Episode 209. I’ll be in Atlanta, you coming? Join us where the business of birthwork (& beyond) is evolving.
In this episode, I’m joined by my former client turned dear friend, and visionary leader Melissa Fernandez — Cirque du Soleil performer turned postpartum doula turned powerhouse agency CEO—to talk all about the inaugural Doula Agency Owner Summit happening in Atlanta this April... and why I said YES to being there in person. (JOIN US - limited seating at this event - secure your spot at the link below).
We dive deep into the real behind-the-scenes of agency leadership, community building, and creating what doesn’t exist—especially when you feel the nudge to disrupt the norm and follow your own path.
If you’ve ever felt the pull to lead differently…
If you’re building (or dreaming of building) a team…
If you know there’s a better way to do business, birthwork, and beyond…
This episode is for you.
I’m officially inviting you to come hang out with us in Atlanta this spring. This is more than a summit—it’s a movement. And we would love to have you there.
🔥 In This Episode:
How Melissa went from “I don’t want to run an agency” to leading the #1 postpartum doula agency in Atlanta
The myths that keep birthworkers from expanding (and how to release them)
What it really means to lead with heart and step into your role as CEO
Why business is changing—and how to evolve with it
What makes this summit different from any other event in the industry
Why I’m showing up in person, and how you’ll know if this space is for you
An invitation to connect, collaborate, and rise together
🎟 Join Us:
👉 Doula Agency Owner Summit | April 28–30 | Atlanta, GA
In-person tickets are limited. Virtual tickets also available.
https://nicholejoy--theatlantapostpartumdoula.thrivecart.com/agency-summit/
Use the link above to grab your spot, learn more, or reach out with questions.
✨ Let’s Connect:
DM me @nichole_joy__ if you’re planning to come or want to meet up in Atlanta. I’d love to hear from you!
Connect with Melissa Fernandez, the owner of the #1 Postpartum Doula Agency in Atlanta, The Atlanta Postpartum Doula @the.atlanta.postpartum.doula
✨ADDITIONAL LINKS AND SUCH:
Ways to work with Nichole: https://www.nicholejoy.com/more
Try Honeybook & get 25% off: https://share.honeybook.com/nichole35768
Try Descript with my link: https://get.descript.com/c9non205vptz
Subscribe to the show:
Transcript:
Just starting to talk offline and in prep for today. I listened to our, the last time you were on the show. I think you've only been on one time, right? I looked as well. It was two times. So it was in July of 2021. And then again in June of 2022. So it's been nearly three years. That's that's wild. That is wild.
So I listened to the July , 2021 episode this morning, and I didn't have time to go through and listen to the 2022 yet. , but I'm excited you're here. We've stayed in contact for everybody who hasn't listened to those old episodes. I think the first one was episode 92. I don't know what the other one is, but if you want to go back and , catch up on our history history, it's there.
Uh, so what it's been. We've known each other for five, at least five years. Yeah, for five years in 2020. Yes, that's crazy. , and we've worked together for the first year or two ish, and then we've continued to stay in containers together, just in different types of containers. , I guess let's pick up where, where we left off.
In 2022, and I'll let you lead us, , update us so you can give a little background if you like on the Cirque du Soleil turned postpartum, now postpartum doula agency owner, not postpartum doula, and update. I'll let you take the lead. Okay. Amazing. Well, one, I just want to say thank you so much for having me here.
I love you, Nicole, and everything about you, the way that you walk in this world is incredible, and you're such a fantastic role model. So I just want to say that first off, um, I enjoy our friendship and the evolution of how we've arrived here. So yeah, my background NCAA gymnast. And I also worked with Cirque du Soleil as a touring acrobat for almost nine years.
And that, uh, went on pause during COVID. So at that point, we, the world paused, right? And eventually I ended up not losing my job with them due to the pandemic. But I knew that I wanted to be a postpartum doula. So I transitioned into that career. Very quickly, hopped on, started seeing clients, started working with you.
Um, my background as an athlete naturally. Like, working with coaches, mentors, it's very ingrained in me. When I don't know how to do something, I need someone to teach me how and walk it with me. So it's very much, it's easy for me to have a trainer there because I don't know what I'm doing. I like to be taught.
