Podcast Summary:

Podcast: The Doula Darcy Podcast
Episode: You’re Fully Booked… So Why Aren’t You Making Enough Money?
Host: Darcy Sauers
Release Date: January 12, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Darcy Sauers, a seasoned doula and business coach, addresses a common but frustrating issue faced by many doulas: being fully booked with clients yet still not earning enough to meet personal and financial goals. Drawing from her own career journey and the challenges of trading hours for dollars, Darcy shares mindset shifts and actionable strategies to break out of the doula income ceiling—without burning out or sacrificing precious family time. The episode is rich with personal anecdotes, practical business advice, and encouragement for doulas ready to think creatively about packages, rates, and expanding into new income streams.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Hitting the Doula Income Ceiling (00:41–04:22)

• Darcy recounts her own "wake-up call":
  Early success came from "hustling" and working with as many clients as possible, using her advertising background to get booked.
  She crafted her work hours—9:00am to 3:00pm—to align with her children’s school and life demands.
• "I was trading my hours for dollars..." (04:10)
  She describes exhaustion running between clients, juggling family and professional obligations, and realizing the math just didn’t add up for her family’s needs.

“I was working as much as I possibly could... But I knew I was at the top rate of other doulas in the area. I knew I couldn’t raise my rates anymore... the math wasn’t mathing.” — Darcy (03:55)

2. The Emotional Cost of Plateauing (04:40–07:30)

• Tension between passion and practicality:
  Darcy shares how hitting this ceiling was discouraging:
  "I just knew that with a pit in my stomach... This wasn’t enough. And I was so sad because I did not want to stop being a postpartum doula." (06:30)
• Acknowledges similar struggles among her listeners: Many fellow doulas have described this same moment of realization—fully booked, but still not "making it."

3. First Step: Raise Your Rates (07:31–09:48)

• Assess your market position:
  If you’re not the highest-charging doula in your area—raise your rates, even if you’re new.
• Don’t compare your financial needs to those of more established doulas:
  • Veteran doulas may have fewer expenses or different circumstances.
  • Your rates must reflect your needs, not just community norms.

“You have to charge more than these other experienced doulas in your town... At the end of the day, you need to charge what you need to charge to live your life.” — Darcy (08:45)

4. Adding Value Without Adding Hours (09:49–13:32)

• Expand your doula packages with high-value, low-time-additive offers:
  • Ebooks, guides, and checklists
  • Add-on services (e.g., nursery walkthroughs, virtual birth planning, registry consults)
  • Digital or virtual offerings can fill time gaps and scale more easily
• Introduce “Downsells”:
  Create smaller offers for clients who can’t afford your full packages (e.g., a $200 virtual birth-plan session).
• Lean into your ‘secret sauce’:
  Reflect on personal expertise or interests (e.g., baby gear, postpartum tips) to develop unique service add-ons.
• Emphasize virtual options for better work-life balance:
  “That is better than driving somewhere... If you could do any kind of session virtually, that’s ideal.” (12:20)

5. Moving Past the Ceiling: Agencies & Passive Income (13:33–15:00)

• Darcy’s leap: Starting an agency and building passive income
  • Hired subcontractors to increase capacity
  • Developed digital products, courses, and downloads
• Benefits:
  • Greater impact, more families served
  • Sustainable increase in income without longer hours or greater personal burnout
  • “It is possible to work less hours, help more people, and earn more money.” (14:45)

6. Custom Solutions & Mindset (15:01–16:45)

• Every doula’s business can be unique:
  Darcy loves helping others find their "special sauce" and best business fit.
• Long-term sustainability hinges on intentional business design:
  • Set rates to cover not just day-to-day bills, but also savings, taxes, retirement, and children’s needs
  • Darcy’s mission: “I want you to be a doula and a grown up and feel satisfied.” (16:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On burnout & boundaries:
  “There’s only so many births you can do a month before you are just running on the edge of burnout and not doing anybody any good.” (07:00)
• On rates:
  “Even if you’re brand new and you think, ‘Oh my god, but that doula has 20 years experience and I only have one,’ still raise your rates.” (08:05)
• On developing new offerings:
  “Every doula has a little secret sauce... that’s your little specialty in the doula world.” (11:20)
• On growing as a business owner:
  “We need to be setting our rates not to just get by... We have to be grown ups you guys. And I want you to be a doula and a grown up and feel satisfied.” (16:19)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:41: Hitting the income ceiling—Darcy’s personal story
• 04:10: The math isn’t working; family and financial realities
• 07:30: Raising your rates: When, why, and how
• 09:50: Expanding value: Add-ons, digital/virtual offers, ‘downsells’
• 13:35: Beyond the ceiling: Starting an agency & digital passive income
• 15:03: Custom business building & the importance of financial planning

Conclusion & Takeaways

Darcy’s episode is a blend of empathetic storytelling and practical advice for doulas hitting an income plateau. She urges listeners to:

• Evaluate and raise rates to meet personal needs
• Add high-value, low-overhead offerings to your packages
• Strategically leverage online and virtual services
• Consider agency models or passive income products for further growth
• Build a business that enables both fulfilling your passion and providing for your future

Her message is both a validation of the challenges many doulas face and a rallying cry to be strategic, set boundaries, and design a business that is both sustainable and satisfying.

Next episode teaser: Darcy will be recording live from the upcoming Birth Worker Retreat in Clearwater, Florida.

For further resources:

• Join Darcy’s Doula Marketing Group on Facebook
• Explore one-on-one coaching with Darcy for personalized business strategies