Seed to sprout
BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT
Check out Katie’s story on how she built a doula training empire with Soul Seed Academy. Katie started as a doula in 2017 but when supported with the right tools and community, she built a training curriculum that is unmatched in the market today.
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What could YOU build with the right community?
Most doulas burn out at 18 months. If you’re lucky, you make it to 5 years before you’re done. Birth is never exactly how you want it to be every time. That’s the hard lesson Katie learned while caring for women all over Utah county. While working as a doula, she experienced the most beautiful joys and the most painful sorrows. She saw how birth work requires emotional connection, support and energy. She learned that if you don’t have strong unwavering boundaries, you lose your ability to serve and function. Those who need you most, watch as you wither away giving more than you can.
Katie knew that if most doulas are closing shop at their 5 year mark, the valuable knowledge and skills that those doulas built through hard-work and experience, are lost. Katie saw that what the world needs now is career-based doulas. She came to Soul Seed Academy with a dream of building strong sustainable doulas with the power to out-live and out-last anything their work or their world had to throw at them.
We had the incredible opportunity to interview Katie and hear more about how she got started. We also talked about how she built Doula Magic as a way for doulas to find their power and learn how to set healthy, emotionally protective boundaries with clients. You can learn more about what Katie does at DoulaMagic.com
Question 1
Tell us a little bit about you. Where are you from?
I grew up in Utah. I did live abroad in Germany for about 9 years. I moved back to Utah about 5 years ago which is when I started my first business. I now own two businesses: the doula business called Freya Birth and Doula Magic which I built with Soul Seed Academy. My passions are my work and my kids.
Tell us a little bit about you. Where are you from?
I grew up in Utah. I did live abroad in Germany for about 9 years. I moved back to Utah about 5 years ago which is when I started my first business. I now own two businesses: the doula business called Freya Birth and Doula Magic which I built with Soul Seed Academy. My passions are my work and my kids.
Question 2
Why do you do what you do? What motivates you?
I love seeing people have positive experiences that change their mind or beliefs about something, whether it's birth or their work. People grow up knowing what a women should be and what she should look like. I love showing people that they don't have to do that. I love teaching people how to look at what they "have to be doing" and decide if it's actually what they want to be doing. I believe that people should be allowed and encouraged to do the things that resonate with them. They don't have to continue to be or do what they are "supposed" to be or do. That's why I love working with doulas and births. Your birth can be whatever you want it to be, what ever feesl good. You don't have to do what others are doing?
Why do you do what you do? What motivates you?
I love seeing people have positive experiences that change their mind or beliefs about something, whether it's birth or their work. People grow up knowing what a women should be and what she should look like. I love showing people that they don't have to do that. I love teaching people how to look at what they "have to be doing" and decide if it's actually what they want to be doing. I believe that people should be allowed and encouraged to do the things that resonate with them. They don't have to continue to be or do what they are "supposed" to be or do. That's why I love working with doulas and births. Your birth can be whatever you want it to be, what ever feesl good. You don't have to do what others are doing?
Question 3
Where did your passion come from?
Living abroad really made a big difference for me. Living in a new country really challenges your view of the world. It gave me an opportunity to look at what they do and what I valued. It gave me the space to question the way I was raised because you are faced with this different culture. I used to get offended if someone would make fun of Americans or something like that but then I really started to see and value the way they do things. It helped me see what I could let go of. My birth experiences have taught me similar values. Individuality has always been so important to me. I never needed to be popular or anything like that. Germany and birth really helped me decide to choose what was best for me and stick to it. Motherhood also helped me decide what was most important to me. If you try to be the kind of mom that society demands you to be, you are going to get worn out. You are going to be so tired.
Where did your passion come from?
Living abroad really made a big difference for me. Living in a new country really challenges your view of the world. It gave me an opportunity to look at what they do and what I valued. It gave me the space to question the way I was raised because you are faced with this different culture. I used to get offended if someone would make fun of Americans or something like that but then I really started to see and value the way they do things. It helped me see what I could let go of. My birth experiences have taught me similar values. Individuality has always been so important to me. I never needed to be popular or anything like that. Germany and birth really helped me decide to choose what was best for me and stick to it. Motherhood also helped me decide what was most important to me. If you try to be the kind of mom that society demands you to be, you are going to get worn out. You are going to be so tired.
Question 4
What did you build in Soul Seed Academy?
The biggest thing I built with Soul Seed is accountability and structure. I no longer just have this idea of a thing. I now have a thing in my hands. Soul Seed helped me make my dream into a thing, something tangible in reality. I am creating a website and a program for doulas to help them differentiate themselves. To step into their power and have all of the tools they need to work through the emotions of their work. Lots of people don't know how to define their role and set good boundaries. Doulas need help working with the trauma and the emotions that come with birth. I was talking with my therapist recently and she reminded me that doulas are interesting and rare because they don't just talk about trauma with their clients. They actually reenter trauma space with them as a guide. Because of this they need to have a clear idea about what their responsibility is and what their role is to make their work sustainable emotionally. The big milestones for doulas are at 18 months and 5 years. Most doulas will quit their business at these two points. If you quit at 18 months it's usually because doula work was not what you expected. Most doulas will quit at 5 years because they are burnt out and they are emotionally drained.