Right. So it's very simple for me. It makes a lot of sense. And, um, in that process, I also started working online and it felt very natural to me. The online space, navigating websites, navigating products. Um, and I also learned a lot from you and then I got pregnant with my third kid. And that kind of leads us up to June of 2022.
And we last chatted on the podcast. I had just had my third baby. And so working in home wasn't something that. I was wanting to do anymore. I love being with my kids, especially in those early years. It was really important to me to be able to be the primary caregiver. And also, I felt this pull. I wanted to still be connected to community.
To birth workers. I wanted to be connected to clients, families that needed postpartum support. And so that was always, that's always been like the underlying thread, the passion, the mission, revolutionizing postpartum, right? And as I continue to work online, there were still inquiries coming through to my post Atlanta postpartum dual space.
And I still wanted to be at home and so that's how the agency naturally grew and it was very organic. And what was really funny is when I was speaking on the phone, interviewing technically this first contractor that I was going to be bringing on, I specifically told her, I don't want to open up an agency.
I don't want to run an agency. And fast forward, that was in November. Yeah, November of 2023. And so today's date, it's, it's March of 2025. And I am a full blown agency. At this point, we've got about 22 team members. And we are positioned as the number one postpartum doula agency here in the Atlanta area with In the next years, I, I do know we're going to be expanding nationwide.
So it's a big, big moving thing and it's incredible. But what my process and the journey has been from that moment on that phone call saying, I don't want to run an agency to now it's quite comical, right? But also I think it shines a light into this particular industry and the stories. That a lot of doulas may have around an agency model and what that means.
And even some of the stories that I personally had didn't. is why I didn't want to start an agency. That's why I said that was that I thought agencies were that they, this is a big one, right? That they just take your money, that they aren't run ethically with good morals, with good values, and that they're really, really hard work.
And that it's going to require me to be the backup that always comes in home when someone's not able to, you know, provide their shift that night or that day, and that it was going to fall on me. And all of those stories, those things that was coming up for me in my mind, none of them have been true in the agency that I've built.
And I think that's super, super important to know for anyone listening to this, who's, who's in a stage of they're feeling the stretch. And that they're ready to expand, because I hear this from a lot of postpartum duelists, particularly that, Oh, I, you know, something needs to change, but I don't want to do an agency.
And then of course, the next layer is, I don't know how right. But these, these old stories that are still in place within our industry about agency models are ready to shift. And be expanded with a similar process that I had of, well, actually none of those things have to be true when you're running an agency.
And, um, I think that's been one of the most beautiful things that I've experienced in this process.
So number one, congratulations. That's incredible. Of course you are, you lead with service. You lead with your heart, lead with passion. And I don't think anything else trumps that when it comes to marketing and promotions and ads and all of the things that we think we need to do to build a business. I mean, you lead with heart and that I think is clear and number one, doula agency in Atlanta.
That's cool. You know what? I'm going to try to be clean with my words. So my question is the community piece for you. , we've talked human design before. I think we may have talked it on the podcast at one point. , you have a four line, which I do have four lines in my life and I am not a four line.
Um, but I am very familiar with what that looks like. So for you to have that. How do you scratch the itch, right? So you want to be in community, the network being with people is probably the thing. And so when it comes to motherhood, building the motherhood community, , and yet you didn't really, it sounds like want to be in the homes all the time.
So how do you scratch the itch of, of balancing that desire to be out with, also the desire to be at home with your kids. Yeah, honestly. So for those who may not know, I'm a four, six splenic projector in human design. And my experience has been with that push pull. that you're explaining. Um, it's really challenging for me to navigate because I want to be at home.
I want, I have a very private circle of like close, close friends and family members that I, um, speak with. And so that's part of it, right? That inner circle really helps me to tap into my network. And from that, I generate a lot of inspiration, a lot of, um, activations, like lighting up, like, ah. This is what I want to do within the community in that next layer of my network and what I'm also needs motivation.
So that really is for me, it's often a timing thing. It's a lot of listening, observing what the needs are of the community are. And so with those two elements of listening to and hearing, observing the needs, as well as. When I do need to tap into the network and be with the community, that's what really drives a lot of the offers and the service that I provide within the agency model for pregnant and postpartum families.
And then as well as the doula aspect, because here in Georgia specifically, we have a fantastic group of birth workers. We, we operate and move. So beautifully and together we, um, network and meet up quite a bit. We refer each other. It's a really healthy community here. I, this is my normal. This is what I know.
