Get Yourself a Business Doula with Dominique Jones

• Transcript

  Welcome to doula Tips and Tips. This podcast is a place where we answer one question about doula work, both to support you and to help you support your clients. I'm Kaylee Harrod. I've been supporting families in this perinatal space since my oldest was born, 12, nearly 13 years ago.

  I am a birth and postpartum doula childbirth educator, La Leche League leader and a doula coach. I love guiding and supporting doulas as they work out their doula business. It is a tremendous joy to be trusted in this way.

  Thank you for joining us on this journey. Welcome back to doula Tips and Tips. Today you are hearing a repeat episode once again. It is one of the top five episodes of all time on the podcast featuring Dominique, who is one of the doulas who went through my first group of beta coaching.

  She is doing awesome things in her doula business and I would love for you to hear all the things that started as a result of the coaching program. The coaching program is open for enrollment right now.

  So as a reminder, if you're currently interested in coaching, if you're ready to make the investment in yourself to have a group of doulas to really work through coaching with, then I would love for you to book a call with me.

  That information is in the show notes or you can check me out on Instagram at heradoula. Send me a message there and I'm more than happy to connect with you and give you all the details about us touching base about that program.

  Stay tuned and listen to Dominique. Welcome back to doula Tips and Tips. Today I am super excited to have my doula coach student Dominique Jones with me. Dominique, I would love to hand it over to you and let you tell us who you are and and how you became a doula, sort of give us a little intro to yourself.

  Okay, first, thank you, Kaylee, so much for having me on. I am super excited to join your show and to talk about your amazing coaching program. So before we get started, I will just take a minute to introduce myself.

  I am Dominique Jones. I am an urban mom from Washington, DC. Of three young girls, I have a five -year -old, a three -year -old, and a now 10 -month -old, all girls. And I am also the founder and CEO of a birth services company called Mama, Moms Advocate and Maternal Advisor, LLC.

  I educate, empower and assist families with having safe, peaceful, and joyous childbirth experiences. And I do that through my private childbirth classes, through my birth and postpartum doula services, and through lactation counseling.

  So that's just a little bit about me, who I am, and what I do. I got started with birth work after the birth of my second child. I had a doula. Her name was Jen. She was absolutely amazing. I had her for the birth of my first baby, and for the birth of my second baby.

  And after the birth of my second baby, I realized that it was really something to the work of a doula, right? That the first time I thought maybe it was just luck. Maybe I just had like a great experience because I got lucky.

  Yeah. Yeah. And it was funny because when I was talking about my birth and goals and how I wanted to have an unmedicated, natural childbirth, everyone who I spoke to, like my family, my friends, they thought I was crazy.

  And they told me that I would be begging for an epidural, or they asked me things like, well, why would you want to do that? But I just knew that I wanted to do that for me. And I don't know how, but I heard about a doula somehow.

  It had to be an app or a magazine, because I promised you before I got pregnant, or before I started my journey to motherhood, I had no clue what a doula was. Right? But I knew I wanted one once I found out I had one.

  And she helped me have the birth that I wanted to have. Kaley, you won't believe this. So I was birthing in the room, and Anthony and his mom, and his dad was in the room too. But Anthony and his mom was kind of talking to a nurse at the foot of the bed.

  And my doula was with me at the top of the bed, right? And I was just so connected with her. And his mom looked over and was like, like, are you, are you pushing? She was like, she was like, you don't have to be a big girl because she thought that I was going to be screaming, right?

  But I, I, I heard her, but it was like, it didn't even register. Right. I was just so, you're just like, I can't deal with you right now. So in tune with my doula that, um, you know, I was able to push her without people, you know, people don't even realize I'm giving birth.

  Yeah. That's right. So, yeah. Yeah. And then I did it again, something similar for my second child, Jen was there too. And it was then that I was like, this is what I want to do. I want to help more women look like me, change that birthing narrative so they can have more peaceful, more enjoyable, more joyous childbirth experiences.

  And it was kind of then that was really a pivotal, a pivotal. Turning point for me because I had worked in education for 13 years and all of those years I had no clue what I wanted to do I had a lot of skills a lot of talent and people were like you're good at this and you're good at that and you're good at everything But I felt so unfulfilled and so lost and it was then that I was like this is what I want to do And that's when I started my journey That's amazing.

  I love that. I think it's interesting because I from knowing you like you connect with people really well And so I'm sure that was part of it as people are like you're amazing at this Because you connect with people but you're like, I mean, yeah, I can do that.

  Well Do that well right but this is like it was just like this This is not it and I kept saying I don't know what I want to be like that I don't know what I want to be when I grow up and I didn't know for a long time Right.

  But I am grown with no plan for growing up. Yeah Well, they grow fully growing and I had Transition so much in that career like I had you know promotion after promotion I had tripled my salary and it was a great job and people just kept saying you better not leave that good job Like don't you leave that job?

  It was it was great, but I was like this is not it. Yeah. Yeah Yeah, I mean, that's also I think just we could go down a whole rabbit trail of like doula as a second career because Because similar to the like, I don't know.

  Are you sure you can do this attitude about giving birth? Is that like branching into this career? And I think a big part of it is people still don't really know what a doula is You know, and so I mean, I know I take before the before the pandemic I would always take a lift to births always well some some sort of ride share, right and every time The the person driving would be like what the heck is a doula?

  You know, so like I would have this conversation like a few times a month every single month Like this is what I do. No, I'm not a midwife. No, I don't get babies. Yes, I do go to hospitals. No, it's not only for people unmedicated, like all of those things, right?

  But part of it is then this like lack of imagination of how that can look, especially when you're in more of like a traditional or safe, like work experience, right? And it's like, but this is going so well, why would you give that up?

  Yeah, yeah, but I'm so glad that I did. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I love that. So, so I love, I love how your journey began. One thing that you mentioned is people like me is part of your vision for black women, especially to have this kind of support, because this is a podcast that people don't see you.

  I want to highlight that that is the case, right? That you are a wonderful black woman and you are serving black women, not only black women, I'm sure, but that's part of your mission, right? Yeah. It is definitely is.

  And it's funny because for a while I was like, am I ever gonna get a black client? Because I do serve, you know. Of course, everybody. Yeah, I serve everyone, right? And everyone who I have served have had wonderful experiences and nothing but great things to say, which validates my work.

  But my mission is to serve black birthing families and to help them have joyous experiences. I was really intentional when I set up my business structure. You know, my logo has a black pregnant woman with an afro.

  I was really intentional about weaving in my sorority colors. I'm a woman of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority incorporated. So weaving in that. Just a subtle shout out. Yes. Weaving in that pink and green.

  I weave in that can take cloth and my branding, you know. So and I was really intentional about having imagery on my website and everything that I produce that reflect black birthing families. So that is my target audience.

  And you as a entrepreneurial professional, you understand like speaking to your audience, but also welcoming and serving other people, right? Yeah. So yeah. I mean, I love that also because I think in just like birth literature, birth images, right?

  It's so saturated by whiteness. And so it's also just incredibly helpful to change that norm a bit, you know, and to even if all of your clients were white to be like, look at all these beautiful black bodies.

  That is tremendous in and of itself, you know, so that's amazing. I love that about your brand, too. Like when I first saw your logo, I was like, oh, look at all these subtleties that people might not even be like this and this and this.

  Yeah, I love that. intentionality though, because that is also part of what we do in do the work, right? Is this kind of like intentional step by step support that even if the person isn't like, Oh, I see you did this and this and then this, you know, we are doing that in a very methodical way.

  And so that intentionality shows in everything about how you've done your business, which is awesome. Thank you. Yeah. Also really intentional about the work that I want to do. So, you know, my name is Mama.

  That's the name of my company, Mom's advocate and maternal advisor. I was very intentional about wanting this, wanting the work that I do to have a huge advocacy piece to it. You know, just being intentional about where I stand in regards to birthing rights for black birthing families.

  So yeah, yeah. Yeah, which I think is is enormous and unnecessary, necessary and important thing. So So I want to talk a little bit about where you kind of have seen yourself grow in the last couple months.

  I know our our relationship. We haven't even met in person. We can go down this whole path that we live four blocks from each other. I know. But I feel like I know you so well. We are eventually going to meet in person.

