Segment:Don't Price for Approval, Price for Sustainability- How To Build a Thriving Business Online

Summary

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Konnected Minds Podcast:

Episode Segment: Don't Price for Approval, Price for Sustainability – How To Build a Thriving Business Online
Host: Derrick Abaitey
Date: March 8, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this insightful segment, Derrick Abaitey sits down with a dynamic guest (Charity) to dive deep into the realities of building a sustainable online business. The conversation centers on authentic brand-building, the importance of strategic pricing, overcoming perfectionism, and the real mindset required for success. Both personal experience and practical wisdom are shared, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship—especially valuable for young business owners and aspiring female entrepreneurs across Africa.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Imperfect Start and Finding Your Timeline

• Overcoming Perfectionism:
  • Many are afraid to start their businesses because they want everything to be perfect, from packaging to marketing. Charity recalls her initial struggles:

  "You don't have to get it perfect. I think that's why a lot of people haven't started, because they want everything to be perfect before they start." — Charity [00:15]

• Timeline Independence:
  • Emphasizes growing at your own pace and not rushing goals (like opening a physical shop) based on external pressure:

  "I'm not in a rush. I'm not on anyone's timeline. I'm on my own timeline." — Charity [00:41]

  • Comparison is discouraged:

  "Their path is different from mine... it can do well without a shop. If I show up for it, if I'm consistent..." — Charity [01:02]

2. Authentic Online Presence and Building Trust

• Consistency & Authenticity:
  • Success online relies on being genuine and connecting deeply with your audience. When you show up authentically, customers become loyal advocates:

  "Show up in your most authentic self. You don't have to be someone else... I connect with my customers so much that if someone comes to call me a scammer, they'll fight for me." — Charity [01:46]

• Reputation Is Key:
  • Your online presence should inspire confidence in potential customers:

  "When people see your page, they don't have any doubts, you know, that, yes, they can bring their money to you." — Charity [02:05]

3. Pricing for Sustainability, Not Approval

• The Pricing Anxiety:

  • Many entrepreneurs underprice out of fear:

  "They make their product so cheap because a certain number of people are okay with that and they are so scared." — Charity [02:54]

• Sustainability over Popularity:

  • Pricing should ensure the ongoing health of your business, not just immediate sales:

  "You don't price for approval. You price for sustainability. Your business needs funds, not just profits." — Charity [03:09]

• Not Every Customer is Yours:

  • It's important to accept that your products aren't for everyone:

  "Not everyone is your customer. Know the people you are trying to attract and then push your business to them." — Charity [03:41]

  • Confidence in your pricing attracts the right audience:

  "If someone comes to you and says, 'Oh, your prices are too expensive,' you say, 'Thank you. Go to where it's cheap.' Don't be scared to tell people off." — Charity [03:54]

• Real-Life Example:

  • Explains a case where a competitor sold a similar product with low markup, resulting in stagnation:

  "If it's not something a lot of people are buying, how are you able to make money from it? ... You're trying to make everyone your customer." — Charity [04:47]

  • Choosing to price for sustainability resulted in selling 500-600 pieces in a few months:

  "I've sold about 500 pieces or 600 pieces... that's because I'm able to push it, make it fun, let people know that, okay, you need this..." — Charity [05:48]

4. Mindset: No Self-Pity, Just Confident Execution

• The Dangers of Pity:
  • Displaying struggle and desperation turns off customers:

  "We like to pity ourselves... you will never see me do that if no one is buying. Make people believe that they are buying. People don’t want to buy from struggling businesses." — Charity [06:02]

• Create Curiosity and Desire:
  • Success is attractive—focus on projecting the energy you want to receive:

  "Why are people buying from her? And they push towards you. But you are not motivated and you're not pushing it. Honestly, you send people away." — Charity [06:32]

5. Motivation vs. Discipline

• Discipline Wins:
  • Charity credits discipline as more critical than motivation for sustained progress:

  "Discipline really pushes me every single day... I don't get to talk to a lot of people in a day. So when I get to talk to my customers... I feel motivated." — Charity [07:31]

6. Standout Advice & Resources

• Best Advice:

  "Don't price for approval, price for sustainability." — Charity [08:17]

• Recommended Book:
  • “One of the best books I’ve read was Femi Otedola’s book.” — Charity [08:29]
  • Encourages reading it with an open mind, focusing on persistence over privilege:

