Why Do Strategy and Success Matter?
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Wed, 11/01 21:08PM · 10mins
00:04
Welcome to doula Tips and Tips. This podcast is a place where we answer one question about Dula 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.
00:23
I am a birth and postpartum doula childbirth educator, La Leche League leader and a Dula coach. I love guiding and supporting Dulas as they work out their Dula business. It is a tremendous joy to be trusted in this way.
00:36
Thank you for joining us on this journey. Why are success and strategy or sustainability both really important to your business? I'm Kaylee Harrod. Welcome back to doula Tips and Tips. I am very excited for this episode in part because tomorrow, if you're listening to this episode on the day that it comes out, tomorrow I'm having a free masterclass.
01:04
It's one of my favorite free masterclasses in part because I think it is so vital to the doula business. One of the things that I think is very important about Dula work is avoiding burnout. I don't mean avoid burnout at all costs and if you think you're burned out pretend like you're not.
01:25
That is not who I am. That's not what I believe. That's not even sustainable. I don't think. We all have hard times in doula work and in business and it's okay to acknowledge that and live in that space.
01:39
I actually talked through that over the episodes I think about two weeks ago now. I really want you to normalize that. However, burnout rates in doula business are very, very high in part for obstetric violence, in part for the fact that we charge so little sometimes that we burn ourselves out just by working ourselves to the bone and in part because of like the trauma and whatnot that we experience from witnessing birth you know and witnessing emergencies and and sometimes death and things like that so there are a lot of layers however when I think it's really easy to jump in and be like okay I got this I'm gonna start being a doula and I'll worry about all that business stuff later and to be fair with you this is where I started like I was like an EI what you know like an EIN number what the heck is that like I don't know about paying taxes I don't know so it's intimidating I fully appreciate that right so I am living in that reality okay and also having a legitimate business from the start is a thousand percent easier than trying to catch up on it later.
03:06
Okay. So what I'm saying to you is let's say you're a brand spanking new doula and you're like, Kaley, I don't even know what I'm going to call my business. Okay. Well, call it something. Jump over that step.
03:23
Name it and then get things like an EIN number, like register your business in your state is a legal entity, right? Because it is cheaper and easier to do that when you don't have much revenue. So what I say, what I mean when I say that is let's say, you know, it's October right now and in when I'm recording this and it's coming out November 1st.
03:50
So let's say, you know, you're like, okay, Kaley, I only have two clients for this year, so that's like, you know, $2 ,000. Okay. Great. So your business revenue is not crazy high. Your self -employment tax is not going to be crazy high, right?
04:04
It's really a lot easier to start paying attention to these things when your revenue is low than to try to undangle them when your revenue is high. And if I sound like I'm speaking from personal experience, I am, I am speaking from personal experience, please, for the love of all good things, do not try to learn about self -employment taxes when you're having to pay self -employment taxes for the first time.
04:34
That's not the time. That's not the time to learn them, right? It's helpful to know them before that day. Okay. So I, I want to really clearly articulate that what I do as a doula coach and in the doula classes that I have, in the master classes I have, in the workshops that I, that I, um, curate for people in my doula coaching program.
05:02
I am helping you have an easier time getting started. And I do not guarantee a certain level of success, right? I don't have like, you're definitely going to make $6 ,000 in the first six months. I don't have that stuff in part because I don't think that we all should have the same goals and we don't all have the same goals.
05:26
So I'm not going to be like, hire your first three clients while you're working with me in my eight week program. That's not who I am. That's not what my program is and I don't want to make you a cookie cutter of me and how I do this.
05:39
Okay? I don't want to make you a cookie cutter of anybody. I want you to be you and I want you to have a good sustainable business. And that takes some guidance. Can you figure it out on your own? Yeah, maybe.
05:52
But you might screw some of it up to be honest with you and You might do some of it wrong and it might be a headache to change it later. So I would really love to spare you that particular headache and help you have some strategy and some actual steps to be successful for free in my class from me who's been doing this for a long freaking time and has learned some mistakes by trial and error and has gotten to where I am intentionally and on purpose.
06:29
I didn't just accidentally run a doula business that makes six figures in revenue. I don't, I didn't do that on accident. I didn't do that on happenstance. I don't just have enough clients coming in.
06:41
I have strategically grown my business to the size that it is and you don't have to have that as a goal to do my programs. But that also means that I have a lot of experience to share to help you build your business so that it's pointed towards the goals that you have from right now when you're not yet at those goals and pointed at goals that even makes sense for a doula.
07:13
Okay. So I think you should come to tomorrow's class. Maybe that's already really apparently clear for you. It is free. It is happening online. So it's over Zoom. The link is in the show notes to sign up.
07:28
It's also on my Instagram at her a doula and there will be a replay available for one week. However, in the live workshop, there'll be a question and answer time that I am not going to record because I want people to have the freedom to ask questions that they feel comfortable asking with whoever's there live.
07:48
So yes, you'll get the whole workshop, but you won't get that one -on -one time where we're kind of strategizing together. I am going to to offer a special gift at the end. And you'll still know about that if you hear the replay, but I just want you to know that that's coming because I think that's also fun and exciting.
08:08
So hop on over to the link to sign up. Sign up for your spot tomorrow, come live, ask questions, learn the things, and then set yourself up for success in your doula business. I can't wait to see you there.
08:26
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 heradoula so we can celebrate alongside you.
08:39
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.
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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.
09:04
We'll see you again soon.
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Strategy, strategy, and more strategy. Having a successful doula business does not happen by accident. It takes strategy and going through with your plan to make it happen. We are having a strategy class tomorrow at 12pm EST, the link is below to join:
https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/doula-mentoring-masterclass
Quote from the show:
“But you might screw some of it up to be honest with you and You might do some of it wrong and it might be a headache to change it later. So I would really love to spare you that particular headache and help you have some strategy and some actual steps to be successful for free in my class from me who's been doing this for a long freaking time and has learned some mistakes by trial and error and has gotten to where I am intentionally and on purpose. – I have strategically grown my business to the size that it is and you don't have to have that as a goal to do my programs. But that also means that I have a lot of experience to share to help you build your business so that it's pointed towards the goals that you have from right now when you're not yet at those goals and pointed at goals that even make sense for a doula.”
CONNECT with Kaely on TikTok or Instagram
https://www.tiktok.com/@doulacoach
https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/
If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula
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
