BADT’s Guide to Best Business Practices for Birth Workers

At BADT, we care about our doulas feeling confident about running their own businesses. In our 12-week trainings– Full-Spectrum Doula Training and Childbirth Educator Training – we include modules on sustainable and equitable business practices, as well as business strategy sessions. Furthermore, our community app provides a space for folks to brainstorm, problem-solve, and support one another along the journey of running a business.

While some birth workers may opt to work for a collective or group practice, others may want to run a solo practice. In any case, it’s important for folks to have a range of skills as they navigate the world of being a small business. In this blog, we are gathering some of our favorite business-focused resources.

Sustainability:

This. Work. Is. A. Lot. Not to be dramatic or to scare anyone away, but the nature of care work is expansive. Thus, we want to set birth workers up for success by addressing sustainability. In other words, we want you to be able to do this work for a long time and in ways that are not extractive of yourself. Find some of our blogs on this topic below:

• 8 Ways to Make Birth Work Sustainable

• Why You Need to Take Breaks as a Birth Worker and Student

• 6 Ways to Heal from Imposter Syndrome for Birth Workers

Marketing and Growth:

As you start or grow your business, you will be focused on visibility and attracting ideal clients. This is a process that takes trial and error, and it will be so important to tune into yourself and your values to help guide the way. Check out a few of our blogs about marketing and business-building here:

• 5 Ways to Engage in Anti-Capitalist Marketing that Feel Good

• 4 Tips for Growing Your Doula Business

Community and Networking Building:

Birth work is community work. Connecting with fellow birth workers and complementary service providers is an important way to be in community. Furthermore, it means that  other folks will feel confident referring to you when you can build relationship and trust with them. Additionally, your clients will benefit from the relationships and referrals you build. Find these networking resources on our blog: 

• 5 Ways to Practice Collaboration Over Competition in Birth Work

• Our Top Tips for Networking as a Valued-Based Doula

• Building A Resources and Referrals List to Support Any Client

Other Business Resources from BADT:

• Everything You Need to Know About Doula Certification– We offer but do not require certification. We want all students to choose the path that is most meaningful to them. This blog helps students and potential students understand the benefits of certification, as well as addressing FAQs.

• Our Directory for BADT-trained and/or certified doulas– This is one way to engage in passive marketing, as potential clients may use directories to find local birth workers.

• Curriculum, handouts, forms– We offer a range of documents to help birth workers get their paperwork in order. Our forms are inclusive and editable to suit the needs of your unique practice. 

Other Awesome Business Resources/Tools for Doulas:

• fully funded: Fully Funded provides financial education + coaching services for creatives, multihyphenates, and business owners who need more than your typical financial support.

• Other directories such as The Educated Birth directory and Queer Doula Network

• 1:1 mentoring with folks like Sabia Wade (BADT’s founder) and Moss Froom, JB Brown, and Britta Bushnell.

• Doula associations that are centered around specific identities or geographical areas, such as National Black Doulas Association. 

• Queer and Trans Wealth: Anti-capitalist personal finance coach offering 1:1 and group services for queer and trans folks.

Join Us in Community

We’d love for you to join us in the BADT community. Sign up for our email list if you’re a birth worker or aspiring birth worker, so you’ll be first to hear about new courses, open enrollment periods, and scholarship opportunities. Let’s learn together!