Someone asked Darcy on Instagram how doulas can be incorporating CEO days their doula business.   Darcy, who prefers the term 'Island days' over 'CEO days,' shares her personal strategies for maintaining a balance between work and relaxation.   She shares the importance of taking time to work ON your business rather than just IN it. Whether through designated weekly hours, full days off, or attending business retreats, Darcy emphasizes the value of stepping out of your routine to spark creativity and achieve business growth.   00:25 What is a CEO Day? 01:22 Introducing Island Days 02:12 The Importance of Taking Breaks 05:31 Business Retreats and Their Benefits 07:25 Practical Tips for Scheduling CEO Time 11:04 The Value of Community and Networking 18:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts   Join My Doula Village — Get in on the next Maine Doula Retreat!  https://douladarcy.com/my-doula-village   DM me on Instagram @TheDoulaDarcy and let me know you listened to this episode. https://www.instagram.com/thedouladarcy/

Want to meet the Business Coach Behind the The Doula Business Coach? 

What happens when your business coach becomes one of your strongest cheerleaders and biggest expanders? In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain and inviting you into a very personal (and often hilarious) conversation with my business coach of three years, the incredible Amber Lilyestrom.

Amber isn’t just a business coach & brand strategist. She’s a poet, a mom, and a professional crazy cat lady (yes, we explain). She’s also the reason I’ve taken my doula coaching business to the next level. Together, we talk about designing businesses around the lives we actually want to live and the importance of being brave enough to want what you really want.

If you're a doula looking for permission to create a business that truly fits your life (and not the other way around), this episode is your green light. Amber and I get real about money mindset, “right-sized” businesses, and the inner work that makes outer success possible.

✨ Bonus: We also share the behind-the-scenes story of a ridiculous, stormy, cat-filled, Taylor Swift inspired Reel we filmed together - because business should be fun.

This episode is for you if:

• You’re a doula who knows there’s a next level waiting for you

• You want to get paid for being yourself and doing what you’re naturally good at

• You crave deep, authentic mentorship that goes beyond strategy

• You want to build a business that fuels your whole life—not just your bank account

🎧 Tune in and hear why our quirky, soul-sister dynamic might just be the spark you need to fall back in love with your business (or finally go all in).

 

 

Find Amber at: https://amberlilyestrom.com

Amber's Podcast - Homeward with Amber Lilyestrom

https://amberlilyestrom.com/podcast

Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amberlilyestrom/

The only way to keep serving families without burning out is to design a business that earns you money even when you’re not on call.

I see it all the time. Doulas pour their whole hearts into their clients, only to realize their business only works if they are physically working.

If you’re on call 24/7… If you feel guilty every time you block off a weekend… If your bank account feels just as drained as you do…

That’s not freedom. That’s a business model that’s running you.

The truth? You can’t sustain this pace without sacrificing your health, your relationships, or your passion for birth work.

The good news? There’s another way. And it starts with creating income streams that work while you rest.

You don't want to miss this episode of The Doula Darcy Podcast.

 

 

You don’t need a huge advertising budget to attract dream doula clients. In fact, you can build a thriving doula business for free (well, almost). In this episode, I share the only investment I believe every doula must make, plus the three free marketing strategies that will keep your client list full for years to come.

I also get real about the importance of showing up - online, in your community, and in your client work - so you can grow your business without wasting money.

 

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The only marketing expense I recommend when starting your doula business.

• Why your website is your 24/7 client-attracting employee.

• How to use networking to grow your reputation.

• The role social media plays in connecting you with dream clients - and why you need to stop complaining about it.

• The #1 free marketing tool you already have but may be overlooking.

Links and Resources:

•  Get a Doula Website Template — SEO-friendly, easy-to-customize, and designed specifically for doulas.

•  Join My Doula Village — Get my personal website audit, SEO trainings, and a community of growth-focused doulas.

• 📩 DM me on Instagram @TheDoulaDarcy and let me know you listened to this episode.

Postpartum doulas often equate their value with how much they do—laundry folded, dishes washed, bottles sterilized. But what if the most meaningful support has nothing to do with physical tasks? In this episode, Darcy challenges the productivity myth and highlights the profound impact of simply being present, listening, and validating a new mom's experience.

What You'll Learn:

• Why postpartum doulas often undervalue emotional support

• How our culture ties self-worth to productivity—and how to unlearn it

• Real client stories that prove presence > performance

• How to ask the right questions to uncover your client's real needs

• Why virtual postpartum doula services can be just as impactful

Whether you're a seasoned doula or just getting started, this episode is your reminder that sometimes the most powerful support you can offer is simply showing up with love and presence.

📩 Questions or thoughts? DM me on Instagram or email me at [email protected].  Join the conversation in my free Facebook group: The Doula Marketing Group.

What should you actually bring and set up at your table if you're exhibiting at a Baby Expo, Baby Fair, or community event?

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering how to stand out in a room full of vendors (without spending a fortune), this episode is your must-listen guide. I’m sharing lessons from my years producing mom and baby expos across New England. Plus - the exact strategies I’ve seen work (and flop) when it comes to turning a six-foot table into a client-magnet.