  But once we got connected, we initially were connected through lactation and then through doula stuff. I remember getting so excited when you were like, I'm a doula. I was like, Oh, me too. Talk to me about.

  I'm like, Oh, we're not supposed to talk about this. This is a lactation meeting. So where have you seen your business kind of grow and evolve in the last couple months and what was helpful about being in the program with the other two ladies that were in there.

  And like, how has that sort of accelerated some of what you've seen. Yeah, so first let me say that and I think I touched on it earlier but I honestly do believe that I was called to do this work. Yeah, that you know I'm a Christian I believe that God created me to do this work.

  And a lot of what I do and a lot of what I hear from my customers from my clients is, you know, you were a God send you were such a blessing, you are my angel and it's just like, validating like okay.

  And I say that to say that over the last two to three months, things have just been kind of falling in line right so my baby Eva is older now, you know I can focus more on birth work, which is different because I started, you know, with this work when I was still working in education.

  So, and then when the pandemic hit I started but then I got pregnant I had a loss and I got pregnant again I had a baby that was you know taking care of a new newborn so now this year is like the year that I'm really focused on like making a thriving successful been falling in line, including your membership, right?

  Your coaching program. So I started off, you know, the year with intentionality and focus and clear goals around what I wanted to do. And since I joined your program, I've had some first, right? Which are really exciting.

  So I had my first in -person lactation client, which went amazing. That's so awesome. Yeah, I've signed my first big postpartum doula contract. And you helped me tremendously through a very hard birthing experience, which was supporting a family through a stillbirth.

  So that was my first, you know, I hope that, you know, I never have to do it again, but I do feel like I have the skills to be able to navigate that space with care. if I had to do it again. So I think a big part of where I started with your coaching program was kind of like, I don't want to say uncertain, like, wavering confidence.

  That's what it was, like wavering confidence. That's a good way to say it. A lot of like, you know, I don't know, am I enough? I don't know if I could do this. I don't know. Even though I've had all of the trainings and if you are so many certifications, so many certifications.

  And if you are a black birth worker, you probably can relate to that like imposter syndrome and feeling like whether or not you are enough. So I am now that's another thing that I got since I've been out with you.

  I am now a donor certified birth doula. I am also a certified certified childbirth educator. I'm also a certified breastfeeding specialist. I'm also a certified mental health first aid trainer. And a lot of other.

  I'm also now a pal advocate, which is pregnancy loss. But I still felt like I don't know if I'm enough. And I definitely felt that way, walking into the support for the stillbirth, but having you to call on to help prepare me emotionally and to reassure my confidence that I am enough to go into that space to support that family and didn't just try to also talking through what I could expect when I was there was super helpful.

  I've been in coaching programs before and my coaches were all amazing. However, they weren't birth coaches, right? So there was like a gap, a difference. connect between really being able to relate to where I am and really being able to guide me to where I want to be.

  A lot of what we hear if you are focused on development, you hear you want to find someone who is where you want to be and you, Kaylee, are definitely where I want to be. You know, you're where I want to be.

  You have so much experience, so much knowledge. You are giving beyond anything that I could have asked for. You are confident. You have the things that I want to have. You have your podcasts. You support clients in different situations.

  You do birth and postpartum and lactation. So you are the coach for me, right? You can guide me through what I, you know, through what I'm going through and you can speak to it from a point of experience.

  So that has been tremendously helpful for me. And equally said, I feel like you can relate to my wavering confidence, right? Because you go 100% yes. Yeah. So that's so many times. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and I, it's funny because as I like started this journey of doula coaching, I was like, this is doulaing, but I'm doulaing the doulas.

  Right. And doula is a verb. We use that. We use that as a verb. I definitely do. But it's funny because even as you're talking, I'm like, okay, do not, do not take away the fact that Dominique did this awesome work of her.

  Like you're the one who really showed up for your clients and for yourself and for your business. But it goes so far to have someone behind you to be like, I am doing this right. Right. This is how you expect it to look.

  And it's so funny to me, like even just hearing you describe it, I'm like, it is so much like birth, like so many times when someone's like makes eye contact with you, like, are you certain I can do this?

  And you're like, oh, I know you can. And they're like, okay. All right, that's what I need to hear. You know, now I will do it. It's not you, you know, like I didn't do anything to your business. I didn't.

