825: Creating a Sustainable Future Without Trading Time for Money

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2:02Money's not going to take you to the next level time is. And so that's where it's like, we've got to shift that mindset. Cause I think for so many of us, it's like, we're trading time for money. You hit a threshold and you're like, wait, wait, wait. I'm at a point in my life where I would pay money to get back my time. This is a signifier that like, I just need to prioritize time. I'm Jenna Kutcher, your host of the Gold Digger podcast. I escaped the corporate world at the age of 23 with nothing more than a$300 camera from Craigslist and a dream. Now I'm running a seven figure online business that feels even better than it looks all from my house in small town, Minnesota with my family.

2:40Here we value time as our currency. We mix the woo and the work, and we are in the pursuit of building businesses that give us the freedom to live lives that we love. I've always loved turning big goals into reality, and I'm here to help you do the same. This isn't just a peek behind the curtain. Come along with me and my guests as we tear the whole curtain down. Every week we tackle practical, no-fluff marketing strategies and host honest discussions on what works and what doesn't. Join me and my expert guests for actionable insights to help you grow your dream business with confidence. Pull up a seat and get ready to be challenged, inspired, and empowered.

3:20This is the Gold Digger Podcast. Have you ever felt stuck in the cycle of trading time for money wondering how you can scale your business without burning out? Well, let me tell you, you are not alone. Today we are tackling that and so much more in this coaching session with Emily Gardner Peterson, a birth and postpartum doula who has been serving families in Birmingham for almost a decade. Emily is an incredible doula, a mom of two, and now she's exploring ways to transition from a hands-on service model into creating more sustainable income streams like digital products, courses, or maybe even a podcast.

3:57In our session, she asked thoughtful questions about imposter syndrome, making money, setting goals, and figuring out which income avenues to prioritize as she grows her business. If you are someone looking to build a life that works for you without sacrificing your time. Keep on listening because this episode is absolutely packed with insights to help you scale and think in a different way. Emily, welcome to the Gold Digger podcast. When all your marketing team does is put out fires, well, they burn out and they burn out fast. Can you relate? Sifting through leads, creating content for infinite channels, endlessly searching for performance KPIs, it all takes a toll on our productivity and our mental health.

4:39But with HubSpot, you can stop burnout in its tracks. Plus, your team can achieve their best results without ever breaking a sweat. With HubSpot's collection of AI tools, Breeze, you can pinpoint the best leads possible, capture prospects' attention with click-worthy content, and access all your company's data in one place. No sifting through multiple tabs necessary. It is all waiting for your team in HubSpot. Keep your marketers cool and make your campaign results hotter than ever. Visit HubSpot.com slash marketers to learn more. That's HubSpot.com slash marketers. All right, we are back with another coaching episode with one of our amazing Gold Digger podcast listeners.

5:21Hello, hello, Emily. Welcome to the podcast. Hi, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. Like I'm thrilled and honored. I'm so excited. We loved your story. And I actually recently shared this on a podcast episode, but somebody asked if I wasn't doing what I currently do, what would I love to do? And I said that I would love to be a doula and a birth photographer. I just think childbirth is a miracle and I am obsessed and I love every bit of it. I thought I was going to go into medicine. So the medical side of things does not bother me at all. I think it's fascinating. So you are like living one of my dreams, which leads me to ask you, tell me a little bit about you and what you do, and then we'll dive on into the questions you've got.

6:04Oh my gosh. I love, I love that you are interested in this too. Cause like it is definitely my niche thing that I could talk about forever. So I got interested in birth work, like a lot of birth workers after the birth of my first child. Now you don't have to have kids to be a doula. But a lot of times like you have that personal experience and then you're like, huh, I feel like that is different than I thought it would be. Or I feel like I would like it to be different the next time. And that was very much my case. I always say like the birth of my first son wasn't traumatic for me or anything, but like, I just, we got done and I was like, I felt like I wasn't like the boss of that experience.

6:46Everyone was just kind of like telling me what to do. And So like that just felt weird to me. And we have a program in Birmingham where I'm from that will, it's a nonprofit that will allow you to train as a birth doula if you then volunteer to serve clients. And that's kind of like your payment for your training. And so that is what I did to get started. And that was 12 years ago. My first son, I think had just turned two. So I have been doing this work as a birth doula for about 12 years. I had another child, very different experience. It was like empowering for me 11 years ago. And then I also started doing postpartum doula work as well a few years ago.

