Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jenn Taylor Campbell, Founder of Becoming Parents Doula Services, located in Reno, NV, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I spent 12 years as a doula, lactation consultant, and CBE trainer in The Bradley Method and Birthing From Within, and I ran LaLeche League meetings with a passion for supporting women who have become Moms. I'm grateful to have been re-certified as a Certified Birth & Bereavement Doula® to help families struggling with grief and loss, as well as an Adoption & Surrogacy Doula and Breastfeeding Counselor.

In addition to my Doula training, I have 30+ years in the trenches on my own journey as a Mama. I am licensed as a Transformational Coach and NLP Practitioner through the ABNLP. I've received targeted training on topics such as crisis intervention, drug & alcohol addiction, surviving trauma, and suicide prevention, which has equipped me with a solid understanding of how to serve others experiencing trauma.

Tell us about yourself

I am a Mom Of 18 (yes - 18 kids!). I've written the blog - Mom's Running It since 2011, and I am a published author of a self-help memoir, "Hello, My Name Is... Warrior Princess," in 2016. I'm also the host of the Becoming Parents Podcast - podcasting since May 2017. I'm an NLP Practitioner, Speaker, and I have 15+ years in the foster care sector as both a parent and a trainer. Personally, I've experienced infertility up to IVF and 3 miscarriages - one of which was twins at 16 weeks, as well as 1 hospital birth and 3 home births with midwives - two of which were water births. I breastfed 7 children, including 3 of my adopted babies – for 11 years in total, relactating for 2 of those adopted babies. I have a huge blended family and have suffered the loss of an adult son. I wanted women to feel seen and heard, to have choices, and an advocate to help them navigate pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. I had help from women or wanted help, and my business became that. I'm also married to an amazing man in Reno, NV, and am a runner, minimalist, and healthy lifestyle enthusiast.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The training to become a Bereavement Doula® was really challenging. I had to face all of my own demons about miscarriage and loss. I was so grateful to have gone through that process and feel healed from those losses. My own daughter became a "client" when she suffered a miscarriage. I would have gone through my own situation 100 times over to have been able to be there with her at that moment. Helping her through her loss was more emotionally connected for me, and it was beautiful to see the difference it can make.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

You can't eat an elephant in one bite. It takes time to get things up and to run on a website, business licenses, etc... The parts that make you a business owner and all the behind-the-scenes that no one sees. Also, if no one knows about your business, you have to work on marketing, advertising, and gaining clients.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Dig deep into who you are and how you want to serve. We could have gone through similar struggles, and both want to start a business, but where I became a doula, you might want to start a t-shirt slogan shop. Define HOW you want to serve others.
  2. Realize that everything is fluid and not static, from your website to your business. You may make several iterations of the same business before it's where you want it. It's not "reinventing" yourself; it's changing with life's twists and turns.
  3. Realize that you can do a lot on your own, but if you can ask for help from someone who is better than you are at specific parts of the business, hire them. I have a CPA, I can ask questions about financial decisions, someone in SEO, and I chose a website host that's very supportive, so I can get help on the things on the back end that I don't understand. NONE OF THOSE is about being a doula; however, all of them are necessary.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://doulainreno.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doulainreno
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doulainreno/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MomOfEighteen
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenn-taylor-campbell/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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