How much should you charge for a talk?

That’s the question my guest, Alyssa Zajael, has been exploring lately after receiving invitations to speak at a few small local organizations and a larger college group. As a graduate of my Money Skills for Therapists course, Alyssa already feels confident in her one-on-one pricing and the financial management of her solo practice. But stepping onto a stage and speaking to a bigger audience brings a whole new set of questions — about value, purpose, and alignment.

In this coaching conversation, I help Alyssa connect her service offerings with her personal passions, business goals, and the value she brings to her audience. Together, we explore how to set speaker fees that feel right — starting points that honor her time and energy while also considering the type of audience she’ll be speaking to.

If you’ve ever wondered how to confidently set a fee for speaking — one that reflects both your expertise and your energy — this episode will give you a grounded way to start that conversation.

Establishing a Speaking Fee and Offers That Feel Aligned with Your Goals

(00:01:30) Charging for Services: Valuing Expertise and Pricing

(00:04:48) Navigating Pricing Challenges and Building Confidence

(00:10:28) Challenging Sports Culture: Mental Health Normalization

(00:16:18) Normalizing Mental Health in Sports Culture through Public Speaking

(00:19:33) Tailoring Pricing Strategies for Speaker Engagements

(00:26:18) Value-Based Pricing Strategies for Effective Engagements

(00:30:43) Strategic Pricing through Audience Value Analysis

Value-Based Pricing Strategies for Public Speaking and Events

We talk about the difference between value-based pricing and the more familiar commodity-based pricing many therapists are used to. We also walk through some of the factors that can influence your speaker fee — like whether your ideal clients are in the audience, the effort you put into preparation, the size and reach of the organization, how many people will be attending, and the kind of impact or results the audience might receive. We even touch on ways to think about compensation beyond a flat fee, such as book sales, follow-up sessions, or other creative exchanges.

(00:35:32) "Pricing is a conversation. So, it's only when we put out our pricing that we can get feedback on how close that is to what our ideal target audience is looking and able to pay." - Linzy Bonham

Ready to feel confident with your money?

Are you a Solo Private Practice Owner?

I made this course just for you: Money Skills for Therapists. My signature course has been carefully designed to take therapists from money confusion, shame, and uncertainty – to calm and confidence. In this course I give you everything you need to create financial peace of mind as a therapist in solo private practice.

Want to learn more? Click here to register for my free masterclass, “The 4 Step Framework to Get Your Business Finances Totally in Order.”

This masterclass is your way to get a feel for my approach, learn exactly what I teach inside Money Skills for Therapists, and get your invite to join us in the course.

Are you a Group Practice Owner?

Join the waitlist for Money Skills for Group Practice Owners. This course takes you from feeling like an overworked, stressed and underpaid group practice owner, to being the confident and empowered financial leader of your group practice.

Get to know Alyssa Zajdel:

Dr. Alyssa Zajdel is a licensed psychologist and Certified Mental Performance Consultant based in Milwaukee, WI. She specializes in helping athletes and high performers manage anxiety, build confidence, and reach peak performance through her private practice, Inside Edge Counseling and Consulting. In addition to her clinical work, she is an assistant professor at the Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology, where she teaches and mentors doctoral students. Outside of her professional life, Alyssa enjoys reading, cooking, figure skating, working out, and spending time with her husband and their dog.

Follow Alyssa Zajdel:

Website: https://www.insideedgecounseling.com/

Mentioned in this episode:

Start Feeling Calm and Confident About Your Group Practice Finances

Feeling overworked and underpaid in your group practice? You’re not alone. Running a group practice can feel like carrying the weight of everyone’s paychecks — including your own — and wondering if it’s all really worth it. That’s why I created a free guide called “How to Stop Feeling Overworked and Underpaid in Your Group Practice.” Inside, I’ll walk you through the four keys to becoming the confident financial leader your practice needs — so you can start feeling calm and in control of your money again. This guide is the first step toward the same kind of financial clarity and confidence I teach inside my deeper program, Money Skills for Group Practice Owners. 🙌 Download your free copy today — and let’s start building a group practice that supports you, not just everyone else.

Get the Free Guide: How to Stop Feeling Overworked & Underpaid in Your Group Practice