7:31So yeah, most of the time I have done it just kind of like piecemeal here and there, but the last four years-ish, I would say like around COVID, it really kind of like became clear to me that like, I could make this my career. Like I could, this could be the thing I do and not just like, oh, sometimes I do that. And so I've been like trying to do it full-time, trying to like expand offerings, expand what I do and really like make it into a career. Yeah. I love that. Oh my gosh. I love that. Okay. So what are some of the questions? Let's dive in and we'll go back and forth. This is going to be awesome.

8:10Okay. So my first question is how do you overcome imposter syndrome as a business owner? So like I am someone who like, I struggle with imposter syndrome anyway, but I've been doing the actual work for so long that I feel pretty like confident in that. Like, I feel like I am providing the service that is asked of me, but when it comes to like being like, I have a business and these are, is this what business people do? I don't know. But, but those kinds of like, I have no background in that. I, you know, read and listen to podcasts and all those things, but like, that is a big insecurity. You know, what's so interesting is when you were bringing this up, I remember the first time I actually told someone I was a photographer and said it like as a statement and not like with a question mark, right?

9:03Like, it's almost like I'm a photographer. And I was at the dentist, so I don't even know how I got it out with her hands in my mouth. I think I couldn't say anything else because she was working on my teeth. But I remember those feelings. And one thing that I think often is that it's not necessarily feeling like an imposter. It's wanting to be understood. And I think that a lot of our hesitation comes from what we think people are perceiving when we share about our business. and for a lot of times, it's like people treat us like it's like a little hobby, right? Like, oh, you're cute little hobby over there.

9:39And that could either be the reality or our perception of the reality. And so I actually don't think you're an imposter. I think you know what you're capable of, but I think you might be thinking more about what do people perceive this as? Do you agree or disagree? Because it could go either way. No, I think that that's absolutely fair. I think I do that. I assume that people don't take me seriously or don't assume the best. And that's not a good thing to do. It's well, and it's, it's interesting because I guess I've never even thought of it that way, but as you were saying it, I was like, man, a lot of times it's on us to express it and then release it and just say what we do and let people think if they think it's like a little tiny hobby, great.

10:26If they think it's an empire, great. It's not up to us to help them understand if they don't want to understand. And I think that the imposter feelings come in when we're trying to make people understand that don't care to understand. And so I feel like it's almost releasing the expectation that somebody understands what your business is and the amazing service you provide and the help that you give in your community and all of these things and releasing that and just making a statement that this is what I do. And I think often we, especially as women are so quick to belittle our life's work and make it sound small or make it sound like a hobby.

11:03And so I think it's on us to give definitive statements. And if people are curious to learn more, they'll ask the next question. And if not, we just have to release it. Yeah, I think that's really good advice. And like, it's funny along those same lines, because I kind of feel like the reason I am trying to like move forward in like a business sense and more like a professional sense is because of like other doulas too. Like if I belittle or like what I do, then I'm also like belittling what they do, you know? And like, I want us to be able to like have this line of work as a sustainable way to support our families and everything.

11:49Like a lot of people are kind of like me where, you know, we, you're interested when your kids are little and maybe you like do it a little bit, but you're like, this is hard. It's hard to be on call. It's hard to be gone for long periods of time. And so then they're more in it for a season, which is totally fine. Like if that's, but I want it to be an option, you know, that you can stay in it for the longterm. Cause I think that benefits everyone kind of speaking of this like a side question, it is like a little bit taboo in like the birth work community to talk about money or like express like wanting to support yourself.

12:30I don't know, which sounds kind of crazy, but like it really is. And I think a lot of those things probably surround like patriarchy and women's work definitions and stuff like that. But that is another thing that I'm like struggling through is being able to like, be proud of and say, like, from a business perspective, you know, I don't know if that's like imposter syndrome, but it is a thing I'm struggling with. This podcast is brought to you by Mercury, banking that helps entrepreneurs do more with their money. Okay, I remember in the early days of my entrepreneurship journey, clients would literally mail me checks, and then I would have to drive all the way to the bank to deposit them.

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13:48Visit mercury.com to apply in minutes. Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. For important details, check the show notes. You know, I only share stuff I'm genuinely obsessed with. And so when I kept seeing Bowling Branch sheets all over Instagram, I was like, okay, are these actually worth the hype? Drew and I have been using their sheets and duvets for over a year now and honestly our bedroom feels like a completely different space. The moment you touch these sheets you'll get it. They're incredibly soft to start but they literally get softer every time you wash them. They're made from 100 % organic cotton so they're super durable and they're breathable which is perfect for piling on cozy layers without turning into a furnace at 2am.

