At last month’s Design Week Philippines opening festivities at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater in Makati City, brand strategist and Agape Studio founder Paolo Salgado spoke about one of the hardest lessons every creative eventually faces: how to put a price on your craft without losing your soul.

Salgado, whose studio helps turn companies, services, and products into “brands worth following” through strategy, identity, and social media, recalled his early years when emotion, not structure, dictated his rates.

“When I was starting I really priced based on emotions. Pa-iba-iba ‘yung presyo ko,” he said. “Ang nangyayari pabago-bago ‘yung mga quotes ko kapag may nag-i-inquire sa akin… And it wasn’t firm, it wasn’t confident… If anyone ask me about my price, magulo ‘yung sagot ko lagi.”

It was a familiar story for many in the audience—creative professionals who often undervalue their own expertise. Salgado admitted that his approach at the time carried a heavy emotional cost.

“It put a lot of emotional weight in closing those projects, and ang nangyayari nagiging too personal s’ya for me.” He eventually realized that pricing based on emotion led to inconsistency, exhaustion, and zero scalability.

His turning point came when he began to think not just as a designer, but as a business owner. He developed his own framework—CASH—a method designed to bring order, balance, and confidence to creative pricing. The acronym stands for:
▪️C – Clarity and confidence in pricing
▪️A – Assurance of consistent cash flow
▪️S – Save time through systems
▪️H – Have a core offering

“Ang malaking bagay talaga na nakatulong sa akin ay when I started using packages,” he said. Sitting down with his notebook, he mapped out all the services he offered and grouped them into clear, cohesive packages.

Now, instead of building a quotation from scratch every time, he simply sends clients a set of ready-made packages—complete with pricing and inclusions.

Each tier was tailored to client type—small business, mid-level, or corporate/start-up—allowing him to price logically, not emotionally. His system also includes a 40%-30%-30% payment structure, penalties for late feedback, and additional fees for excess revisions. He even expanded his offerings to include social media management, emphasizing client retention over one-time projects.

The result is a creative practice built on confidence and consistency. Salgado no longer wastes hours drafting individual quotes or second-guessing his worth. He filters inquiries quickly, sets expectations clearly, and focuses on work that truly aligns with his expertise.

Salgado’s approach now reflects a clear understanding of value and structure. Viewing pricing as strategy, not guesswork, allowed him to build a system that supports both growth and stability.

For him, the key is simple: know your offer, price it with intention, and let logic and consistency—not emotion—drive the business forward.