  "It's not about getting a head start. It's about knowing what you are doing." — Charity [08:49]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I'm not on anyone's timeline. I'm on my own timeline.” — Charity [00:41]
• “Show up in your most authentic self. You don't have to be someone else.” — Charity [01:46]
• “You don’t price for approval. You price for sustainability.” — Charity [03:09]
• “Not everyone is your customer.” — Charity [03:41]
• “People don’t want to buy from struggling businesses.” — Charity [06:02]
• “Discipline really pushes me every single day.” — Charity [07:31]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro to Starting Messy & Owning Your Timeline: 00:00 – 01:30
• Authenticity & Building Trust Online: 01:30 – 02:10
• On Pricing & Knowing Your Audience: 02:50 – 06:00
• Mindset: Self-Pity vs. Success Energy: 06:00 – 07:10
• Motivation vs. Discipline: 07:20 – 08:15
• Best Advice & Book Recommendation: 08:15 – 08:49

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Tone and Style

The conversation is open, encouraging, and honest—mixing practical tips with real stories. Charity’s confidence and unapologetic authenticity set the tone, motivating listeners—especially young women and aspiring entrepreneurs—to own their story, price without fear, and put sustainability first.

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This episode is a powerful listen for anyone building an online business and seeking real-world strategies for confidence, pricing, and long-term growth.

Transcript

[A]

If someone wants to do the right thing and then they get a love from parents, a little bit of attention, I think they'll be. They'll do well.

[B]

Yeah, I. What I've really got it from this conversation is when it came to your business was you need to start. Even when you are messy, when you

[A]

don't know what you're doing, you don't, you don't. You don't have to get it perfect. I think that's why a lot of people haven't started, because they want everything to be perfect before they start. The packaging should be. Well, let's listen. When I went to China, that was when I did my first. No, not my first, I was doing my packaging in Ghana, but I wasn't getting it as I wanted. I wanted something that when people see like it entires their eyes, when it goes to people's homes, they don't show it away. So I wasn't getting it down here. So when I went to China, that was the first night focused on packaging. My packaging bag. You don't need to get it all at once. Me, I like to go through the process. I'm not in a rush. I'm not on anyone's timeline. I'm on my own timeline. If I don't have a physical shop and I'm not rushing to get one, I need to push my presence online. If it goes well, then yes, I can get the shop when I'm ready. I don't need to push like, I want the shop. I want the shop. I want the shop. No, I work with my own timeline, not what someone is doing. Okay. Someone is getting one of the biggest shops. I don't care. Their path is different from mine. What I want my business to do is to do well and it can do well without a shop. If I show up for it, if I'm consistent, you know, if I push my business out, there might not. I mean, I'm able to sell. I think the largest sale I've ever made was like 2,000 orders in a span of three days that was doing sales.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

And then it's online. Just make sure people trust you. Yes. So how do people trust. You need to show up more. Show up in your most authentic self. You don't have to be someone else. You know how it's not always prim and proper. You need to show up as you are. I connect with my customers so much that if someone comes to call me a scammer, they'll fight for me. They are the army, you know, so you need to build your online presence. Well, that people. When people see your page, they don't have any doubts, you know, that, yes, they can bring their money to you charity.

[B]

You have amazing guests for me today. When our team reached out to you,

[A]

you were like, oh, I'm shy. Yeah, I'm sh. Why? I'm scared.

[B]

You have done fantastic in this conversation and I hope my audience feel the same. This is an episode that should really sit well with a lot of young ladies who are looking for a way out and for people who. Small business owners as well. I just love everything you've shared. You know, it's. It's been, as I say, very therapeutic for me as well. Yeah, you've. Some of the things you have said has been nostalgic for me. Is there anything we can speak about that we haven't?

[A]