14:32This is hands down the best bedding I've slept on and I'm so genuinely excited for you to try it. Start building your sanctuary of comfort this fall with Bowl & Branch. For a limited time, get 20 % off your first set of sheets plus free shipping at bowlandbranch.com slash golddigger. That's bowlandbranch, B-O-L-L-A-N-D branch.com slash golddigger to save 20 % and unlock free shipping. Exclusions apply. Well, I think money is so uncomfortable for so many of us, especially to when you're offering such a life changing service and women will have to go through birth, whether they work with you or not.

15:12Right. So this is an experience that is going to unfold with or without you. And so you are kind of in a premium position of like, this is why it's worth it. So you almost feel like you're having to convince people of the worth of your service and sell yourself in a different way, right? We can see commodities versus things that just feel exclusive. And so I think it's interesting. But what's so powerful and what I think of often is when we charge what we're worth, we show up in a different way. And let me give an example and we'll tie it back together because I know photography is very different than being a doula, but this will all make sense.

15:55I remember when I was first starting out, I had so many friends and family members who would ask me for a discount. And I just was so uncomfortable at talking with money that I would basically take whatever somebody paid me. But what I noticed is like when people weren't paying me full price or what I thought I was worth, I wasn't excited about the job. I wasn't showing up like I am going to over deliver. This is the best thing. This is totally worth my time. And so very early on, I either said, I'm doing this entirely for free and I am in charge of the experience and what I offer, or you are paying the full price and you will get the full experience promised.

16:34And I feel like when we're starting our business, a lot of times we'll almost go to people like, what's your budget? And I'll work with you on that. But we almost feel slighted or undervalued, which doesn't necessarily change how we show up because a lot of us are achievers. We're perfectionists. We're going to do our best no matter what. But there is something in us that feels like this wasn't enough or this wasn't worth it for me. And knowing the high burnout rate in doulas, I almost expect that that is somewhat happening where the doulas are thinking this wasn't worth the time away from my family.

17:09This wasn't worth the time being on call. Like I can't make this work. And so you're actually doing a disservice to your clients and yourself when you're not charging what you're worth, because you're not showing up in the way that is like, here is the full experience and I'm going to deliver this and I'm going to over deliver. And it's going to be absolutely worth every penny. And when you charge that full rate, it gives you more time and opportunities to do things for free as well. Right. Cause I know that's also in your heart. And so it's interesting because I think a lot of times we think like, well, if we meet in the middle, that will be better for everyone.

17:46And I would argue it's not because then you are spread too thin to even have any bandwidth to do things for other people for free. And so I would say in this scenario, it's like, you've got to set your rates, believe in them and then really enforce them. And that way, every job you're showing up to, you're like, this is actually worth it. This is a hundred percent worth it. It is worth my time. You change your demeanor around your own family because you know, it's worth it. It alleviates some of those things like mom guilt that we all feel right when we're away from our kids, because you understand the worth of it.

18:22So what is that? Does that help at all? Absolutely. And I've really been trying to think about it in terms of like what you said about, you know, if you are paid your worth or like just taken care of, like you were just able to feel taken care of, you know, financially, then it does free you up to do things for free. And so I think that is also another thing that's kind of like helped me when thinking about like this work and money and stuff, because yeah, like you can't, yeah, burnout. I mean, it's just like you said, you can't keep giving and giving and it's going to fall apart. I am not going to be able to handle it.

19:00My family won't be able to handle it, but like, I know others won't either, you know? And so that is definitely one of the things that, that I've been thinking about. And then along those kinds of lines to kind of leads me to a question of, so I am currently trying to like diversify my income streams, but still within birth work, like this is what I am, feel passionately about and want to do. But I also like, it's kind of more physical work than you realize. And like, I'm in my forties now and I won't be able to do it forever. So I'm kind of thinking about the future too. But so some of the things that like I've started to pursue, like to do different avenues.

19:44I recently certified with a agency, an organization that certifies doulas to become a trainer so I can train new doulas. So like, I'm really excited about that. That's like another line of work. I partnered with some of the people that I've been working with for several years to start an agency to then be able to like help new doulas or even existing doulas that like, don't want to do all the paperwork and the marketing and that kind of thing, like have, have a way to do that. So like, I'm actively trying to pursue those. Like those are my, I'm doing them right now. But then I have thought about other things too.

