15/07/2026
This 👇🏼👌🏼
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/192Cqk7opz/?mibextid=wwXIfr
One thing I’ve realised about myself is just how difficult I find asking people to pay me 🥴
Not because I don’t think I deserve paying. Not because I don’t value what I do.
But because, as an autistic person, my brain immediately tells me I’m the problem!!
The minute I have to send a payment reminder, my mind starts racing…
“Am I being rude?”
“Am I being pushy?”
“What if they think I’m only interested in the money?”
“Have I done something wrong?”
It sounds irrational when I write it down, but in that moment it feels very real.
The irony is that if I walked into a supermarket, filled my trolley and left without paying, nobody would think twice about stopping me. If I had my car repaired, I’d expect to pay before I drove away. If I went out for a meal, I’d never dream of saying, “I’ll pay you next week when I get paid.”
Yet somehow, as a small business owner, asking for payment for work I’ve already completed can leave me feeling guilty.
It’s a strange place to be 🤔
People often see the confident therapist who turns up, assesses horses, explains anatomy and biomechanics and makes clinical decisions. What they don’t see is the internal battle afterwards when an invoice remains unpaid.
The reality is that this isn’t a hobby. It’s my livelihood. Every mile I drive, every hour I spend studying, every qualification I’ve gained, every treatment I provide, every insurance payment, every piece of equipment… they’re all part of running a professional business.
Being paid for that isn’t greedy.
It isn’t confrontational.
It isn’t unreasonable.
It’s simply how a business survives……
I’m learning that sending a payment reminder isn’t me asking for a favour. It’s me asking for what was already agreed. That’s a very different thing.
So if you’ve ever received a polite reminder from a small business, just know that there is every chance they agonised over pressing ‘send’ far more than you agonised over reading it.
And if you’re another autistic business owner who finds this hard too…
You’re not alone.
We’re not asking for charity.
We’re simply asking to be paid for the work we’ve already done.
For the love of the horse — always.
