Casey Norfolk: Raising your Prices without Fear

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Whether it’s fear of rejection, not booking the client, or mental barriers to know your worth; as business owners it can be hard to charge others for the work you provide. But as a single mom of three, today’s guest had a lot riding on each client and every paycheck. For years she would take on more work without ever raising her rates out of the fear of losing a client. 

Casey Norfolk runs a bookkeeping practice serving small business owners. She has a passion for helping business owners succeed and loves unlocking the power that knowing the numbers in your business provides. Today’s episode is for anyone who has ever struggled to know the value of the work they provide and battled to overcome the fear of raising your prices.

The Things we do for our Kids

There may be no one I’m more excited about talking to than Casey Norfolk, who also happens to be my big sister! 

As her sister, I’ve been given a front row seat to her journey into building and running Norfolk Bookkeeping for Creatives, where she helps creative entrepreneurs and business owners navigate and manage their finances. Of course, as it is for most entrepreneurs, the journey to get to where she is today certainly wasn’t simple. 

“I had a background in banking. I mean, we literally played bank together when we were kids! I also worked for a few years in an accounting office before going to college. But then, life ended up taking a completely different route.” 

Casey ended up going to radiology school to become an X-ray tech. This path was no easy road for a young mother of two at the time. But with a little determination, she managed to not only get it done but land a job at a local hospital in the process. 

“I was just determined to get it done. When you start out and see all the obstacles in front of you, it’s easy to think you’ll never be able to do it. But once it was done, now I look back and think, ‘Wow! I did that!’”

Hospital life proved to be a challenge for Casey in that season of life. As a single mom, managing 12-hour shifts with childcare wasn’t easy. 

“I was working these long shifts in a hospital that was an hour from my home. It definitely wasn’t ideal for me or my kids.”

Desperate Times…

Finally, Casey hit her breaking point. 

“We were at Grandma’s for Christmas, and I just broke down. I said, ‘I need out.’ And you helped me figure out what to do next.” 

Together, we talked through Casey’s skills, passions, and desires for her work and her family. Eventually, we narrowed down a path that would help her find peace, both at her job and at home. 

“You knew what I was capable of. You knew my background. So, the more we talked, the easier it was to see that bookkeeping felt like the best next step for me.” 

Taking on a few clients initially, Casey found herself enjoying the work in front of her more than she anticipated. No, numbers aren’t necessarily her passion, but helping people is, and bookkeeping gave her a creative way to do just that.

“My passion is to help people. When I’m able to sit down with the client and show them the transformation we can make in their books—when they can see where their money has gone and how much they’re actually making—it helps them. And that is something I’m passionate about.”

Knowing Your Worth aka Pricing is Hard!

Though her business was growing, her confidence in herself as a business owner wasn’t moving as quickly. 

“In those early years I didn’t give myself enough credit for what I was doing. I didn’t see myself as valuable. My greatest fear was adjusting my pricing and losing a client. I had three kids at that point, and I had to provide for them. Not recognizing my worth held me back from making more money, even if at the time it felt safer to keep things as they were.”

That all changed with a challenge from one of Casey’s clients. After going over his books and sending him a quote, she was surprised at his reply. 

“I quoted him where I started on pricing and he looked at me stunned. He finally said, ‘This is a lot more work than that. You’re going to need to go up on your price. You really need to charge me more.’” 

Boosted by his recognition of her value, Casey made the decision to raise her pricing at his suggestion. And it paid off… literally! 

“Now I know that what I do is extremely valuable to running and operating a business. There’s so much fear in asking for what we’re worth, but if we don’t, we’ll just keep working, and working, and working until we’re just spinning our wheels. I thought raising my prices would drive people away, but in fact, it’s helped my clients see my worth and what I’m bringing to the table.”

Helping Her Clients & Herself.

Now, Casey runs Norfolk Bookkeeping for Creatives to not only help her clients but to help herself, too. 

“I tell clients all the time that their business is my business in a sense. I take the work very personally because it matters to me. Helping them get it right helps me stay confident that I’m pursuing the right passion and path for myself and my family.” 

Now, she’s looking ahead with a new perspective on her work. 

“I know that I’m good at what I do. And I love it! It’s a service the world needs. It’s a service that’s valuable, and I’m so grateful to be able to provide it.”

More from this Episode

To hear the rest of the story and what Casey is up to now, press play on the player above for the full interview or click here to download the transcript.

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Casey Norfolk

I am a mother of three. Starting this business is allowing me to be a small business owner just like you. I understand what it’s like to juggle – life, finances, faith. I’m still in the process of learning myself but I’m all about using my gifts to help others. I think in some way we are all journeying to find our calling, and I believe we can assist each other along the way. I may not be the best cook or most meticulous housekeeper; but I do know that I can help others take control of their finances and feel empowered. Bookkeeping will empower your business. I promise to be on your team, to do my best work + to help give you information that has the power to change your journey for the better.

CONNECT WITH CASEY :

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