 

What you’ll learn:

The one mistake that guarantees you’ll go home with zero leads

10 practical tips for standing out at baby fairs (without a fancy setup)

How to use these events to grow your email list and referral network

Why your energy and body language matter more than your handouts

Creative, low-cost ideas that actually get expecting families to stop at your booth

 

Plus, a reminder that YOU are invited to join us at the Birth Worker Retreat in Clearwater, Florida, happening January 20–22, 2026! Sun, community, and business growth—what could be better? 🎟️ Get retreat details: thebirthworkerretreat.com 📲

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedouladarcy

Please don't forget to like and subscribe to The Doula Darcy Podcast

Darcy explains the number one mistake sleep consultants and doulas make when trying to attract clients.

Simply posting on Instagram and relying on cute Canva content won't bring clients rolling in.

Instead, building a strong marketing foundation with a lead generation funnel and effective systems is crucial.

Learn about the importance of turning strangers into followers, followers into leads, and leads into clients.

Darcy also introduces a new 90-day accelerator program aimed at helping sleep consultants earn $10,000 a month by implementing effective marketing strategies.

Apply here: https://douladarcy.com/90-days-to-10k-months-for-sleep-consultants-apply

Tune in to discover how to stop hustling for likes and start getting booked with clients who are eager to work with you.

 

Follow The Doula Darcy on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/thedouladarcy/

Meet Darcy Sauers | Doula Business & Marketing Coach The Doula Darcy (a.k.a Darcy Sauers) is a Doula Business Coach & Marketing Strategist who combines her unique background: 10 years in advertising and 15 years as a postpartum doula to help other doulas & sleep consultants build thriving businesses.

The Doula Darcy worked for 10 years in the advertising and marketing field before having 3 children and then becoming a postpartum doula in 2010. She attributes her background in marketing to her success at building a thriving postpartum doula business in a small town in New Hampshire. Now she loves sharing her industry expertise with other doulas. The Doula Darcy is the founder of the My Doula Village, a monthly membership community which helps doulas with the marketing side of being a doula so that they can get more clients. The Doula Darcy also works 1:1 with doulas and sleep consultants who are ready to scale their business to serve more people, earn more impact and work less hours.

In today’s episode, Darcy gets into one of the most debated business topics: Should you niche down? Spoiler alert — yes, and here’s why. I share real-life examples from my doula business and insights from working with sleep consultants to show how narrowing your focus actually makes it easier to get hired.

You'll learn:

• Why clarity in your offer leads to more clients

• How I became the go-to C-section postpartum doula

• The massive opportunity sleep consultants have right now

• How to identify your "magic piece" of work that lights you up

• Why niching doesn’t mean you have to give up the parts you love

✨ Want help uncovering your niche and building a business around it? Let's chat 1-on-1. This is my zone of genius — helping doulas and sleep consultants create simple, profitable business plans based on what they love most. Book a Breakthrough Call with Darcy here.

Free Workshop: “3 Free Ways to Market Your Sleep Consulting Business” 

 

Connect with The Doula Darcy on Instagram

 

If you found this episode helpful, make sure to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more birth workers grow thriving, sustainable businesses.

Today I'm joined by Julia Riddle, founder of Doula Design Co., a former postpartum doula turned SEO and website expert. Julia breaks down the mystery of SEO into tangible, accessible strategies specifically tailored for doulas.

If you feel overwhelmed by the tech side of your doula website, this episode is going to be so helpful.

What We Cover:

• What SEO really is and why it's not as scary as it seems

• Why doulas can’t afford to ignore SEO in today’s digital landscape

• How your website can act as your best employee—working 24/7 to bring in clients

• Key SEO concepts explained in simple terms (like you’re in 5th grade!)

• The two most important SEO fixes doulas should focus on now

• Julia’s journey from doula to digital expert and how she’s supporting others

• Special offer: Get 10% off an SEO audit from Julia with the mention of this podcast

Connect with Julia: Website: doula design co.com Instagram: @douladesignco

Bonus for Listeners: Mention "The Doula Darcy" to get 10% off your SEO audit with Julia!

 

Connect with Darcy: Website: https://douladarcy.com

Instagram: @thedouladarcy

Get one of Darcy's Doula Website Templates: https://douladarcy.com/doula-website-template

In this episode, Darcy welcomes Alix Myers, a birth and postpartum doula from Montreal with a powerful passion for neurodivergent advocacy. Together, they explore the unique needs of neurodivergent birthing people and how doulas can adjust their practices to be more inclusive, neuro-affirming, and trauma-informed.

Alex shares the reasons why it’s so critical that doulas understand the spectrum of neurodivergence—including ADHD, autism, OCD, and sensory sensitivities. She offers practical strategies for building inclusive intake forms, creating sensory-friendly environments, and understanding unique communication styles during birth.

This episode is full of insight, inspiration, and deeply human takeaways that will help doulas expand their care, prepare clients more effectively, and advocate powerfully at births and beyond.

What We Talk About:

• What neurodivergence is and why it's crucial to understand in perinatal care

• How doulas can create more inclusive intake forms and birth plans

• Supporting neurodivergent communication and sensory needs during labor

• How undiagnosed neurodivergence may intersect with perinatal mental health

• Preparing neurodivergent families for the postpartum period

• Why “neuro-affirming” care benefits all clients—not just neurodivergent ones

Resources Mentioned:

• Alix’s Birth Planning Bundle for Neurodivergent Families: Love Tenderly Website

• Follow Alix on Instagram: @lovetender.ly_doula