Okay. So I think one thing I would like to speak about here when you're starting a business is pricing. That's because I've had a lot of people come to me who are scared to price y and because of that, they make their product so cheap because a certain number of people are okay with that and they are so scared. You know, you. You don't price for approval. You price for sustainability. Your business needs funds, not just profits. It needs funds to do well. When I went to China to do my packaging bags, they said I couldn't do less than thousand for a particular size and I needed five sizes. It means I have to buy 5,000 pieces or maybe 10,000 pieces. Imagine I was, you know, pricing so low, I'm not making good money. And then I go, how do you push your business to the next level if you're not pricing well? Don't be scared to price. Not everyone is your customer. Know the people you are trying to attract and then push your business to them. If someone comes to you and says, oh, your prices are too expensive, you say, thank you. Go to where it's cheap. Don't be scared. Don't be scared to tell people off. Because there are some people, no matter the price you put, it's expensive for them. But if you're able to stand on business, I mean, you don't have to be too expensive. But also make sure that whatever profits you are making or money you are making, there is a room to improve your business. You don't want your business to be stagnant. And I'm saying this, and I'm saying this because some time ago when I was in China, I was introducing a new product and then one lady came to me and was like, oh, I saw similar products. I was like, oh really? It was like yeah, but it's not going well and all that. So I was like, how is she marketing it? I didn't care whether I'm bringing the same product. I wanted to know what she was doing and how much was she buying it in Ghana. And she meant, she said she was getting for 50 Ghana cities and she was selling it for 70 cities. I asked there when they buy, do you package it? Do you put it in a packaging bag? She said yes, let's say when you're going to buy it or when they're bringing it to you, pay delivery fee, you know they have to bring it to you or you have to go for it no matter what money is involved. And she said yes. I was like that 20 cities and if it's not something a lot of people are buying, how are you able to make money from it? Oh, when she started selling it for hundreds it is. People were scared. People didn't want to buy from her. I was like, that's because you're trying to make everyone your customer. You're not be selective when it comes to customer base and then people will adapt. When someone realize your products are good and then the price is slightly high or I mean something above their budget, if they need it, they'll go and come back. You don't have to make everyone your customer. So because of that you become so cheap that your business, you've been business, you've been in business for five years. I have been it for three years and if mine is doing better than you, that should tell you something.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[A]

And that same product, because I knew how to market it, I've sold, I think it came in June or July last year and I've sold about 500 pieces or 600 pieces. That's because I'm able to push it, make it fun, let people know that okay, you need this, I need it, you need it. But if you are just there pity pitting yourself like, you know that's something about small business owners. We like to pity ourselves like oh, today no one has bought and you will never see me do that if no one is buying. Make people believe that they are buying. People don't want to buy from struggling businesses. If your business doesn't attract people, people don't want to buy from you. That's why there are some people selling in thousands but they still get others. That's what because people don't want to know. Why are people on her business, why are people buying from her? But if you're a small business owner and you sit down and then no one is buying from you. So you two, you want the world to know that no one is buying from you, then, yes, I wouldn't come and buy. Why is no one buying from you? I want to know. You know, so. But if people are buying, people are so curious to know, why are people buying from her? And they push towards you. But you are, you know, you are not motivated and you're not pushing it. Honestly, you send people away. So know how to price. Well, think about the future of your business. Unless you're looking for money, then you can leave it at any profit that you get or any margin that you get. But if you're thinking about sustainability, price it your full chest. Don't be scared. Awesome. Thank you.

[B]

That was business pricing.

[A]

1.

[B]

1 I appreciate and I hope my audience do too. In what you are doing in business, what has helped you the most? Motivation or discipline?

[A]

Discipline and also motivation, I think. Yeah, but discipline is more. Discipline really pushes me every single day. And I think I'm motivated mostly also by the smiles I put on people's faces. That one, just me. I mean, I don't get to talk to a lot of people in a day. So when I get to talk to my customers, when they bring their problems and, you know, I'm able to solve them, I feel motivated. I'm like, I need to keep going. So many people need me and I need to keep pushing myself out there. They need to hear about, you know, I don't even sell most of the times. I just give tips, I just teach them. And then people will come like, I want this, I want that, you know, and I sell my products.

[B]

Awesome.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

What's the best advice you've ever received?

[A]

Yeah, that's the pricing stuff. Don't price for approval, price for sustainability.

[B]

Amazing.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I'm going to ask you to recommend a book. What book would it be?

[A]

What's the title of this book? Really? I forgot. I think one of the best books I've read was Femi or Ted's book.

[B]

Okay, all right. Okay.

[A]

It motivated me. And when I was talking, I've spoken about it to people, and people were like, he had a head start. If you read the book, it's like, he had it.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

But I don't take it from that point. If you're able to start from somewhere, you can continue from there. He had a head start, but if he didn't continue, if he was not consistent. If he didn't know what he was doing, he wouldn't have gotten to this point. So it's not about getting a head start. It's about knowing what you are doing. So I think it's one of the books that people should read with open minds, not about the fact that he had money. He's coming from money. It doesn't matter.

[B]

Amazing. It doesn't matter. What matters is Connected Minds and conversation with charity. So thank you so much for coming to the studio.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

I can tell that it's beginning to rain, but to my viewers and to my listeners, if you made it to the end, I definitely want to know in the comments. Connected Minds podcast.