I have heard that it is not that way in different parts of the nation and different States. Um, so that there are not everyone, every state operates in that way. It really feels super unique and important. to flourish that aspect of the birth worker community here. So something I didn't mention earlier was that me and my friend Lynn Airman, she is a midwife at one of a local practice here and she delivers out of her and I have pulled together a monthly year long membership for birth workers and we meet up regularly once a month.
We do virtual sessions, we do in person sessions and That's a space for Georgia birth workers to come together to discuss how we can improve birth and postpartum outcomes here in our state, specifically, and what changes we can make when we're working collectively together. And the other thing that's super important and critical for us that may, maybe many doulas, they might not know about is we need support too.
We need a community. We need a village. Because what I noticed, especially with birth doulas labor and birth doulas is especially those who are working in hospital settings. There's a lot of You know what happening in those that we have to decompress. We have to process with others who understand what's going on.
And then there's also the lighter side of things, too, that we get to laugh and be in community together. And so those are, that's one way that I kind of scratch that itch of getting a network. But then I come home and I'm in my inner circle and I decompress and I process and move through. And that space allows me to Get that inspired action to go back out.
And so it's kind of this process of like going in and out. No, I get that. And I think I don't know about you. I'm also need motivation. I think you know that. And I don't know about how it shows up for you and what it feels like. I know for me, it often feels like, um, gasoline in my motor. You know, it's like suddenly I have the gasoline if I feel I, I observed the need, whatever department it is, and as a projector, and I shouldn't generalize all projectors, but I know myself, I can really quickly run out of gas, you know, if I'm not in the correct space, or I'm not in the correct alignment, or something is off, but when that need motivation kicks in, it's like refuel.
And I suddenly have all the energy to get in and do the thing, whether, I mean, right now, right, you know, that looks like for me behind the scenes, like I'm working on my book and I have this major shift of energy to move the thing forward. Um, so I really, I love actually really love having need motivation because I feel like it helps me get ish done when I don't always have the energy to get ish done.
, so I'm grateful for it. And that kind of segues into something else I wanted to ask you about. And that is, I know we're in a, we're so we're in private spaces together, Melissa and I, and we've maintained a friendship since, I don't know, whenever you completed the mastermind, we've maintained our friendship and we've been able to stay in contact. We've maintained our friendship and relationship and we touch base through Voxer still. I mean, we still connect sometimes, you know, we could go like a month and we don't hear anything or talk to each other and then we'll talk several times in a week.
It's just we have that kind of relationship. , and so what we've been talking about in one of these private spaces is March having this big movement energy. , and I really felt it, you know, February being more of like a quiet, um, space and in my house, it was very much a quiet February felt like a wash for us for several reasons.
, one of which was, you know, most of my family was down with the flu. It was long flu. It took forever. So then March came and things just started shifting for me really quickly. And I want to kind of bring that into tie it into this. urge that I also feel of getting out in person more now that my kids are a little bit older.
Your kids are a little younger than mine, but still old enough to be accounted for somewhere else during the day that you're able to get back out. And then you're obviously seeing the need. For bringing other agency owners together in person. So there's this movement, there's this need motivation.
There's the very real practical life of our kids being just a little bit older that , we're not changing diapers anymore. , And now you're bringing a doula agency summit owners summit. So I want to invite you to talk about the summit. What is it? When is it, who is it for? What are we going to be doing?
All the things. Yeah, you know, it's, it's really a beautiful thing, uh, the balance of how timing and being very aware of our own, like our personal, our personal things that are going on as well as the needs of the community and how, when we can honor ourselves, honor where we're at in that moment. And wait for the next steps to unfold as they should.
We arrive to the place that we're always meant to be, which, um, and I, I share that because it was always really challenging for me the first couple of years of running my business. And I always felt this sensation of like, Oh, I knew, I knew I felt what Z was, but I was still in. Steps A, B, and C. And I just had a baby, a third baby navigating three kids.
And also I had this deep passion for all this work that I'm doing. And so I continued step by step. I did my programs. I continued being led by what fueled me and what the needs were. Of the community. We're coming up. Right. And so I build, build, build, and then it got to this point, which is this agency leader summit.
It is April 28th through 30th, 2025. It's going to be an annual event and it is a space for agency owners nationwide with teams of 2 up to 250 plus to gather together. To network. Of course, we're going to be in person and we're going to be learning. We're going to be skillsharing from each other. We are going to workshop together.