  Yeah. I mean, I, I referred one client who did not hire you. So I didn't even send you clients, right? But, but part of it is that like ability to walk in what you want to do because you know someone else believes you can do it.

  And it takes a little, just like the tiniest bit of that imposter syndrome away, you know, and we all need that. Like I still firmly think we need a doula for every single part of our life. You know, someone who believes in us.

  Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 100%. So I also want to hear, or I want my listeners to hear what your dreams are for your business, because I've heard a little bit of this, and it's exciting to me where you want to go.

  And I think it's also just like a wonderful thing to get to dream a little bit about where we're headed as business owners and as doulas. What would you dream for this to look like in a year from now?

  Yeah, I'm gonna talk about that, but I do want to move back to that belief piece again, because I do think that it's important for your listeners to hear this, because as business owners, especially new business owners, we are really careful and mindful about what we invest in.

  But I will say, and you, and if you have those people close to you who are supporting you, maybe your partner, your husband, your mom, your sister, your best friend, they, Will support you but it's nothing like another entrepreneur to believe in you because I feel like a Lot of times they they're supporting you, but they still have that doubt right that I don't really know Maybe you should go and get a nine to five, you know that that doubt, right?

  but having someone who was walking in the space to Be able to turn to for guidance is invaluable So I just wanted to touch on that Yeah, as far as my goals, so I want to have steady business, right? I said that this was my first year that I'm really focused on Growing a thriving business and I'm not getting pregnant again One goal is to not be pregnant No, no Back up brother Like for the sake of the business buddy.

  Yes. Yes. Yes back it up And anyone who's listening to this who knows me knows I love babies and securely I would have all the babies in the world if I didn't hurt that you are with babies all the time outside Yes But I want to have steady business.

  I want to have you know Three birthing clients a month. I want to have steady lactation work I want to have a good amount of postpartum work My goal is like 12 to 15 hours a week for postpartum clients In addition to that, I want to get experience serving different types of families as well as different type of birthing experiences So I will say I do have business secured through like late summer.

  So that Yes. So this dream is happening. It is happening. It is happening. So, and I want to have my one demand childbirth classes. Yep, created. Eventually, I do want to kind of move into like an agency and coaching, but that's kind of long term.

  My long term goals, right? So I want to really dig deep into every aspect of my business and know it very, very well to be able to then transition over to hiring doulas and lactation professionals and childbirth educators to carry on the work.

  Yeah. That's huge too, because we, I mean, along going back to like your mission of supporting Black families, especially, we need more Black owned agencies, you know, like that's because that furthers that mission and such a.

  specific and tangible way. But also, if you're hiring Black doulas, you're also furthering that part of the profession, which is tremendous, you know. So that's super exciting. Yeah, that's really what I want to do have a greater impact, because there's only so many that I can serve.

  So once I really my capacity, I want to start, you know, hiring out so we can reach more black. Yeah. Yeah. And it's it is exciting to think about like the the wider net that you can have in terms of influence when you're doing lactation, you're doing postpartum, you're doing birth, you're doing childbirth ed.

  Because when you're just in one of those, there's only so much you can do in terms of reach, you know, because it's like, I remember at some point, someone saying like, do you want your business to grow?

  And I'm like, do I want to go to more births? I'm not sure. I was like, I don't know if I can, you know, but it is it is a way to sort of look at this business as like a growing expansive living organism, right?

  That like, right now, this is sort of the the edge of what I'm imagining. And also, it can grow beyond that, which I think is just awesome. So yeah, yeah. And you know, one of the good things about the pandemic was the the access to like virtual support, right?

  So that allows me to be able to serve a little bit more families, you know, through virtual birth, impulse, part of dual support, as well as telehealth through lactation. However, they're still like a cap, they're still a limit, right?

  Especially when you are focused on providing like quality care, and you know, really supporting your clients and getting to know them and really showing up for them in a way that you will want someone to show up for you.

  And I think one of the greatest like benefits of me and my services is that I'm on that childbirth journey too, right? So I just had a baby. So I know how I want it professionals to show up for me. And I'm really intentional about showing up for them in that way.

