I was really excited to have clients in Jan, Feb, Mar, and May of this year, plus my postpartum doula work in February. April, June, July, August, September - nothing.
And the only other client I had on the horizon is due Nov 8. (the September & December clients both ended up not needing a doula) But over the course of just a couple weeks, I'm now waiting to hear back from a couple due Oct 6, and am interviewing tomorrow with a client due Oct 31.
Tonight my home phone rang and a nervous sounding guy asked if this was "the uh, doula office? Did I say that right?" We chatted for a while and I answered his questions about what a doula does etc. His wife had put on his to-do list for him to call my name and number and find out for himself how a doula could help. He sounded positive by the end of the conversation, and said he or his wife would be in touch. I had to go out for an unexpected errand, and when I returned, N said that the couple had called back, and would like me to phone them back tonight. I called back, and she said she was pretty sure they wanted to hire me, was I available on their due date of October 31? I told her that I have a client due Nov 8, and am interviewing tomorrow with someone due Oct 31, but that I work with back up doulas and so they wouldn't be left stranded. "So, could I hire you right now - over the phone?". "Um, if you're comfortable with that, sure?" "Okay then. We want you to be our doula. When can we get together?"
I'm telling ya, its feast or famine! I like feasting, even if it is a bit nervewracking to line up all the appropriate back-up. Fortunately I have a network of about 6 doulas, not just one. eeps! I'm super excited!
And the only other client I had on the horizon is due Nov 8. (the September & December clients both ended up not needing a doula) But over the course of just a couple weeks, I'm now waiting to hear back from a couple due Oct 6, and am interviewing tomorrow with a client due Oct 31.
Tonight my home phone rang and a nervous sounding guy asked if this was "the uh, doula office? Did I say that right?" We chatted for a while and I answered his questions about what a doula does etc. His wife had put on his to-do list for him to call my name and number and find out for himself how a doula could help. He sounded positive by the end of the conversation, and said he or his wife would be in touch. I had to go out for an unexpected errand, and when I returned, N said that the couple had called back, and would like me to phone them back tonight. I called back, and she said she was pretty sure they wanted to hire me, was I available on their due date of October 31? I told her that I have a client due Nov 8, and am interviewing tomorrow with someone due Oct 31, but that I work with back up doulas and so they wouldn't be left stranded. "So, could I hire you right now - over the phone?". "Um, if you're comfortable with that, sure?" "Okay then. We want you to be our doula. When can we get together?"
I'm telling ya, its feast or famine! I like feasting, even if it is a bit nervewracking to line up all the appropriate back-up. Fortunately I have a network of about 6 doulas, not just one. eeps! I'm super excited!