Center for the Childbearing Year is closing—November 2020 Newsletter
| Birth & Postpartum Doulas November 2020 NewsletterView this email in your browser |
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| Birth & Parenting News |
 YOUR DOULA CAREERSTARTS HERE!PATTY BRENNAN’S DOULA BUSINESS GUIDE |
| If I had imagined the day when … I would be closing the Center for the Childbearing Year–home to Lifespan Doulas, The Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor, New Moon Midwifery and Ann Arbor Doulas–it would not have looked like this. There would have been a party, and you would have been invited–a big party to celebrate 21 years of success in our collective space. Sadly, that is not possible in 2020. And so, the Center closed its doors at the end of October with a private blessing of thanksgiving. All business remain open. Lifespan Doulas is thriving. We will continue to offer top-quality Birth, Postpartum and End-of-Life Doula training online. The Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor has moved to a new office space. New Moon Midwifery and Ann Arbor Doulas are adapting their practices, working from home (at least for now), as has happened in so many industries. Thank you. I feel especially grateful for every person who came to the Center for classes, training or professional networking over the years. Without you, there would never have been such a place. Feel free to reach out to me, patty@LifespanDoulas.com.  What are the pros & cons of the various doula business models? It can be very confusing when you are just starting out. Should I work as a sole proprietor, on my own? Or would it be best to join (or start) a doula collective? Partnership may sound appealing (sharing on-call and overall workload) but is there a downside? What about working for a doula agency? Which choice is right? What if I choose the wrong path?My advice? Relax! Everyone has to start somewhere and the reality is, we are all making it up as we go along. Doula businesses evolve over time. Check out the chart below, excerpted from my book, The Doula Business Guide Workbook: Tools for Creating a Thriving Practice, 3rd Edition (2019). It is designed to help you think critically about these different business models and where you might find your best fit. (And, if your initial choice doesn’t pan out beautifully, it really is not a big deal to switch business models.) Comparison of Doula Business Models Chart (PDF). Or, sign up for my upcoming Doula Business Development Workshop on December 12 and learn more about how to be a small business owner (PDF of the entire Workbook is included in registration fee).Now is your time! Become a Doula …  We currently have spots available in all upcoming trainings and our 2021 training dates are posted on the website. See our Doula Business Builder Deluxe Training Package and save money if you are interested in both birth and postpartum doula training.DONA Birth Doula Workshops (December 4-6)Breastfeeding Basics for Doulas (December 3)DONA Postpartum Doula Workshop (November 12-15)Doula Business Development Workshop (December 12)End-of-Life Doula Training (self-paced + 2021 training dates)All trainings are live online on Zoom, Eastern Standard Time. Payment plans available.  Do you have questions about becoming a doula?We have answers! Join Patty Brennan for a live FREE webinar on Tuesday, December 1st at 7:30pm (EST). Pre-registration is required. Top 5 Questions about Becoming a Doula.Winter is coming and the video screens are consuming us. Do you need help staying active and fit (kids and adults)? Gym on the Park is my son Terry’s personal training business near downtown Ann Arbor. I am making an exception here to (shamelessly) promote his business because I think he might be a good match for you and/or your family. Terry is a motivator and great role model, beyond mere physical training, with many years’ experience teaching kids. Meet Terry in this short video. Contact Terry through his Facebook page if you are interested. And he has a special offer if you mention my name.  Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! |
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