C) Sadly consider it

If you answered C… babe, we need to talk.

You’re Not Just a Crafter. You’re a Business Owner.

Whether you're selling quilts, fat quarter bundles, or cute embroidered potholders, you’re not “just” a hobbyist anymore. You're running a real-deal, capital-B Business - even if your HQ is your dining room table and your CFO is your cat.

But too many of us creative CEOs are out here treating our time like it’s free. (Spoiler: it’s not.) So let’s break this down and talk about what your time is actually worth, and how to price your work like the wildly talented entrepreneur you are.

1. The Time Trap: Why Makers Undervalue Themselves

You love what you do. It lights you up. And somewhere along the line, someone probably told you that loving your work means you don’t get to charge much for it.

🚨 False. 🚨

Here’s the thing: passion does not equal charity. You can adore your craft and expect to be compensated for it. Making something by hand isn’t “just a little side thing,” it’s valuable, and you’re allowed to treat it that way.

A lot of us fall into what business folks call the “pricing guilt loop.” That’s when you charge too little, feel burned out, but keep going because “I can’t charge more” or “people won’t pay that.” And then suddenly, you’re resenting your own business and wondering why it doesn’t feel worth it.

Let’s get you out of that loop.

2. What Your Time Actually Costs (Let’s Talk Numbers)

Here comes the fun part: math. (Don’t panic. I brought snacks and metaphors.)

Say you spend 10 hours making a baby quilt. You charge $100 for it. That’s $10/hour. Sounds okay, right?

Now subtract:

• $30 in fabric and materials

• $10 in shipping supplies and postage

• $10 for admin time (emails, social posts, packaging)

• A sprinkle of wear-and-tear on your machine, tools, and sanity

  
  

Suddenly, you're making $5 an hour. That’s below minimum wage, and you haven’t even counted opportunity cost yet (aka: the money you could’ve made doing something else with your time). That's a real biz concept, and it's crucial when you’re juggling multiple projects or limited hours.

Real talk: If you’re not making a profit after expenses and time, it’s a hobby. And there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as you’re choosing it. But if you’re trying to run a business? We need to price accordingly.

3. You Deserve to Be Paid—Here’s How to Start

You’re not greedy. You’re running a business. And here’s how you can own that:

💰 Know Your Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)

That’s the fancy way of saying: “Add up what it costs to make the thing.” Fabric, batting, thread, packaging, time…all of it. Get familiar with your numbers. COGS = baseline.

💸 Add Your Labor Like It Matters (Because It Does)

Estimate how long it takes to make the product. Multiply by your desired hourly rate. Yes, you get to choose what you want to earn per hour. Spoiler: it can be more than $15. (Say it louder.)

🎯 Use Value-Based Pricing When It Makes Sense

Sometimes, people aren’t paying you for the materials, they’re paying for the experience, the uniqueness, the style. That’s value-based pricing. And it means you can (and should!) charge more for something that carries emotional or aesthetic value beyond the sum of its parts.

4. Set Boundaries, Raise Eyebrows (and Prices)

One of the biggest CEO power moves? Saying no.

“That doesn’t fit my pricing structure.”

“Custom work starts at $X.”

“I don’t do trades, but here’s a link to my shop!”

These aren’t rude - they’re professional. Setting clear boundaries protects your time, energy, and profit margins. It also teaches your audience how to treat your business: with respect.

Plus, you don’t need everyone to buy from you. You need the right people…the ones who get your value and don’t expect you to work for scraps and shoutouts.

The Verdict

Look, I get it. Pricing can feel personal. But it’s also where your CEO mindset starts to flex.

So the next time someone lowballs you, take a breath, look at your beautiful work, and say (out loud if necessary):

“I run a real business, and my time is worth real money.”

Because babe, it is.

And that quilt you made? It’s not just cozy, it’s a masterpiece. And masterpieces? They don’t go on clearance.

Time to make some cool shit! ✂️💗

-Manon