By Deborah Edwards, Practice Director at Harland Accountants
TLDR (too long didn’t read): What you need to know
Money can be emotional, especially when your business is built around purpose. In this honest reflection, we explore the money beliefs and blind spots many ethical founders face early on. From pricing to profit to financial planning, here’s what to do differently if you want your business to thrive and stay true to your values.
The emotional rollercoaster of managing money as a purpose-led founder
When I started my first business, I thought I had a fairly sensible relationship with money. After all, I was a chartered accountant! I could budget. I understood the basics of profit and loss. I didn’t splurge on fancy gimmicks.
But what I didn’t realise was how personal money would feel once I was running something I deeply cared about. Suddenly every decision, from pricing to paying myself, felt emotionally loaded. I wanted to make an impact, not just a profit. I wanted to be fair. I wanted to build something different.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Many purpose-led founders we work with go through the same thing. And many of them wish that someone had helped their money mindset from the start.
The early myths and mindset trip hazards
Here are a few of the common beliefs that we frequently hear:
“Profit means I’m being greedy.”
It’s surprisingly common for founders, especially those building ethical or impact-led businesses, to see profit as a compromise. Underpricing to be ‘accessible’ or ‘fair’, means that without a sustainable margin, you can’t afford to serve anyone for long. And not everyone respects you for it either.
“I’ll just do it all myself to save money.”
DIYing every financial task (bookkeeping, payroll, cash flow forecasting) might feel like the frugal thing to do. But the best business advice I’ve heard in recent times is to get people who are better than you at doing the jobs that need doing. At first it sounds expensive, but in the long term, the maths nearly always work out in your favour. Delegating to the right professionals doesn’t just save time, it sharpens your decisions.
“Money will sort itself out once I grow.”
Many assume that financial understanding will magically arrive once they hit a certain turnover. In reality, messy money habits only get messier as you grow, and not knowing your numbers early on limits how confidently you can scale. You’re not better off. You’re just busier and more stressed.
The money lessons that change everything
Here are the lessons I wish were taught in school:
1. You’re not charging for your time, you’re charging for value
Whether you’re a designer, a maker, or a coach, your pricing should reflect the transformation you deliver. A values-aligned pricing strategy means understanding what’s fair, sustainable, and clear, for both you and your client.
2. Cash flow is more important than revenue
Turnover is vanity. Profit is sanity. But cash flow is survival. If you don’t know how much is coming in, what’s going out, and when, you’re always in reactive mode. We help founders set up simple, live cashflow dashboards… and the relief that brings is real!
3. You can align your finances with beliefs that matter to you
There are powerful, practical ways to bring your values into your financial systems, from sustainable pension schemes, ethical business banking, and inclusive pay policies. Finance doesn’t have to be separate from impact. It can be part of it.
How to balance values with financial clarity and confidence
Purpose and profit are not at odds. Like any business decision, they need conscious design.
At Harland, we work with founders who care about people, planet, and long-term impact. That often means helping them navigate questions like:
- How do I price fairly and still build a healthy profit margin?
- What does ethical cash flow forecasting look like?
- How do I plan for growth without compromising values?
The answer? Start with clarity. Understand your numbers. Build a strategy that reflects your priorities, not just the status quo. Because when you have clear financial data, you can make values-led decisions. Not just gut-based ones.
It’s never too late to get financially empowered
If you’re reading this thinking, “I’ve made all these mistakes,” take a breath. Most people have. You’re not behind. You’re just ready to shift gears. Money clarity isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being equipped with the tools, systems and support that make growth feel steady, not scary. And you don’t have to do it alone.
FAQs
Yes! In fact, it’s often essential. Charging appropriately for the value you offer enables you to pay staff fairly, invest in better systems, and stay in business long enough to make a real difference.
You don’t need to be a spreadsheet expert. But you do need someone who can turn your data into insight. That’s where we come in, helping you see what matters and where to focus next.
It’s never too soon. In fact, the earlier you get clarity on pricing, structure, and cash flow, the stronger your foundations for growth.
Let’s build a business that fuels your impact
If you’re building something meaningful and want financial support that matches your mission, we’d love to help. Book a free discovery call to explore how we can support you with values-aligned strategic financial and business guidance.
About the author
Deborah Edwards is Practice Director at Harland Accountants. With over two decades of experience advising ethical businesses, Deborah leads the team with a focus on strategy, growth and relationship-first support. She’s passionate about helping founders align financial clarity with purpose, and believes business can be both impactful and financially resilient.
