Find out what your art actually pays you.
The Profitable Artist Equation™ shows you what every piece you make really earns after materials, fees and studio costs. Then it gives you the price that pays you properly. You get a clear plan, not a guess.
Sound familiar?
You're selling. So why doesn't it feel like a business?
- You set your prices by looking at what everyone else charges on Etsy and at the market.
- You had a great show weekend, and somehow there's still not much left once the bills are paid.
- You've never counted your hours, because you're a little afraid of the answer.
- Someone said "you should charge more" and you didn't know how much more, or why.
- Your best-selling piece might be the one costing you the most. You can't tell.
- You'd love your art to pay for real things: the mortgage, the car, a day off.
- People stop and love your work, then say it's too expensive, and you start to doubt yourself.
- You've never been sure what a fair price is, or how to put a number on what your work is worth.
None of this means you're bad at business. It means nobody gave you the equation.
The method
A profitable price has four jobs
Most artists' prices only cover the first one. The course shows you how to build all four into every piece, using your own numbers, so you can find your sweet spot.
What you'll do
Eight steps from "I think it's fine" to knowing for sure
You work through the course with the Profitable Artist Equation calculator open beside you. Each lesson fills in one part of it.
The income you'd love
Start with why. Work out how much of your life your art should pay for each month.
Your business expenses
List every monthly and yearly cost once, so nothing gets missed again. Includes home studio guidance.
Your rate and your time
Choose your hourly rate and profit margin, and be honest about the studio hours you really have.
Your pieces
Add up to 12 pieces with their price, costs and time. See each one's Minimum and Ideal Price.
What each piece contributes
See what every piece adds to your month, and how many of each you can make.
Monthly income check
See which pieces could cover your monthly income goal on their own.
Your monthly mix
Plan the mix of pieces that fits your hours and covers your goal. Then get your summary and next steps.
Your numbers meet your market
Who buys your work, where to find them, and whether they'll pay your Ideal Price.
Every piece gets a verdict
You'll know exactly what to do with each piece
The calculator sorts your work into three groups, so you stop guessing and start deciding.
After costs and overhead, this piece earns at least the hourly rate you want. Make more of it.
Example: earns $38/hr against a $35 rate
It earns 60–99% of your rate. A price increase or a faster process will probably fix it.
Example: earns $27/hr against a $35 rate
It earns less than 60% of your rate. Raise the price a lot, make it faster, or keep it as a "love it" piece, not a "money" piece.
Example: earns $14/hr against a $35 rate
What's inside
Everything you need to price with confidence
The Profitable Artist Equation calculator
Your private pricing calculator. Type in your numbers and it does the maths: your Minimum and Ideal Price, a verdict for every piece, a monthly income check, a monthly plan and a summary of what to do next. Tap any ? icon for a plain-English explanation. Most people finish in about an hour.
The 22-page companion guide
Every step explained in plain language, with a worked example to follow and expense checklists so you catch the costs that are easy to miss.
Step-by-step lessons
Short lessons that walk you through each part, one step at a time.
Yours to keep
Come back whenever your costs change or you add a new piece. Log in any time to find your lessons, guide and calculator.
Is it right for you?
Made for makers who are ready to be paid
This is for you if
- You make and sell physical pieces: jewelry, glass, ceramics, metalwork, paintings, prints or similar.
- You're already selling, even a little, online, at markets or in galleries.
- You want your art to pay a real wage, not just cover supplies.
- You're happy to spend about an hour with your numbers if it means never guessing again.
This isn't for you if
- You make art purely as a hobby and don't want it to earn.
- You're looking for tax or accounting advice. This is a planning tool.
- You want a quick trick to sell more without looking at your costs.
- You'd rather keep guessing than look at your real costs and time.
Your teacher
Hi, I'm Michelle Frost
I'm a fused glass artist, mold maker and teacher, working from my cozy West Coast studio on Vancouver Island.
I see so many artists struggle with pricing. Not because they aren't talented. They are. They struggle because they don't feel confident putting a number on their work, so they guess. I've met artists who have been selling for years and still aren't making a living from it.
That doesn't need to be you. If we never run our numbers, how will we ever know if they'll get us where we want to go? That's why I built this calculator, and the course to go with it.
From our beta testers
What artists are saying
This calculator definitely changed my perspective on pricing and sales in general. It was great to have something help show what pieces are profitable for business and what pieces may need reconsidering. It also helped having a visual to see what our time is worth within the price points.
I knew I wasn't paying attention to this part of my business and was actually afraid to and didn't know where to start. This process was really simple because of the guide and checklist. My fear has evaporated at taking a serious look at my pricing.
I no longer look at pricing my work as an ethereal process! I feel empowered to make intelligent pricing decisions and I love that I can make changes in real-time, and I can see the outcome immediately!
Using the calculator showed me that I was on the right track with my pricing and what I would need to do in productivity to reach my goals.
What changed me was I could actually contribute to our family's bills doing something I love. I actually feel more professional.
I like how I now have the tools I need to make more accurate pricing. It has actually been a confidence builder for me.
I realized that knowing what is going into your product, including time and factoring in cost, does matter.
Increased confidence in pricing and ease of tweaking a price when costs change.
I believe that I was underestimating my worth.
Thinking about the hidden costs of making art.
The Profitable Artist Equation™
- The Profitable Artist Equation calculatorIncluded
- The 22-page companion guideIncluded
- Step-by-step lessonsIncluded
- Lifetime access and updatesIncluded
Your price
$47
One-time payment · Lifetime access
Join for $47On the founding member list? Use the code FOUNDER at checkout for $20 off. It's for the first 50 members only.
Questions
Before you join
I'm terrible at maths. Can I still do this?
Yes. You type your numbers into the yellow boxes and the calculator does the rest. If you can look up what you paid for supplies, you can do this.
Won't raising my prices scare off my customers?
The course helps you see which pieces need a higher price and by how much, so you can raise them with a reason. Some pieces may already be Keepers. Others might be better made faster or kept as "love it" pieces.
How long does it take?
Most people finish in about an hour, often over two sittings. Gathering your numbers first takes about 10 minutes, and then the rest goes quickly. You can stop and come back any time.
Does it work for my medium?
If you make physical pieces and sell them, yes. The calculator has fields for materials, components and hardware, energy, packaging, shipping and more, and you can leave out anything you don't use.
I only sell a few pieces a year. Is it too early?
This is the best time. Setting your prices properly now means you won't have to fix them later, when you have more customers watching.
I only sell at a few shows a year. Is this for me?
Yes. Even a couple of shows a year adds up, and every underpriced piece is money left on the table. Pricing just one piece properly can pay for the course at your next show.
Is this tax or accounting advice?
No. It's a planning tool that helps you price your work and plan your income. Talk to an accountant about tax.
How do I get access?
Right after checkout, you'll get an email with your login details. Log in with the same email, and your lessons, guide and calculator are waiting.
You've done the hard part. You make beautiful things.
Now make sure they pay you. Learn the equation once, use it on every piece you make, and price like the professional artist you are.
© Michelle Frost · The Profitable Artist Equation™ is a planning tool, not tax or accounting advice.