The Matriarch Rules

Chapter 7Time Management and the Five Rules of Business

I still remember the first time I was hired by a pregnant woman to provide support during her labor and birth. I was so excited to be chosen as the person she would allow into her private, intimate, and vulnerable space. I honestly believe that the only thing more intimate than how a baby gets in a person is how they get out, and I've never lost sight of what an honor it is to be chosen to provide this kind of support. I knew then that I was born to do this kind of work.

I even remember a day where I felt especially grateful and wanted to share how monumental it was for me that I had found my calling. I called my mother and said, “I just want you to know that at least one of your children is doing exactly what she was put here to do.” I'm not sure if it mattered to her, but it mattered to me so much that I needed to say it out loud.

The fact that being a doula was my job, that I was paid to do it, and that a business ultimately evolved from it, was thrilling to say the least. To be able to spend your workday focusing on something you are deeply passionate about, as you can imagine, offers a reward like no other.

But this can also get business owners into trouble. When they feel so rewarded by the actual work that they're doing, it is easy to lose sight of the business side of things, like where the next client will come from and the organizational side of entrepreneurship. You see, most people have not figured out a good ...