2. Summer Fear, Legacy & Inclusion: Beyond Pricing - with Sumi Fitzgerald
In this first guest episode of The Money Story Project, I’m joined by Sumi Fitzgerald, a diversity, equity and inclusion consultant who helps small, service-based businesses turn good intentions into concrete, impactful practice.
Sumi brings lived experience of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage, growing up and living in the UK, alongside cultural wisdom and years of professional expertise - and here they share their own money story with honesty and heart.
Sumi highlights the ongoing push and pull between inherited money stories, the need for safety, and the desire to run a business rooted in values
We talk about:
• The “summer fear” : why August brings money anxiety for small business owners
• Safety and roots: from family history to the struggles of renting
• The boots story: clashing cultural messages about “what money is for”
• Why self-employment can feel safer than a “stable” job
• Spreadsheets, Profit First (adapted), and paying yourself
• Pricing, equity and the gender pay gap in self-employment
• Inclusion beyond pricing: "the harder conversations we avoid”
• The missing data in the small-business world: Sumi’s idea for a mini-study
Links & Resources
Read our accompanying article with Sumi
- Connect with Sumi Fitzgerald: Linkedin Instagram Website
- Sumi's Free workshop (coming up in October 2025): Find Your Inclusion Leaks & Your Missing Clients - a free hour to uncover where potential clients might be slipping away. Best place to hear the details first: Instagram @sumi.does.dei on Sumi’s email list or visit the website.
- Sumi's Free guide: Five Things I Have to Tell Almost Everyone - practical fixes you can implement straight away.
Photo Credit: Arianna Cagli @ari_brandphotographer
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