Doula Agency vs. Independent Doula: Which One Should You Hire? | Birth, Baby! Ep. 215

Should you hire an independent doula or work with a doula agency? And if you're a doula yourself, is it better to build your own business or join an established agency? In this episode, I'm joined by Anna Rodney, founder of Chicago Family Doulas and Birth & Baby University, to break down the real differences between independent doulas and agency doulas from BOTH sides of the relationship. Yes, we're both doula agency owners, so we acknowledge that we may be a little biased. But an agency is not automatically better, and there are plenty of independent doulas who have excellent systems, strong backup plans, and thriving businesses. What matters is understanding what you're actually getting and asking the right questions before you make a decision. For parents, we talk about some of the biggest differences that can come with hiring through an agency, including matching, administrative support, backup doulas, vetting, conflict resolution, and what happens if your doula suddenly can't attend your birth. We also discuss what you should look for when interviewing an agency or an independent doula. Who is the backup? How are doulas vetted? What happens if the match isn't working? How involved is the agency after you sign the contract? What do reviews actually tell you? Then we look at the decision from the doula's perspective. Working independently gives you complete control over your business, but it also means handling marketing, interviews, contracts, billing, scheduling, backups, client communication, and all the other administrative work that happens outside the birth room. For some doulas, that's exactly what they want. Others would rather let an agency handle those pieces so they can focus on supporting families. One of the biggest takeaways is that this isn't as simple as “agency good, independent bad” or the other way around. A great independent doula can have excellent systems and reliable backups, while an agency can have plenty of red flags. Anna is offering everyone 50% off any of their classes using code 50BBU at check out Link to classes: https://birthandbabyuniversity.com/cl... Anna Rodney is the founder of Chicago Family Doulas and Birth & Baby University, where she has dedicated her career to helping families feel supported, confident, and cared for during pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenthood. With a master’s degree in education and over a decade of experience in birth and newborn care, Anna brings both expertise and heart to every family she serves. Through Chicago Family Doulas, Anna leads a trusted team providing in-home birth and postpartum support, helping parents navigate everything from labor preparation to newborn care and recovery with compassion and professionalism. Through Birth & Baby University, she educates families about pregnancy, birth and baby and trains the next generation of doulas, equipping them with the skills and confidence to support families at the highest level. Chicago Family Doulas: All Socials: chicagofamilydoulas https://www.yelp.com/biz/chicago-fami... Birth & Baby University: All socials: birthandbabyuniversity Anna Rodney:   / annarodneydoula     / annarodneydoula   Get access to discount codes for our favorite products and check out our Amazon Storefront lists for "Must Haves" during the Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Newborn phases. https://empoweredbeginningsatx.com/pr... Are you a parent interested in learning more from Ciarra? You can check out her class offerings here: https://empoweredbeginningsatx.com/al... For the pre-recorded, self-paced Birth Basics Class, click here: https://empoweredbeginningsatx.thrive... For the pre-recorded, self-paced Newborn Sleep Class, click here: https://empoweredbeginningsatx.thrive... Are you interested in training to become a birth doula? Check out Ciarra’s Birth, Baby! Academy Birth Doula Training and Certification here: https://empoweredbeginningsatx.com/bi... Follow on Facebook:   / empoweredbeginningsatx   Follow on Instagram:   / empoweredbeginningsatx   The information provided on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Birth, Baby! Podcast was originally produced by Ciarra Morgan and Samantha Kelly. Ciarra Morgan: www.EmpoweredBeginningsATX.com www.BirthBabyAcademy.com Samantha Kelly: www.beautifullymadedc.com