The question of how I talk about money has been with me for a long time.
In the beginning, I wanted to avoid these conversations. I found discussions about prices tedious, sometimes even evasive. The idea of using my clients’ hourly rates as a basis seemed practical and fair to me – and, to be honest, it also took the pressure off. I had to talk less about money.
This hope has not been fulfilled.
Today, I discuss money more than ever before. Especially with private individuals and in more complex constellations. And over time, I’ve realised that it’s rarely about money.
As soon as a price is not simply fixed and is instead derived, people start to think. About value. About work. About responsibility. About their own relationship to money. Very quickly we are in the middle of questions that go far beyond a bill.
And that’s where it becomes social.
Money is a powerful field of projection. It touches on security, dignity, power, shame and freedom. When people talk about it, unspoken assumptions often emerge: what something “may be worth”, who “can afford what”, what seems fair and what does not.
Two reference systems help me here, which at first glance have little to do with price lists: Yoga and non-violent communication.
The yamas and niyamas give me language for what otherwise remains diffuse.
Asteya reminds me not to take what is not mine – neither materially nor emotionally.
Satya demands clarity and transparency, even if it creates friction.
Ahimsa ensures that this clarity does not hurt and remains in relationship.
Non-violent communication complements this on a very practical level. It directs the focus away from positions and towards needs. When people discuss prices, it is often about security, recognition, fairness or self-determination. Money is only the surface.
For me, my pricing model is not a trick or a protection mechanism. It is a conversation starter. An invitation to talk about values that characterise our society – performance, time, responsibility, solidarity.
Not every person wants to have this conversation. That’s okay.
Those who do get involved rarely come out unchanged.
Today I know:
I wanted to avoid the discussions at the beginning.
Today I appreciate them – because they make it clear how much questions about money are questions about how we live together.
Last Updated on January 31st, 2026.