Why real-life connection might be one of the most underrated ways to build a sustainable doula business.
What if one of the best things you could do for your doula business had nothing to do with marketing, strategy, social media or even AI?
I recorded this quickie episode in real time as I was getting ready for one of my favorite weeks of the entire year: the Maine Doula Business Retreat.
And while thinking about why I love bringing a small group of doulas together in a big house on the coast of Maine for five days, I realized something:
There are some things you simply cannot replicate on Zoom. And you definitely can't get them from ChatGPT.
Yes, I love a good business strategy. And yes, I think AI can be an incredible tool for your business.
But there is something powerful that happens when you spend real, uninterrupted time with people who get it.
It's the conversation over coffee in the morning.
It's the business idea that comes up while you're walking to the lighthouse.
It's sitting on the rocks with another doula and realizing she understands exactly what you're going through.
It's laughing around the dinner table, talking around the campfire, and having the kinds of conversations you could never schedule into a 60-minute Zoom call.
And I think part of what we're really experiencing in those moments is oxytocin.
Doulas give so much of themselves to other people. But we need to intentionally create lives and businesses that replenish us, too.
In this quick, unpolished episode, I'm talking about:
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Why I intentionally make the Maine Doula Business Retreat FIVE days long
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What happens when doulas spend multiple days together instead of an hour on Zoom
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Why some of the most valuable "business coaching" at a retreat isn't planned at all
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What AI and ChatGPT can help you with—and what they simply can't replace
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Why connection, fun, rest, and community aren't distractions from growing your business
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Simple ways to create little "drips of oxytocin" in your everyday life
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Why filling your own cup can actually make you better at your work and your business
And no, you don't have to fly to Maine or attend a business retreat to do this. But let me know if ya want to! ;-)
Maybe it's a girls' weekend.
Maybe it's coffee with your doula bestie.
Maybe it's joining a book club, taking up square dancing, starting a knitting circle, sitting outside with your coffee, or texting five people you love just because you're thinking about them.
The bigger question I want you to ask yourself is:
What are you intentionally building into your life that replenishes YOU?
Because maybe the low-key way to build a better, more sustainable doula business isn't another strategy.
Maybe it's more oxytocin.
And if you've ever dreamed about joining me at the Maine Doula Business Retreat, follow along on Instagram this week. I'll be sharing plenty of behind-the-scenes peeks at what happens when a group of doulas from My Doula Village spend five days living, learning, resting, laughing, brainstorming, and dreaming together on the coast of Maine.