20:21I really like what you say about like have seven or eight streams of income. Like if I was really on my game, but I don't know. I'm not there yet, but, but so other things like if it's affiliate links, if it's a podcast, digital products or like courses, things like that too. So I would love your thoughts on kind of like what to try first, where to focus my time. Like it feels like everything's possible right now, but I don't know where to. Yeah. So I would say first things first, it'd be really interesting. And I think a lot of people listening can relate to this, especially if you're in a business where you're trading time for money is to figure out, is your audience more doulas or is it more like patients or clients?

21:09And so what I would do, because I'm always so curious when it comes to data, is I would split test. And so I would create one freebie that's geared towards more of the patients or client side. And I would create one freebie that is geared more towards doulas or people that are interested or becoming or are a practicing doula. And I would put those both out there a few different times for like 30 days and just see, okay, which one is speaking first? Because I I think there are a lot of opportunities to serve both the client side and the other professionals in your life side. But I would be curious to see like, okay, what is predominantly already there?

21:48Do you have a hunch what that would be if you were to just do this? I don't. Like I really don't. I don't have a hunch. This would be a fun experiment. And it's interesting too, because I remember, especially when I was first starting to teach photography, I was worried that it was going to like alienate my clients, but it did the opposite. It was like, Oh, we have the best photographer because she's teaching other photographers. Right. And so there was zero alienation happening. It almost was like raising my authority. So I think don't worry about that. So I would say experiment on that side.

22:20There are so many ideas I have. One thing that is very fresh of mind, because one of my team members just had a baby is I ordered her postpartum meals, like meals delivered. And that was so expensive, but so worth it because I remember being so hungry and trying to nurse and waking up in the middle of night and all these things. And I was like either creating like recipes that are nourishing to a mom, because I'm going to guess in your postpartum doula work, you're doing laundry, taking care of babies, cooking food, cleaning bottles, like all of those different things, right? And so, yes. So I'm like, you could either cook the meals and have like a local type delivery service for moms, or you could create the recipes that people in their lives could make for them.

23:06Like I know with my sister, like I was asking her, like, what kinds of foods can I make that sound good for you? Like, how can we help you? And so it's not even for the moms to be, to create more work for them, but the people that love them that want to support and nourish them. And that's a great place for like, you could sell the recipes or you could have the affiliate links for certain ingredients or things inside of it. Another thing that I think is really interesting to consider is when you are creating this agency, there are so many different ways that you can support other doulas in the work.

23:40And I could imagine you at some point, especially as you build out an agency where you are more the person who is helping connect like the matchmaker, connecting clients with the right doula, right? And advising and guiding in that way. And I think that that is a beautiful way to get you out of trading time for money and building up a network of other people. And I was thinking about it this morning because I was thinking about the questions you had sent in. And even remembering when I was a photographer, we had certain Facebook communities where like, if you had an emergency, there was someone who was going to show up for you.

24:16And it alleviated the ultimate stress of like that feeling of like life or death, even though it wasn't, but it feels like that. Right. It's so important. And I remember when I went through one of my pregnancy losses, I was able to text somebody and be like, can you just be on call for me? Like, I think I'm going to be able to shoot this wedding, but if anything happens and I need to go and like, she was like, I'm there, I will be there for you. And so not only does it help alleviate burnout, but it helps alleviate that like cortisol raising stress of like, I am the only person. And so I think that's interesting.

24:50I also think that and knowing a little bit of your heart, creating resources for women who can't afford to have a doula but want to feel in control of their birth. so many women take like hypnobirthing classes and take like childbirth classes and stuff. And so using all of your experience, your own personal experience, but your experience as a doula to help empower women as they prepare for birth, even if they're not able to afford a doula is a beautiful form of service. So I just, I feel like then you can create courses for doula themselves. I mean, there's just, I agree. I feel like the sky is the limit, but I think starting with where is your audience currently and getting clear on that information and then starting to go down one path and just getting one thing going well, then you can kind of rinse and repeat that same idea or that same process for the other side of your audience.

25:44Jenna, you have such good birth working ideas. I know it's like this season. You really do. I'm telling you, I'm telling you. And here's the thing, too, is like you could even create like birth plan templates of like if this happens, then this or, you know, like just things that empower women as they go into it. You could create postpartum packages. You could create hospital packing lists. You could. I mean, there again, there are so many things and it's such a beautiful time. You could create playlist for birth. I mean, like a million different things. And so I know you're right. It's a beautiful place to be.