We are going to learn strategies, not only for, you know, increasing our revenue, scaling, expanding, finding new contractors, different models of agencies, of course, those things are things we're going to discuss, but this summit. about innovation. It's the threads and the themes are for the next versions of agencies and what's coming forward on a grander scale.
Because we can all see that the needs of the communities that we're each in have shifted and changed. People are wanting different things. Business is shifting. Business is always shifting, but it's moving differently these days. And also what I noticed was Doula agency owners operate very separately and very segmented and very like closed.
And I'm not telling you my secrets. I, no, no, no. And when I first became an agency owner, I was navigating it and I did feel a little bit alone. I also had my own people that I was, you know, that were walking me through the process, but I also did not find anything available that matched. What I was aligned with.
And so I built it and I created it and we agency owners go through a lot as we're navigating, running a business, managing teams, different relationships, personalities, and then the other side of it, client experience and care and support legal issues. Like, uh, liability concerns, there's a lot of layers to owning and operating an agency.
Why are we not doing it together? And that's what I saw. That was the need. And I built it because coming together and discussing things and then strategizing together, we all win. Our clients are going to receive better outcomes through dual agency owners operating together as well as stepping into their leadership.
So that's another, you know, that's one of the bigger themes of the summit is leadership. And I don't believe that agency owners, I don't believe that many of them see themselves as a leader, as a role model, but they are. And so how can we shift our mindset and step into that role very confidently and with also a lot of love and compassion.
And the other of it is stepping into a CEO and running your business. With boundaries, clear boundaries that help you to operate more efficiently, more streamlined and have more space for more revenue to come in. And so that's what a lot of the summit is about. And yeah, meeting in person, like, how fun is it going to be to be with other agency owners from the entire U.
S.? That's why I started it because I was like, Ooh, this would be fun. I didn't realize what it entails to host an event. I'm learning very quickly and it is going to be such an incredible event. It is. And I was taking some notes on things that I want to reflect back to you because they're really cool.
And I know you know this, but, uh, when you talk about leadership and a lot of doula agency owners not realizing that they're a leader spoken by a true six line, right? , Um, I don't know if you put that all together, but of course, you're the one who's going to be bringing leadership to the community. , it really needed and helping them to See themselves.
'cause that's another thing I think projectors do really well, is help people see who they are. We kind of hold the mirror up, like, Hey, this is who you really are. People have a hard time with that. And I think it's a gift of ours, both of ours and many other people that we are able to give to people. So there's, there's that.
, And then really, I wrote what you said in a sentence is. If it doesn't exist, create it. And you've always been like that. I am very much like that as well. I mean, early on, I remember people before COVID, you know, cause I, this is another similar thing we have in our stories. We have a lot of very similar threads that we're not going to go into for personal reasons, but we have so many.
, very interesting tethers to each other, , in very many aspects of our lives. But I also was building my brand new business when I had my third baby. You know, I remember like she was brand, brand new and I was holding her here while I was doing Facebook lives and my doulas going digital group. I had like baby, you know, infant newborn on my arm, patting her back, doing Facebook lives.
And I look back at some of the old videos and I was like, Oh God, that's cringe. But also it's just where we were is where I was. So very cool that we have that in common. And then the whole, if it doesn't exist, create it thing. It is very innovative. That's innovative in and of itself. , and it's also a big gift to have because I think sometimes people are confined.
They find themselves boxed in and confined by the parameters of what already exists, and it's hard for a lot of people to think outside the box because we're not trained to do that. You know, that's not usually how school works. , school trains you to think within the confines of school. And so it's very cool that we've both .
done that specifically in this industry. And so early on pre COVID where I was starting to go with this is I remember people getting like really pissed that I wanted to teach virtually and that doesn't exist. You don't do it that way. And I wanted to do virtual doulaship because in person at births, I just logistically could not pull off, , three young children, the cost of childcare, the home set up, it just, it was not conducive to me being at a birth for 12, 15, 20 hours.
Like it just wouldn't work. And I really didn't have, I didn't have this, the support system to support me in doing that. And I also, you know, again, projector, I run out of gas quickly. I don't think I would have had the endurance to be just real talk. That's part of why I didn't, I couldn't be in a lot of births.
