Hey there,

Every one of my clients goes through a values exercise with me. But we don’t start by asking, “What do you value?”—because when you do, you get a heap of buzzwords.

My favorites shit list¹ is as follows:

• Authentic - if you have to say you’re authentic, are you?

• Collaborative - In client services, that’s called doing your job.

• Purpose-driven - Everyone has a purpose. Even if it’s just making money.

• Innovative - Cool AI, bro.

• Disruptive - See: “authentic.”

I’m not saying these values are wrong. But too often, they’re just fluff—unmoored from any action or accountability.

And the one that’s been irking me lately?

Accessibility.

Maybe it’s because everything seems to be getting more expensive by the minute. Or because “accessible” has become more of a vibe rather than a value.

Whatever the reason, it’s got me wondering. What does it actually look like to live your values, beyond bullet points on your About page?

In today’s issue of Brand Burnout, I’m digging into one brand value in particular—accessibility—that’s made me reflect on brand values as a whole, and how they show up in our businesses.

Accessibility Through Pricing

“How do I price this?” is the never-ending spiral for service-based business owners. Do you charge hourly? Package by deliverable? Set your rate based on…vibes?

And then there’s the chorus of armchair experts on LinkedIn yelling, “Just raise your rates!” like that’s a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s as if your audience and their wallets are just going to magically scale with your newfound confidence.

“Double your rates” is great advice if you’re working with Fortune 500 companies and charging small business prices. But flip this scenario around and, well, you do the math.

So here’ the uncomfortable question:

If you pride yourself on accessibility but make access impossible through price… are you really accessible? Or are you just aspirationally accessible?

So what’s a girl in a capitalist world to do?

Upswept Creative faced this problem head-on when they launched The Social Shift, a service that helps small business owners shift away from social media (see what they did there?) to marketing tactics that fit their businesses. Upswept offers equity pricing to make the offer accessible to small business owners of all sizes and backgrounds.

But how do folks know what price they pay? Upswept cites The Green Bottle Metric, a visual framework that helps people self-assess their financial privilege and lived experience, and choose their price accordingly.

Sliding Scale not your jam? Marc Thomas mentioned in a recent newsletter that he is piloting a new service and pricing based on company size. The formula is simple: if you’re under $1M ARR, you pay the lower price. Between $1–10M? You pay more. Clear. Fair. No guesswork.

Accessibility as an Experience

Accessibility isn’t just about pricing—it’s about the full experience. It’s how people feel when they interact with your brand. Is it easy to engage with you? Do you create comfort or confusion? Do your actions reflect your values?

After a recent chat with a yoga teacher, I was reminded that accessibility as a value—especially in a physical space—is complicated. Margins are tight. Resources are limited. And sometimes, what feels like a barrier is simply a business doing its best to stay afloat.

Which is why it’s so powerful when someone does find a way to operationalize their values.

One of my home studios is Movement Lounge by Yoga Muttz (if you know me, you will not be surprised by this, as they love dogs as much as I do). This studio walks the walk on accessibility.

From a “Forgot Something?” clothing rack in the locker rooms to an Emotional Support Cabinet full of little happies, they’ve thought through the whole experience. They stock shampoo, deodorant, tampons—and yes, mats are available at no extra charge. They also offer a Financial Assistance Program because, in their words, “Access to positive, supportive movement should not be contingent on financial means.”

That’s accessibility lived, not just listed on a website.

If you’re running a service-based or online business, accessibility might look a little different, but it still matters, especially if you’re putting a flag in it as a brand value. Here are a few places to start:

• Use clear, readable fonts—no tiny type or scripty scripts

• Add alt text to images so screen readers can interpret them

• Include captions or transcripts for video/audio content

• Use plain language, not insider jargon, when describing your offers

• Be transparent about pricing (or at least offer clear starting points)

• Include pronoun fields in your forms

• Offer multiple ways to connect—not everyone loves a video call

• Don’t ask for sensitive info just to start a conversation

Brand Values Aren’t an Add-On

If you’re waving the accessibility flag—or any other brand value—you can’t just treat it like a tagline or tack it into the footer of your website and call it a day.

That’s because your values aren’t a list, they’re a lens.

They shape how you price, how you communicate, and how people experience you. And maybe, most importantly, what you do when no one’s watching. This isn’t just about accessibility—it’s true for any value you put your name on.

If you say you’re collaborative, show us how your process supports real partnership.

If you say you’re purpose-driven, help us see the purpose behind the decisions you make.

If you say you’re innovative, don’t chase trends—build better systems that prove it.

Whatever your values are, don’t just say them. Live them, design for them, and build a business that reflects them.

Thanks for reading,

1  It’s worth noting for the internet sleuths that I’ve probably used some version of this jargon somewhere on the internet. So don’t come for me.