Lessons I've Learned In My Business
I wanted to write out a few of the lessons I’ve learned the hard way in my 3 years as a birth worker so far. There’s so much crap in the birth world with other birth workers. Those who tout “community over competition” but don’t follow through with what they preach. Those who want to dictate how much you charge or what you can or can’t do at births.
They’ve been difficult, emotionally draining, and physically taxing.
They’ve limited my beliefs in my self and my business. They’ve made me second guess my ability to produce beautiful photos. And they’ve made me unsure of where I fit into their “mold” of achieving perfection.
I don’t want anyone to feel that way.
I think it’s an utter crock of shit to make fellow birth workers feel even a fraction of that.
SOOOOO these are just a few of the hard lessons I had to learn as I was building my business and learning to shine through in my business.
No one dictates how much you charge.
Seriously, all these people saying “you charge too much” or “no one is going to pay that much for your services” better be paying your fucking bills for you. If you’ve trained, or certified, or produce beautiful photos, you charge what you need to do to make your business sustainable and worth while.
Charging too little leads to burn out and not making any money. Did you know that birth workers on average are only in business for 2 years!? 2 years, and that’s it.
For so long I was listening to everyone else and not doing what was best for myself, my business, and my family, and I struggled. I can’t tell you how many times I heard someone else’s limiting beliefs they were projecting onto me, that weren’t true.
Be yourself.
This one took me over 2 years to finally fully commit to. There’s such a pressure to do and say the right things in interviews and prenatals. Make sure you’re professional. Don’t cuss. Wear nice clothes. Yada yada yada.
Umm, I cuss A LOT. I wear yoga pants and UGG boots to prenatals and births. And I do what I want 😂 And you know what?? The clients who choose to hire me, hire me because I’m relatable. Because I cuss and am not all professional business person-esque. I don’t portray this perfect person (because reminder, they don’t exist) and they feel comfortable with me because they feel they know ME, not some fake image I’m trying to portray.
Find a SUPPORTIVE community. If there isn’t one, CREATE one.
There’s a big difference between someone being supportive and someone tolerating you and your business.
A supportive person wants you to succeed. They want you booking clients and helping the community. They want to know you’re reliable and that you take care of your clients well. They want to make sure that the community is better because you’re in it. And if you need help with something, the community will help in whatever way they can.
People will be jealous or not like you, that’s ok.
You’re running a business and creating a community. No matter what you do, someone will always see you as competition. That’s ok, send them love and let them grovel in their own insecurities.
When you have a supportive community that has an abundance mindset (meaning there are enough clients for everyone, and those clients who hire you, hire you because you’re meant to be a part of THEIR journey) everyone wins.
Google how many babies were born in your county last year or the year before. In 2017 in Riverside County there were like 17,000 babies born. Umm I don't know about you, but I couldn’t take even a fraction of 1% of that. There’s literally no need for competition.
Edit your photos the way you want to.
Get a good understanding of the basics like color correction and how to edit your photos technically efficient. But then once you have that foundation, edit your photos however the fuck you want to.
Its ART. It’s YOUR art. And no one can tell you you’re doing it wrong.
My edits lean more to the magenta side because that’s what I like. That’s what I find aesthetically pleasing. But all the feedback I EVER get is it’s too magenta or too dark or too this or too that. Umm yeah…if you look at my portfolio, they’re all similar. It’s MY STYLE. It’s intentional.
Once you find your style, stick to it to create a portfolio that people can rely on. That they know what to expect when you deliver their photos. They’ll hire you because they like YOUR photos.
Don’t worry about making waves simply by being yourself.
For so long I worried about “fitting in” to the birth community. And I seriously feel it stunted my growth as a professional and as a business. The more I put my true self into my website, copy, photos, and social media, my inquiries changed. The people who inquired and hired me were different. They were MY PEOPLE. They were amazing and VALUED me and what I offered.
It was seriously mind blowing noticing the difference. I’m more confident in my work and abilities to support my clients now that I’m not trying to be something I’m not. I’m confident in my prices and what I offer the community.
You are the ONLY version of you. There is no other you anywhere in the world. That is an advantage.