I knew I was like, as much as I love this industry and I'm passionate about birth, don't have the bandwidth and energetically my, my personal self, I cannot do it. , so I was creative and finding ways that didn't exist to still do the thing that I love. Cause I'm like BS, I call BS on me thinking that, oh, I just can't.
Do this thing because I can't do it the way everyone else does it. And you did that as well. You know, you were coming out with postpartum doula templates early on that a lot of people, you know, did not even think of and didn't have yet. So you've been creating things that don't exist since you stepped into the industry.
, so just a little reflection for you and then the no more gatekeeping. , and really the concept of we all win when we collaborate and collaboration over competition. I know we've been talking about this for a long time, but I. I do feel like, and I know you do too. I'm sure we agree on this. Cause we've talked about it in other containers and spaces is that like you just said, business is changing.
I think more and more people, including entrepreneurs are opening up to a new paradigm of business. And as me stepping back into business after taking almost a year sabbatical, I was actually re listening to some of my old classes recently. And I was like, man, I started talking about some things, I think before a lot of people were ready to hear it.
And it's because I could see it from afar, , projector, intuitive, whatever, whatever. The reason is I could feel things coming and I knew it doesn't have to be this way. We don't have to gatekeep and this industry could be so gatekeepy. I don't know if that's a word, but I just. Made it work and it drove me nuts among other things and I was like, Oh, I hate that.
I hate that. So I'm not going to do it that way. , but I do think people are ready now. I say all that to say, I think a lot of people are being activated and being invited and noticing, even if they don't have the conscious noticing and awareness that maybe somebody who's very intentional and living an intentional life does, they are realizing that they want something different and something has to shift something in their business, something in their life.
So I think this is amazing timing. For you to be taking these steps forward and leading the way, um, because people I think are ready, more ready and excited to hear more about the summit. And can I share? Can I spill the beans or have we not shared the beans yet? Okay. So I am going to come to the summit.
I'm going to be able to come in person. So I feel very invited. Melissa is one of the handful of people who, in very recent weeks, , has been inviting me to step back into work. And I also didn't, like you mentioned, not rushing and not jumping into things until it's the right time. There's the part of me that for the last 11 months has been like, get back to work.
This voice in my head, but I'm like, that's not real. , when it feels correct, I'll move on it and I'll know that it's time. There've been a handful of people, including Melissa, who feel very, , I feel very grateful for who I'm recognizing these invitations . And I checked in with myself, like it's time and for being only a six hour drive away and knowing you for over five years, it's embarrassing that we haven't met in person yet.
, there's. It's literally no excuse for me not to be there. , I absolutely want to be there. And I actually, I had a thought this morning. So can I share what topic I'm talking on? Okay. , , I'm going to be sharing on podcasting for agency owners and how it's an innovative tool for agency owners and how to use it in innovative ways. , But I had this thought this morning because as you know, I've taught, Multiple digital courses, one of which is podcasting with heart.
I have a couple other as well that help with online business. And I know part of the summit when I was reading through your, your itinerary, the whole goal is like leadership, innovation, scaling, part of which means having some online resources. Even if your business is mostly in person, there's a lot of ways, as we both know that online supports that.
, so I had this idea of all of your attendees getting to choose the digital course of their choice included in their ticket. , and that way, if they don't want to podcast and it's a hard no for them, then they can choose one of my others, whether it's course creation. I have one that's specific to the birth industry, birth postpartum.
. Or content creation. I may have a handful of digital courses. So choosing a course of their choice. And I just thought that that would be really fun. , to get into some inboxes and I'm thrilled. So I am going to Atlanta. I'm going to be in Atlanta and I'm really excited. I can't wait to, , hang out in person, , and meet.
I know that there's a handful of people in the Atlanta area, , who I have a relationship with from being in the birth industry.
So if you're in the Atlanta area, please DM me, please reach out to me. Even if you're not an , agency owner, which also I have a question about that. I think you said in the beginning, the, , sorry, the summit is for agency owners. Only agency owners, we are also extending it to aspiring agency owners who are in the like initial steps of starting their agency.
So I do have an agency foundations class that those who are wanting to jump into this. That they can take. I do have a bundle going on right now that if they purchase a ticket, they can get that class at 100 off so that they can start digging into the materials so that when they arrive to the summit in April, they are in this activated space of like, I've got the foundations.
