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When we launched Doula Essentials, we wanted to make sure you had a chance to meet some of the amazing women we get to work with every day!
We decided to highlight doulas that consistently impress us, and periodically share with you these amazing women.
You should know them, they’re pretty awesome!
Let’s talk about the business side of doula work.
We go over this in the training, but there’s a lot of info that weekend so let’s talk again here.
When you are starting out in any business there’s a certain amount of leg work that needs to be done. Clients are not going to beat down your door just because you decide you’re ready to start taking clients. Again, like any business you get out what you put in.
Some things that need to be considered:
1. Your value proposition - why are you different? Why should people seek out and hire you?
2. Who is your perfect client? Also called target market, no, it’s not “anyone pregnant”.
3. How are these people finding you? Do you have a website? Social media? How are you standing out from the other doulas?
4. Branding - is your brand and what you’re putting out there saying what you want it to say?
5. Have you done a competitive analysis? Who is your competition? Why are you different?
6. Are you staying active? Keeping up on your website and social media? Are you networking? Reading? Learning? What are you doing to stay in front of people and separating yourself from the competition?
7. Are you analyzing your potential client interactions? How can you do more to secure the client, or why the did (or didn’t) sign a contract?
8. Who are you taking advice from? Are they where you want to be professionally?
This is a lot, of course, but it’s necessary. Unless you join an agency you need to put in the hard work if you want to be successful.
You can figure all this out on your own, or you can use the tools (the Doula’s Essential Business Planner) and courses (Doula Business Day is coming up!) that have been created to make this easier, but you cannot just wait for it to happen.
Those of us who have been doing this a long time and we’ve done the hard work...yes, getting clients is relatively easy for us these days, but that’s because we put in the time and energy to build a business, brand, and client list, it wasn’t always that way!
If you do the work more people are willing to help you and invest in you, but if you’re just sitting around waiting to be successful it’s not going to happen.
The clients are there (doulas are serving less than 5% of the population - there are not too many doulas!) are you willing to do the work to help them find you?
Nothing is just luck, this takes time, work, and tools.
Bethany, or Beth, is simply an awesome person. Not only Is she a talented photographer, doula, and mom, when she decided to start playing with websites she became an IT maven! She has created websites for several companies and groups (Check out these to see her magic at work: Calgary Doula Association, Moss Postpartum House and our own Doula Essentials site!), while de-mystifying and simplifying the process for several doulas as well.
We’re pretty sure there is nothing Beth cannot do. Anything she puts her mind to comes out better than expected! Whether behind the lens, entertaining us all on social media, or designing new systems she puts all of herself into everything she does.
Beth is a life-long learner, always eager to gain new skills to allow her to support others better. She gives of herself in everything she does and generally makes everyone’s lives better just by being around. She also has the sweetest, cutest, and possibly palest family around!
We are constantly impressed by Beth, she is simply exceptional, and somehow always smiling. Check her out, get to know her; you’ll be happy you did.
My curiosity for birth began when I was a mere 4-years old, spying on my mother while she taught prenatal classes in our basement. My desire to photograph authentic moments became apparent while scaling mountains and rafting gorges as part of my Outdoor Leadership Degree. Once I became a Doula and entered the "birth world", I realized that my passion and talent were complementary. Although I have moved over 20 times over 3 continents, 5 countries and countless houses, we now call Calgary, AB home.
My true loves are my family, and they are the highlights of my social media feed. I am a mother to a special needs son (due to prematurity), and a brilliantly blonde daughter. I am the wife to a fantastic husband who's skills exceed mine in every area. I believe that friendship should be practiced over potlucks and board games, and that chocolate in any form (other than ice cream, why does ice cream ruin chocolate?) is essentially hormone replacement.
Random facts about me? My dream job is a midwife, I don't burn easily for a redhead, my husband and I have designed, built and lived in a tiny house, the only books I complete are biographies or books about birth, and several people credit themselves with saving my life because of my refusal to go seek medical attention due to a high pain tolerance (thanks guys...!).
- Beth Galster CD(DONA), CLE
Check out our other Doulas of Distinction! So many amazing people to get to know:
