Savvy New Tip

    Product Review – “File-It Calendar” by Andrea Lythgoe

    For the first five years, my doula business finances were a mess! I was getting plenty of births, but I had no idea if I was making a profit, how much, and when it came to the end of the year, figuring out my expenses for tax time was just awful!

    And then I stumbled on a product that has solved all most of my accounting problems. It’s called the “File-it!” calendar, and I’ve used it for the last five years with great success.

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    What Can You Do Here at Savvy Doula?

    Savvy Doula is a blog for childbirth professionals seeking information that will help them build their birth business. Doulas, Midwives, Lactation Consultants, Pregnancy Massage Therapists, Prenatal Fitness Experts, Childbirth Educators and other professionals who help women during childbearing year will find valuable resources here. Here's a more detailed list of what you will find:

    • Read free articles about business building
    • Subscribe to my free monthly newsletter or RSS Feed
    • Purchase products to help you get organized and jump-start your business
    • Find a variety of links, videos and new information relevant to pregnany, birth or the postpartum period
    • Connect with me one on one to get immediate attention and solve the problems that are unique to your business
    • Advertise your training program, product, or service that supports birth professionals.

    Be Savvy

    You may not believe it, but you ARE business savvy. The first thing you need when starting a business is passion for your field, which I know you already possess. Now you're here, at Savvy Doula, ready to start your practice or take it to the next level.

    Savvy Doula is not about me, its creator. This site is about creating community. My mission is to help the women serve women in birth, and I can do that by connecting people with other people, and people with a variety of resources.

    The savvier you become, the more confidence you'll have to share your wisdom with us, introduce a product for birth pros to the world, and help more women on our planet have gentle, beautiful births.

    But to do that, you need to work on your business. See this as a new adventure, and don't be afraid to ask for help. I'm so glad you're here, sharing your unique gifts with women and families.

Birth Resources

Product Review – “File-It Calendar” by Andrea Lythgoe

Our guest blogger today is doula and childbirth educator Andrea Lythgoe, who owns the valuable website for birth professionals – ...

Resource – Reducing Infant Mortality

A film is being released on July 26th about reducing infant mortality. It will be free to download. They are ...

Birth Pros and Baby Experts Share Top Pregnancy and Birth Books on Twitter & Facebook

Cover via Amazon There are so many books on the market for pregnancy and childbirth, it can make ...

Breastfeeding Resources – Recommended by Twitter and Facebook Friends

Image via Wikipedia Today's question on Facebook and Twitter to birth professionals was: What are your favorite online resources for breastfeeding ...

10 Birth-Related Links Round-Up

Image via Wikipedia Here are 10 interesting links (okay I lied; there are 13) that have been shared ...

Recent Links Shared on Facebook

Image via Wikipedia One of the reasons why I'm enjoying Facebook lately is that with all the birth professionals I'm connected ...

Bookstore Sale at Childbirth Connection

Childbirth Connection has a sale! From the website: [caption id="" align="alignright" width="152" caption="Childbirth Connection pregnancy posters on salhas a sale! From ...

Article – Let Your Inner Comedian Out

Image by auglove5 via Flickr A Facebook friend shared this article from Midwifery Today's website. When appropriate in ...

Resource – Handouts for Childbirth Educators and Doulas

While looking for resources for childbirth educators this morning, I came across a website called "Transition to Parenthood". Janelle Durham ...

Video – Reducing Infant Mortality

Watch this excellent video about infant mortality by Debby Takikawa and Hana Peace Works. From her website: Listen to Obstetricians, Doulas, ...

Teaching Aid – Foam Cervical Dilation Chart

After coming back from CBE training last week, I’ve been looking around for a dilation chart made of foam. So ...

Video – What Happens During an Epidural

Here is an animated video from About.com that illustrates how an epidural is administered. Know of any other resources about ...

Starting Your Biz

Day 20 of Reorganize Your Doula Biz – How Much Money Will You Make In 2009?

For today’s post, I’d like to provide you with a simple tool you can use to estimate how much money you will make and how much money you will spend next year. With this tool, you can forecast your income and expenses and see how much money you will make (or not) in 2009. Why should you do a forecast? First of all, it’s an element of a good business plan. Here are some other benefits:

Getting Organized

Day 19 of Reorganize Your Doula Biz – Business Expenses and Taxable Deductions

For today’s post, I’ll be revisiting an old one I wrote a few months ago regarding business expenses. I thought I’d share a list of deductible expenses today for your business. It’s by no means comprehensive, but maybe there are some items that you haven’t thought of:

Marketing

Increasing Your Earning Potential, Part 3 of 3 – Product Suggestions, by Leanne Palmerston

In the first two parts of this three-part article on increasing your potential income, we looked at how diversification is the key to earning more money. Offering more products will improve your ability to make money. Those extra products should be of two types: additional stand-alone products and value-added services that improve your existing products.

Home Office

Day 14 of Reorganize Your Doula Biz – Books, Handouts and Birth Tools

If you love your birth work, chances are you’ve got lots of books. Lots of them. And what about organizing handouts for clients? Then there are the nifty tools we take to births. Here are a few tips to keep it all straight.

Bringing Up Kids and a Business

Time Management Strategies for Work-Life Balance, Part I

I’d like to talk about creating specific work hours and making the most of that time. I’ll present a couple of questions each day for you to think about how and when you work best. I want you to be as productive as possible when you’re at work so you can enjoy life more when you’re away from the office. For the home business owner, time management is critical for maintaining peace of mind and peace within your family.

Building Connections

Day 4 of Reorganize Your Doula Biz for ‘09 – What Will It Take To Feel The Fire Within?

Stephen Covey says the “essence of these needs is captured in the phrase ‘to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy’.” Explore a new way of looking at self care and how it helps enable you to serve others in the work you do and the life you live.

Business Planning

Day 20 of Reorganize Your Doula Biz – How Much Money Will You Make In 2009?

For today’s post, I’d like to provide you with a simple tool you can use to estimate how much money you will make and how much money you will spend next year. With this tool, you can forecast your income and expenses and see how much money you will make (or not) in 2009. Why should you do a forecast? First of all, it’s an element of a good business plan. Here are some other benefits:

Creating Structure

Day 20 of Reorganize Your Doula Biz – How Much Money Will You Make In 2009?

For today’s post, I’d like to provide you with a simple tool you can use to estimate how much money you will make and how much money you will spend next year. With this tool, you can forecast your income and expenses and see how much money you will make (or not) in 2009. Why should you do a forecast? First of all, it’s an element of a good business plan. Here are some other benefits:

Birth Pros Speak

Product Review – “File-It Calendar” by Andrea Lythgoe

For the first five years, my doula business finances were a mess! I was getting plenty of births, but I had no idea if I was making a profit, how much, and when it came to the end of the year, figuring out my expenses for tax time was just awful!

And then I stumbled on a product that has solved all most of my accounting problems. It’s called the “File-it!” calendar, and I’ve used it for the last five years with great success.