I know what I'm doing and we're collaboratively working together to build the foundation on top of the foundation that they started with. So yes, it's open to aspiring agency owners as well. And not just postpartum agency. No, it's labor. Yeah. Birth and postpartum. You know, I wrote something down. I don't know if this exists, but I was thinking about somebody specific in the Atlanta area that we both know who does lactation work.
And she started, I think it's a collective. , I don't know that it's an agency model, but do lactation consultants, I have not really, I haven't really had my ear to the streets in the birth industry for a while, so I don't know the answer to this, , but do lactation consultants have agencies, collectives, and if so, would we be inviting them as well?
I think it could be really great to invite them. Yes. It's a yes for sure. I do know there's like Breastfeed Atlanta, and they have, you know, a handful of IBCLCs and consultants that they work with. I don't know, because of insurance specifically, what that would look like, in terms of like the business aspects and model of it.
But I like that idea a lot. Um, it's also been presented and invited to me to expand it further outside of just doula agency owners, and I think I found a way to offer that expansion. So I'm still working a little bit behind the scenes, but I do think this will be an event that is so much more than just doula agency owners, but it's also connecting with the other providers that we all work with collaboratively anyways.
It is. You know, we're always in contact with hospital providers, OBGYNs, midwives, PSI, um, Healthy Mother Healthy Babies. That's another one here in the Georgia area. You know, all these groups that we, we work all separately, we refer each other, but can this be a space where we get really networked and connected and it's a one time event here in the Atlanta area that happens each year that we can learn?
Grow, innovate, and then take it back home to our communities and not only, you know, spice things up for our own business, but really deeply impact our communities on a grander scale, and we're doing it together. I do hope, I do know that after this summit, particularly in 2025, that there will be a continuing support group model, like we're going to be continuing the conversation afterwards.
Because that's going to be where we can really integrate what we learned at the summit. Because yes, an in person three day summit is great. We're going to take home a lot. And then we get home, and how do we apply it? How do we integrate it, right? So, and we want to keep the conversations going. There are so many topics we could discuss.
And we won't have enough time at a three day event. It's just not possible. But we can continue the conversation and keep things moving, keep things lit up. And, um, I haven't, I don't have all the details of that just yet, but there is going to be a continuing option. You answered one of my questions because that's one of the things I was going to ask is, okay, what happens after the summit?
The other thing I was thinking about that's really important for anybody who's listening or just considering, , starting an agency, starting a collective, expanding your business a bit. And maybe has this thought of I'm too experienced. I'm too good. I don't need a coach. I don't need support.
Let me tell you something. Okay. My daughter and I, so she's now eight. She was six years old when I took her to her first concert. And we went to see Alicia keys. I was all over my social media because I was very proud of that moment. We met Alicia keys. I, we got the upgraded tickets. It was. A once in a lifetime experience and there was only maybe 15 people in the room when we did the meet and greet and we got to ask questions and somebody behind me asked, do you have a singing coach, Alicia keys?
Okay, who is a Grammy award winning? Have you seen her play the piano? Like she plays two pianos at the same time. Okay. She has a singing coach. So hearing that was like. Of course. And then I had a client who, um, when I was doing virtual birth work and virtual childbirth education, I had a client out of LA.
Who is a, um, somewhat famous dancer performer. She has, she's done music and she has a big network, a big platform. Let me say that she has a big platform. Right. And she's very private and we were on a private call one day talking through her birth plan. And. I remember her saying, , actually it was really funny how we got connected because I just always loved her work.
I really liked watching her dance and I enjoyed her social media content. And then when she announced her pregnancy, I was like, Oh my God, she needs my workshop. And I just sent it to her. I was like, love your shit. Sorry. I meant not to cuss. Love your shit. Love your stuff. And you've got to watch this.
Like I made this for me because it's what I needed to hear. Hopefully you like it. And then a couple of days later, I didn't think she would say anything back. I just felt very purely like gifting it to her. One day she got back to me. She's like, Oh my God, I love this. This is amazing. Can you help me more?
Can you help me more? And I'm like, sure. So we start talking and on the call, she's like, you know, I'm a trained dancer, she's an athlete, right? So dancers, like dancer, dancers are athletes. And she's like, I've always had coaches. And so when I started prepping for birth, I don't know why it didn't occur to me that I would need a coach, you know, whether you call it like a birth coach, a postpartum coach, a support person, a doula, whatever title you want to give this person, it's somebody that's guiding you, somebody who's mentoring you.
