Real talk, sweet doula… Most of the advice out there about starting a doula business is either overwhelming, outdated, or trying to sell you something you do not actually need (yet). Fancy logos, elaborate websites, booking software, brand photoshoots… none of that is what gets you your first client.
I have supported 1000s of doulas in growing their businesses, I have started and grown 6 figure doula businesses, and I grew the largest doula agency in Toronto. Sooo, I know what I am talking about.
Here is what actually matters when you are starting out, roughly in the order it matters.
Solid training first, everything else second
This is non-negotiable and it comes before everything on this list.
You cannot build a doula business on shaky foundations, and shaky foundations usually come from training that was too short, too cheap, or too thin on the business side of things.
Good doula training should teach you how to support families AND how to run a practice. If yours only briefly covered the clinical stuff and left you figuring out the business part alone, that is a gap worth addressing before you go further.
We talk about this a lot because it matters that much. Please read why cheap trainings are actually more expensive in the long run here. And if you are thinking about a weekend doula training, please read this first as only 10% of folks who take a weekend training actually do any doulaing.
A clear sense of what you are offering as a doula
Before you have a website or a business name or an Instagram page, you need to know what you are actually selling. Are you a birth doula, a postpartum doula, or both? Do you want to do overnight shifts? Are you open to full spectrum work like fertility or loss support?
You do not have to do everything. In fact, starting with a clear, focused offering makes it much easier to explain what you do, which makes it much easier for people to hire you. Confused people do not book.
We suggest that you do not try to be the doula for everyone, pick a problem and a group of folks with that problem and go full steam ahead. Some examples are VBAC specialty or doula for parents expecting Down’s Syndrome babies.
We also suggest don’t have a massive menu of offerings… again, it is overwhelming and people move on to something that is easier.
A doula contract
This is the thing most new doulas skip and absolutely should not. Like ever. Every single service you are offering from birth tub rentals to overnight care needs a contract.
Before you support a single client, you need to have these ready. It does not have to be fancy but it needs to exist. It should cover your scope of services, your fees, your cancellation policy, your backup plan, and what happens if a birth runs long or a postpartum shift needs to be rescheduled.
Clear is kind as Brene Brown says and a contract protects you and it protects your client. It also makes you look professional, which matters when someone is deciding whether to hand you $2000 and invite you into one of the most intimate moments of their life.
If you want done for you contracts, click here.
A price for your doula services
This is where folks can get a bit tripped up. Pick a price that doesn’t undercut your community. Please! Folks are doing this as their career and when you come in low, it shows that doulas can be cheap. It calls into question a living wage for this work. Don’t let your insecurity of being new drive down the values of doulas.
Also, a lot of new doulas avoid setting prices because it feels scary or because they are not sure what they are worth yet. But you cannot have a business without prices and you cannot have sustainable prices if you have not thought them through.
Look at what doulas in your area are charging. Think about your overhead, your time including prenatal meetings and on-call weeks, and what you need to earn to make this work. Also include your education and all the life you have lived to get you to this point of providing these services. Then set a number and practice saying it with confidence so that you are ready when someone asks.
We have a whole breakdown of how to think about postpartum doula pricing specifically here and more on building the business itself here: https://bebomia.com/how-do-i-start-my-own-doula-business/
A backup doula
Before you take a client, you need someone who can cover you if something comes up. This is especially important for birth work where you can be on call for weeks at a stretch. Your backup should be someone you trust, someone who knows your clients are yours, and someone you have an actual agreement with, not just a vague “I’ll call you if I need you” understanding. Yes, again, you need a contract here!
This is also something that should be in your doula contract so clients know the plan from the start.
You need to keep in touch with your backup doula so they know when they are in the wings and are ready if need be. We teach all about this in our full spectrum doula training and our doula business school.
A simple way for people to reach you
You do not need a website right away. You do need an email address that looks professional, ideally something with your business name rather than the Gmail you made in 2009. A simple Google Voice number or a dedicated phone line is helpful too.
A basic Facebook or Instagram page that explains what you do and where you are located is genuinely enough to start getting found locally. Keep it simple and keep it updated.
This is the best $10 you will spend in your business if you want to know if you need social media to get clients. The fast answer is no, so what do you do? Get this and get ready for your business to grow!
Word of mouth infrastructure for your doula business
The single most effective marketing tool for a doula business is people talking about you. So from your very first client, think about how you are going to ask for reviews and testimonials. A simple follow-up message a few weeks after your work together wraps up is all it takes. Most people are happy to share if you make it easy for them.
This is a step by step to grow fast!
What you do not need yet for your doula business
A logo. A website with ten pages. A booking system. A newsletter. Merch. These things can come later and most of them can wait longer than you think.
Start small. Start real. Get a client, do good work, ask for a review, repeat.
Get into your community and have people know about you and your doula business.
If you want support building your doula business in a way that is structured and not overwhelming, our Doula Business School walks you through exactly this: https://bebomia.com/birth-worker-business-school/
And if you want to chat about whether you are ready to start, email us at [email protected]. We love this conversation so much and can’t wait to meet you!
Xoxo
Bianca, founder of bebo mia inc.
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