What did you build in Soul Seed Academy?
The biggest thing I built with Soul Seed is accountability and structure. I no longer just have this idea of a thing. I now have a thing in my hands. Soul Seed helped me make my dream into a thing, something tangible in reality. I am creating a website and a program for doulas to help them differentiate themselves. To step into their power and have all of the tools they need to work through the emotions of their work. Lots of people don't know how to define their role and set good boundaries. Doulas need help working with the trauma and the emotions that come with birth. I was talking with my therapist recently and she reminded me that doulas are interesting and rare because they don't just talk about trauma with their clients. They actually reenter trauma space with them as a guide. Because of this they need to have a clear idea about what their responsibility is and what their role is to make their work sustainable emotionally. The big milestones for doulas are at 18 months and 5 years. Most doulas will quit their business at these two points. If you quit at 18 months it's usually because doula work was not what you expected. Most doulas will quit at 5 years because they are burnt out and they are emotionally drained.
Question 5
Tell us about your business.
How does it work?
While some things are still being ironed out. We do have a personality test that we share with doulas to help them learn more about who they serve best. It's a way for them to no-longer feel like they have to do all of the things. We also have plans to build online courses as well as a coaching program. Right now, we are hosting multiple doula retreats and I also work one-on-one with doulas. They come and shadow me during births and I show them how to apply boundaries in the moment.
Tell us about your business.
How does it work?
While some things are still being ironed out. We do have a personality test that we share with doulas to help them learn more about who they serve best. It's a way for them to no-longer feel like they have to do all of the things. We also have plans to build online courses as well as a coaching program. Right now, we are hosting multiple doula retreats and I also work one-on-one with doulas. They come and shadow me during births and I show them how to apply boundaries in the moment.
Question 6
What has been the hardest part of your journey so far?
So far the hardest thing about my journey has been burnout. I am learning how to have a work-life balance. I have struggled with wanting to be an ambitious women and also wanting to be there for my kids. I am constantly fighting the belief that if I want to work for my businesses then I am cheating my kids. Overcoming that has been hard but also a wonderful journey. I have had some really traumatic births recently and it's hard to learn how to take care of yourself and your emotions. Learning how to rest and slow down is a challenge. Also, I'm learning how to charge what I am worth. Boundaries are beautiful. They make a space for reciprocation. When you start a service business, you think that this is just me giving and the reciprocation is only money. However, I am learning that I need reciprocation in both energy and money. A good balance where there is enough returning as I am giving.
What has been the hardest part of your journey so far?
So far the hardest thing about my journey has been burnout. I am learning how to have a work-life balance. I have struggled with wanting to be an ambitious women and also wanting to be there for my kids. I am constantly fighting the belief that if I want to work for my businesses then I am cheating my kids. Overcoming that has been hard but also a wonderful journey. I have had some really traumatic births recently and it's hard to learn how to take care of yourself and your emotions. Learning how to rest and slow down is a challenge. Also, I'm learning how to charge what I am worth. Boundaries are beautiful. They make a space for reciprocation. When you start a service business, you think that this is just me giving and the reciprocation is only money. However, I am learning that I need reciprocation in both energy and money. A good balance where there is enough returning as I am giving.
Question 7
What does healing the world look like to you?
I think healing the world means removing judgement. It means creating a space where people can really value and accept each other. To look at how each person is choosing how to be and do and grow and believe without judgement. To see them and believe that that is good. Even if it is different then what you choose to do. Let other people enjoy what they are doing. If we could let all of those societal expectations go, we would all breath easier and feel better about the way were living our lives. It would just be easier to just choose what feels good.
What does healing the world look like to you?
I think healing the world means removing judgement. It means creating a space where people can really value and accept each other. To look at how each person is choosing how to be and do and grow and believe without judgement. To see them and believe that that is good. Even if it is different then what you choose to do. Let other people enjoy what they are doing. If we could let all of those societal expectations go, we would all breath easier and feel better about the way were living our lives. It would just be easier to just choose what feels good.
Question 8
Any last-minute thoughts?
I actually have a few events coming up. On September 10th we are having a workshop for navigating trauma in Sandy UT. Then on October 20-22, we will have our birth business retreat in Provo.
If you'd like more about the retreat, check out this link:
Birth Business Breakthrough Retreat (soulseedacademy.com)
If you'd like more about the retreat, check out this link:
Birth Business Breakthrough Retreat (soulseedacademy.com)
Any last-minute thoughts?
I actually have a few events coming up. On September 10th we are having a workshop for navigating trauma in Sandy UT. Then on October 20-22, we will have our birth business retreat in Provo.
If you'd like more about the retreat, check out this link:
Birth Business Breakthrough Retreat (soulseedacademy.com)
If you'd like more about the retreat, check out this link:
Birth Business Breakthrough Retreat (soulseedacademy.com)