So you're never too big. You're never too experienced. , to have somebody supporting you to help you get to the next level. , that goes for all of us, myself included, , one of the biggest life upgrades is being in some kind of container with somebody who's just a few steps ahead of you.
It's a huge life upgrade, , because you can see the potentiality of things that you may not have otherwise seen. . And that's an example, , you put yourself in an environment with other people who are thinking innovation, who are thinking outside the box, and it helps you to do that.
, so I just wanted to plug that for people who may be listening in whatever department working out. I mean, I've been working out in a gym since I was 18 and last March, I hired a trainer, a virtual trainer because , I want to get to the next level. , so yes, I, I just, I think that's really important too, because you're setting an example for your clients.
You are being the example of allowing yourself to receive support. Rather than blocking yourself off and thinking, I don't need help. No, you're allowing yourself to receive that and it changed your coding for what you're available for. And people can feel that. Absolutely. Yeah. And it's already even been presented to me, um, in various ways that, Oh, well, this doesn't seem like it's an event for me because my team is much larger.
And so it has absolutely come up. And in, in that thought process, it's kind of along what you said. When you're in spaces that are activating innovative industry. Like the pathway towards innovation in our industry, it allows you in that bigger space to open up opportunities that you may not have been presented before, because we are kind of like this and also it puts you in a position of authority for the industry to share what works really well, what doesn't, and it places you in this field of mentorship to others as well, which is really important so that we all collectively rise.
You know, and then there's this other aspect to of, um, tapping into the bigger spaces. So when you're in that, like, let's say you have a team up to 200 people, you're able to, like, increase that even more. You're able to expand it even more because maybe you're adding in these different elements that you weren't able to see before.
And also you have a bigger reach in that space. So you're able to shift the industry even more. So it's not just, oh, I'm not in a position because this is, this feels a little bit too small. No, you're able to impact the industry more by coming because you do have a bigger understanding of things. And now you get to move more, faster, quicker, together.
And so that I think is really, really important too for those that are in that position is you are able to really make big moves. for all of us. And that's why it's important because it's no longer individual. It is individual, right? It kind of comes back to what we, you had talked about, you know, when, when we're really tapped in honed in on our own awareness and what our needs are, we can support more people.
I find a lot of women do that very well that we are, you know, nurturing, right? We have that aspect. And also there's the bigger picture. Of the collective of the community of the industry. And that's the bigger, like thread underlying theme foundation is that it's not, yes, we're going to be making our businesses.
We're also impacting our industry, which needs a change, which needs this shift into the next level. We're ready for it. Like you said, and so contributing to that being in being one of the leaders. To shift that, oh my gosh, yeah, we want your wisdom. We want your expertise. That's something that's really different about this particular summit.
When I built it, I originally, I didn't want any speakers. It wasn't something I was going to do because I wanted us to come together and share our own wisdoms. We get to step in as our leader by sharing what we are very, very good at. To our industry peers. Positioning ourselves as the leader in that specific topic or niche, and your peers get to witness you in that space, in that position as the expert in that topic, and that's powerful.
You get an opportunity to embody that leadership position in front of your peers. That's huge. So that's one big, big difference in this particular summit. It's not, it's not going to be me. Speaking and telling you what to do. These are the strategies. This is how you make more money. It's not about me.
It's about us collaboratively coming together, sharing, bringing our expertise, because I know each person is an expert in something and they have a lot to share. And this is the platform to do that. And so if you are in that space of 200, 300 doulas on your team. This is an opportunity to contribute to the industry as a whole and to share your expertise to our, our peers.
That's cool to me. I think it's cool. I don't know. It's very like, it's very business of the future, new paradigm business. It's very new paradigm business that people I do think are opening up to more, but you know what really, I know I told you 30 minutes and we've gone over, so I'm going to try to honor that the best I can, but there's just something that we cannot not mention.
And that's. We've probably mentioned it in a previous episode, but if people don't go back and listen, we're both expansion principle energy healing practitioners and this is not your standard, um, masculine energy business summit. That's going to be all business, business, business, business. We both. And one of the other people who are coming that we know for sure.