  Yeah, yeah. You also have three little people who are very clear about their desires for you in their life as well. Yes. So, you know, one of the great things about your coaching program was the tools and the resources that you have around structure and organization and.

  you know, just planning to be able to have sustainable work. You know, so the batching of the content for the social media, the spreadsheet that you have for tracking the clients and the births, because I don't have that many clients, but I will say they do start to kind of be like, oh, who was, what, what, what, who's what, what did I do?

  So like- You had that hospital, that is right, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So having some organization and some systems to be able to work efficiently is critical. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I, I, that was one portion of this as I was like imagining what it would look like, that I was like, oh, I know this is helpful because I had to make all of this up as I went along.

  But it's so incredibly important, you know, like it's important as a business owner to not be like, I have a million things in my head and that's the only place they live, you know? Yeah. Yeah, so I was like, oh, I'm gonna give you all the resources because I do not want you to have to do what I did to make these up.

  Yeah, and then, you know, the greatest thing about, I don't wanna say that, I can probably keep saying the greatest, the greatest, the greatest because it's all great, but another great thing about your program is the community, right?

  So being able to connect with the other birth workers and the group and learn from and grow with them and, you know, just build relationships, build community is amazing. Yeah, yeah. And that's the part that I'm most excited to see expand this year, you know, as more and more people are in the program to get to like watch you guys also support each other is pretty awesome.

  So, yeah. So most of our listeners are newer doulas and I would love to hear if you could give one piece of advice to a new doula, what would it be? You can do two if there's no more than one. Yeah, you know, I would say, get you a doula for your business, right?

  I did not pay Dominique to come on and tell you to hire me. Honestly, I say this to every pregnant person that I come in contact with. My one piece of advice for you would be to hire a doula. And I always say it doesn't have to be me.

  But I know I have never and I, you know, God willing, will never birth without a doula. And I think you hit the nail on the head that, you know, coaching for your business is like having a doula. And I think that we could all use a doula.

  Right. In a business doula. In business. Yeah, a business doula. A coach. With experience and you have a wealth of knowledge and experience. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, I appreciate that. So one thing that we I'm going to put in the show notes is how you can connect with Dominique.

  But Dominique, what is your favorite way to connect with people that want to meet you or learn more about your services? Yeah, you can just send me a DM on Instagram or Facebook. I am at mama. M -A -M -A birth services on all of the social platforms.

  So just send me a DM. That's the best way. Amazing. I'll make sure that your Instagram and Facebook are in the show notes. I am very excited that you came on today to talk to us and I'm so surprised that we didn't get any of your special visitors.

  I said, look, do not come down here and do not call mommy. I will be up in a little bit. Okay. And I said, did you hear me? They say, okay, mama. Okay, mama. We got it. We got it. We're staying up. Awesome.

  We'll enjoy the rest of your day. For everyone listening, we will be back soon with another episode. Until then, I wish you well informed, consent filled doula business experiences. Thanks for joining us for this episode of the doula tips and tips podcast.

  If you learned something today or had an aha moment, we'd love for you to share that on Instagram and tag us at her a doula so we can celebrate alongside you. If you found this podcast helpful, we would so appreciate you taking a second to leave a rating and a review on your favorite podcast app.

  That helps other doulas find us as we do this work together. This podcast is intended as educational and entertainment. It is not medical advice or business advice. Please consult your own medical or legal team for your own needs around your health and your business.

  We'll see you again soon.

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Another throwback episode talking to Dominique Jones who was apart of my doula coaching program! This episode discusses how her own birth experience inspired her doula career and how her doula business has flourished since.

Quote from the show:

“Are you sure you can do this attitude about giving birth? Is that like branching into this career? And I think a big part of it is people still don't really know what a doula is You know, and so I mean, I know I take before the before the pandemic I would always take a lift to births always well some some sort of ride share, right and every time The the person driving would be like what the heck is a doula? You know, so like I would have this conversation like a few times a month every single month Like this is what I do. No, I'm not a midwife. No, I don't get babies. Yes, I do go to hospitals. No, it's not only for people unmedicated, like all of those things, right? But part of it is then this like lack of imagination of how that can look, especially when you're in more of like a traditional or safe, like work experience, right? And it's like, but this is going so well, why would you give that up? ”

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Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services

It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class

Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay