When Helping Others Hurts Your Business

Hi all - If you’re in the US, Happy Thanksgiving! If you’re not, Happy Thursday! 

Last week, I wrote about discounting and why it usually backfires for service-based businesses. If you missed it, search your inbox for [email protected] and it’ll pop up. (Or reply and I’ll send it again.)

But the urge to discount isn’t just about Black Friday pressure or the "I need more clients!" panic. 

The Real Reason You Want to Discount

For a lot of purpose-driven founders, it comes from something deeper: You want your work to be accessible.

I get it. And I get the very real tension it creates: How do you stay financially stable and support people who genuinely need your help?

Most people don’t talk about this tension because they don't know what to do with it. So let me give you my two cents: Impact must be a goal area.

If it isn’t tied into your business goals, then it won’t happen. Or it will happen, but at the expense of your sanity. For example, you'll...

• Lower your price on the spot because someone says they can’t afford you, and you really want to support them.
• You add extra deliverables to “help,” and it ends up costing you time.
• You let boundaries blur — longer calls, extra feedback, more access — because it feels kinder in the moment.

All of these extras have an expense in what you're then not doing. You're not spending time marketing, improving your product offering, doing your admin, or... sleeping.

That’s the hidden expense of letting impact sit in the background and happen reactively. If it’s not defined, it will happen by accident, and usually at your (personal and business) expense.

A better approach: make Impact its own goal-setting category.

If you're stuck or not sure how to figure out what’s actually realistic, start with your financial template.

Figure out two things first:

1. how much you need to earn, and

2. how much you need to work to make that earning happen.

Then map the actual time the rest of your business takes — marketing, admin, delivery, sales calls, switching between tasks, etc...  so you can see what’s left for reduced-rate or pro-bono work.

That will give you a clearer picture of what’s possible without stretching yourself.

How to Build Impact In Without Burning Yourself Out

Once you see how much time you have, you can set your Impact goal. Here are ideas to get you started brainstorming:

• A sliding scale with a clear cap on how many reduced-rate clients you’ll support each year.
• A set number of pro-bono spots.
• A group program or accessible entry-level offer.
• Partnerships with local or mission-aligned organizations where you offer targeted pro-bono or discounted support.

And then, once have your Impact goal, plan it out.

• Is there a time of year when your paid client load naturally dips and you can take on pro-bono or reduced-rate work without burning out?
• Does a new product or offer fit into your model that could create a more accessible entry point? Something you can test during a quieter period?
• Do you have a business idea you’re excited about that you could offer at a genuine discount because it’s a win–win? You get to try something new. Others get access at a much lower cost.

All of this enables you to plan for impact, so you’re not scrambling to solve it client by client.

And if you’re a physical product or retail business, you’re not off the hook — you need Impact goals too. They just look different.

Maybe it’s choosing sustainable suppliers, reducing packaging waste, offering community workshops, or setting aside products for donation during certain seasons.

Different model, same principle: impact works when it’s intentional, not emotional.

Need help thinking this through? Set up a call below or here.