Um, we bring a level of depth that will truly change the energetic foundation of people's businesses, no matter if they have two employees or 200, it doesn't. Like you said, it doesn't matter how big your business is. So for people who listen, who are listening, we can add this to your frequently asked questions, , content pieces or, , wherever the frequently asked questions live is 200 plus doulas on my team.
You know, I'm too big to come to this. No, because , this is completely different than what you will see in the rest of the industry, the agency owner industry. spaces. Not just because you're different and the way you're approaching it is different. But there's also this tool that we both utilize that's woven into everything that we do.
It's become like the breast milk of my life. I put it on everything. E. P. On everything. I do energy healing throughout my day without even noticing it sometimes because I do it so much on just every little thing I'm doing right. And so this is an underlying foundation and people are going to tap into that.
At the retreat, , there will be opportunities to experience that. I mean, I will be sharing meditations. I don't think I'm doing a guided meditation there, but I have digital energy healing transmissions that can be shared and you do, I'm sure. And. It really, no matter how big or small or whatever, , it really changes the foundation of what you're building.
And it's really hard to put into words sometimes the changes that you can have on your yourself as an individual and also on your business. , but the one word I'll use is expansion. I mean, across the board. And it's not always like more team members, more people, more people. Expansion doesn't always mean more things.
It can mean a lot of different things. So my, , invitation to anybody listening is what does expansion mean to you as an individual? What does expansion mean to you through the lens of your business? Again, I encourage you to think beyond , I want to go from zero to three employees. , let's think beyond that.
Let's go deeper than that. And if, if you listen to my podcast and if you're in my community or Melissa's community, no doubt you have that side of you that's open to this level of conversation. And that's why this is going to be vastly different than what exists. , and I'm really excited. Oh, and the other thing I just have to mention, because I wrote it down, , It's a tax write off, , you get to go and do hang out with people and do things you love and talk about things you love and be with me and be with Melissa and be with other industry leaders and it's a tax write off and it's springtime in Georgia, . So I invite everyone listening. I'm going to share a link to your page again, of course, and then also to the summit. , I'll share it in the show notes.
And then of course, anybody can reach out to you or me. And I don't have all the answers for questions, but I know Melissa does. And, , I'm sure, yeah, maybe we've put together like a frequently asked questions thing for, for people who may be on the fence and anything else that you want to mention.
Because I really feel like I've kept you hostage here. No, this has been so fantastic. I just want to say thank you, Nicole. Thank you for the conversation, for the reflections, and providing such great prompts, questions, pulling out so many juicy details and great things from me. And um, I appreciate this platform.
I appreciate you. And this has been so fun. So like Nicole said, we are officially inviting you to join us in Atlanta, Georgia in April. It would be so fun to meet you guys. And it's going to be a very, it's our inaugural event. So this is the first one of many to come. And it's going to be really special.
We only have 50 tickets available in person. We also have a virtual ticket option for those who have any barriers um, of traveling or births. I know a lot of um, Uh, people already have, you know, birth clients lined up. So, uh, we do have a virtual ticket option and, but only 50 in person tickets, which are moving quite quickly.
So hop on it and yeah, this has been great. Thank you so much, Nicole. Thank you. I'm so grateful for you. Thank you for being you. And I just, I'm, I'm very grateful for your friendship. I mean, we met as client mentor, client coach, and. I set the intention a long time ago that I didn't want this cookie cutter walls up approach to navigating relationships with my clients.
I wanted to feel like I actually enjoy the person on the other side of zoom and I've more than enjoyed our interactions over the years. And I just like you mentioned, you know, it's, it's very inspiring to see how you live, but likewise, I mean, it's very, very inspiring because you just the way you are curating your life.
And creating your reality is chef's kiss. So, and I'm grateful for the friendship always. And I'm going to see you next month. And for Beyonce in July. Yeah, that too. Yeah, that too. So if anybody else is in Atlanta. Oh, last really quick thing that I realized, your dates overlap with the Kendrick Lamar concert in Atlanta.
So if anybody's going to Kendrick Lamar and SZA, it's April 29th. It overlaps with the summit. So I don't know that you could get your concert ticket written off on your taxes, but you could get your hotel. And your travel expenses to Atlanta written off. And if you happen to go to the concert, then that's just, you know, that part will be on you without tax benefits.
But, , good timing. Perfect timing. That's, that's really why I did it. Right. All right, my dear. I love you. Yeah. Bye Nichole.