Know Your Worth: You're Not Here To Be Small

There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that comes from trying to be liked all the time.

Being agreeable. Being polite. Being the one who smooths everything over. It’s subtle, but heavy. And it’s a weight many people, especially women, carry without even realizing it.

For instance, as women, we’re taught early how to be liked. How to not offend. How to take up just enough space but never too much. Don’t be too ambitious, too direct, too loud, too successful. And if you are—cushion it. Shrink just a little so you stay palatable.

I never played that game. But I saw how often the world expected I should. Especially as a woman in business.

Early in my real estate career, my father, a successful lawyer and one of my biggest cheerleaders, gave me a piece of advice I’ll never forget. He knew me well: bold, direct, ambitious, no time for fluff—and yet, yet he told me this:

“Let them underestimate you in a meeting. Let them assume you’re not smart. Let them think you’re harmless. That will give them comfort. And when people are comfortable, they let their guards down. They talk more. They reveal more. And while they’re underestimating you, you’ll be observing. Learning. Preparing. And when the time comes, you’ll close the deal with far more knowledge than they ever expected. Don’t waste time trying to correct ignorance. Use it.”

That advice stayed with me. You cannot control how others see you in business. But you can turn their prejudice into your positioning.

Because the truth is—not everyone will like you. Not when you raise your prices. Not when you speak directly. Not when you say no, unapologetically. Not when you lead.

And that’s okay. You can be kind and still hold your ground. You can be helpful without overextending yourself. You can remove yourself from any space where you’re not respected.

Mandy McMechan’s book, Pause Forward - Start Before You’re Ready: Reflections on Trusting Yourself, Taking Risks, and Moving into Your Next Chapter.

I had a good client who wanted to use our services for an event she was handling for one of her own clients. She asked me to come up with ideas and designs to be presented to her client. After hearing her brief, I created something unique, bold, original, and never done before. Her client loved it immediately.

However, after seeing the quote, she came back a few days later to say she could get this done cheaper somewhere else. She asked for a discount to match the other quote.

My reply was respectful but firm:

“You absolutely can get it done for less elsewhere. And that’s not because I’m more expensive; it’s because I’m the one who created the concept. The creative has a price, too. Others may charge less, but that’s because they didn’t design it. They didn’t imagine it. If you take my idea elsewhere, you’re only paying someone to copy it.”

She understood and agreed. We did the job at the price quoted.

The lesson? You must have value for your time, your ideas, your creativity, and price it with confidence. I was charging for the understanding of their vision. For the creativity, the experience, and the originality it took to become who I am. For this reason, this client came to us. And that’s the reason why she’s still with us today.

Playing small doesn’t protect you. It slowly chips away at your confidence. It costs you opportunities. It attracts the wrong clients. And it teaches people how to treat you, which is dangerously hard to reverse later.

Know your worth. Without apologizing for it. Because the moment you do, your world, and your work, will shift.

You’re not here to be small. You’re here to lead with unshakable self-respect. And when you do that, you attract exactly the kind of people and opportunities that respect you back.

This piece is an edited excerpt from McMechan’s book, Pause Forward - Start Before You’re Ready: Reflections on Trusting Yourself, Taking Risks, and Moving into Your Next Chapter, now available on Amazon. 

About The Author

Mandy McMechan is the founder and CEO of Plaisir Cadeaux et Fleurs, a Dubai-based luxury flower and gifting boutique that has evolved over the past nine years into a lifestyle brand encompassing bespoke floral experiences, innovative designs, and an exclusive fragrance line. Her work has been recognized for bringing a distinctive Frenchinspired aesthetic to the region, with collaborations spanning some of the world’s most prestigious luxury brands. In addition to her work with Plaisir, Mandy serves as Director of Development at a leading Dubai real estate company, where she is spearheading the growth and training of a new division. She is also an active speaker, sharing honest insights about the realities of entrepreneurship and encouraging others to embrace change and trust their instincts. In 2025, Mandy released her first book, Pause Forward - Start Before You’re Ready: Reflections on Trusting Yourself, Taking Risks, and Moving into Your Next Chapter. The book is a candid exploration of entrepreneurship, resilience, and reinvention, inspired by her two decades of experience building businesses in Dubai.

This article first appeared in the October 2025 issue of Inc. Arabia. To read the full issue online, click here.