Title: Turning Passion into Passive Income: How Doula Kelli Blinn Created Her Childbirth Education Course
Podcast: The Doula Darcy Podcast
Host: Darcy Sauers
Guest: Kelli Blinn
Release Date: April 21, 2025

Introduction

In this inspiring episode of The Doula Darcy Podcast, host Darcy Sauers welcomes her longtime coaching client, Kelli Blinn, a seasoned birth doula and childbirth educator from Columbus, Ohio. The episode delves deep into Kelli's journey of transforming her passion for childbirth education into a scalable digital course, highlighting the challenges, strategies, and triumphs along the way.

Kelli's Doula Business Journey

Kelli begins by sharing her extensive background in the birth industry. With a decade of experience as a certified doula since 2015 and a lifelong passion for pregnancy and childbirth, Kelli has dedicated herself to supporting families through both in-person doula services and private childbirth education sessions.

Kelli Blinn: "I've been doing this doula childbirth educator work where I had a title and I got paid for it. I've been doing it for 10 years." [02:33]

Kelli emphasizes her preference for one-on-one education, providing personalized support that few educators in her area offer exclusively. This bespoke approach sets the foundation for her decision to create a digital course, aiming to extend her reach beyond the limitations of in-person sessions.

Transitioning to Digital: Creating the Childbirth Education Course

Darcy and Kelli discuss the motivations behind transitioning to an online format. Kelli highlights the need to make her expertise more accessible, especially for those who find in-person classes inconvenient or intimidating.

Kelli Blinn: "I want to find ways I could still exercise that part of my brain and get kind of my fix, but how to be predictable or schedulable." [02:33]

She outlines the benefits of a digital course, including the ability to reach a wider audience, offer flexibility to learners, and generate passive income. Kelli also mentions the significant effort involved in developing the course, countering the common misconception that passive income is effortless.

Darcy Sauers: "Oh, create passive income and then your life will just be great and it'll be so easy. But... there’s that part where before your passive income gets passive, where it's actually a bit of work. A lot of work." [00:04]

Kelli Blinn: "A lot of work." [02:24]

Overcoming Personal Barriers and Challenges

A significant portion of the conversation centers on the personal challenges Kelli faced during the course creation process. Despite her extensive experience, Kelli admits to self-doubt and the hurdles of transitioning from in-person to digital education.

Darcy Sauers: "You have always, from the get go, just said that and claimed that and known that in your own head... it's yourself. Like you hold yourself back." [05:25]

Kelli Blinn: "I have been the one getting in my own way in this process." [05:25]

Kelli credits her coaching sessions with Darcy for providing the necessary accountability and perspective shifts that enabled her to push past fears and self-imposed limitations.

The Importance of Providing Options in Childbirth Education

Kelli passionately discusses her dedication to empowering birthing individuals with choices. Her course, aptly named Your Birth, Your Options, underscores the importance of informed decision-making during childbirth.

Kelli Blinn: "If you don't know you have options, you don't have any." [20:05]

She contrasts her course with standard hospital childbirth classes, which often focus more on the logistics of hospital protocols rather than the physiological aspects of birth. Kelli's course delves into understanding the body's role, the baby's role, and various interventions, ensuring that learners are well-equipped to advocate for themselves.

Kelli Blinn: "...they didn't list anything, like different bodily positions you could be in or things you could say no to about having done to your baby after birth." [19:42]

Marketing Strategies and Social Media

Darcy and Kelli explore the role of marketing in scaling Kelli's course. Kelli candidly shares her initial aversion to social media and self-promotion, a common barrier for many doulas.

Kelli Blinn: "Social media is not my jam." [25:32]

With Darcy's guidance, Kelli embraced the necessity of authentic online presence. They discuss strategies for doulas who may lack extensive experience or resources, emphasizing the importance of showing up authentically to attract the right audience.

Darcy Sauers: "Just show up and you're gonna attract the people that want to spend six hours watching your childbirth ed course." [30:00]

Affiliate Program and Passive Income Opportunities

One of the standout topics is Kelli's affiliate program, designed to offer doulas a pathway to passive income without necessitating a deep dive into childbirth education themselves. By referring clients to Kelli's course, doulas can earn a commission while providing valuable resources to their clients.

Kelli Blinn: "So you could be part of the affiliate program and just be kind of referring them to my course in whatever way feels right to you." [31:12]

Each successful referral earns the doula approximately $110, creating a significant income stream that can alleviate burnout and provide financial flexibility.

Darcy Sauers: "If you make just one sale, you get $110. If you make multiple sales, just think about that money that could be coming in." [41:26]

Impact on Doula Practice and Future Goals

Implementing the affiliate program not only benefits doulas financially but also enhances their practice by ensuring clients receive comprehensive education. Kelli envisions a future where informed clients lead to more fulfilling and efficient births, reducing the likelihood of repeat births due to unmet needs or lack of knowledge.

Kelli Blinn: "My hope is that by taking a course like mine... we are seeing that less because we're getting those options out into the world." [25:05]

Kelli's approach aims to create a ripple effect, where educated clients lead to better birth experiences and, consequently, more satisfied clients for doulas.

Conclusion

The episode concludes with heartfelt congratulations to Kelli for her dedication and the successful launch of her course. Darcy emphasizes the hard work and authenticity Kelli poured into the project, inspiring listeners to pursue their own passive income ventures despite challenges.

Darcy Sauers: "...Kelli has poured her heart and soul into this course and that it is going to go out and do big things in the world." [38:55]

Kelli Blinn: "You just have to start somewhere." [51:05]

Listeners are encouraged to visit Kelli’s website at kellyblinn.com or contact her via Instagram @DoulaKellyBlinn for more information on the course and affiliate opportunities.

Key Takeaways:

• Transitioning from in-person to digital education can significantly expand a doula's reach and income potential.
• Overcoming personal fears and self-doubt is crucial for entrepreneurs aiming to scale their businesses.
• Providing multiple options in childbirth education empowers clients and enhances their birth experiences.
• Affiliate programs offer a viable path for doulas to earn passive income while supporting their clients with quality resources.

Notable Quotes:

• Darcy Sauers: "Before your passive income gets passive, where it's actually a bit of work. A lot of work." [00:04]
• Kelli Blinn: "If you don't know you have options, you don't have any." [20:05]
• Darcy Sauers: "Just show up and you're gonna attract the people that want to spend six hours watching your childbirth ed course." [30:00]
• Kelli Blinn: "You just have to start somewhere." [51:05]

This episode serves as a valuable guide for doulas seeking to diversify their income streams, offering practical insights and real-life experiences from a fellow professional who turned her passion into a sustainable business model.