Lactation Business Coaching With Annie And Leah

Are you striving to find a balance between setting goals and avoiding New Year's resolutions? Setting goals doesn't have to be a stressful experience!In this episode, we discussed how taking the time to slow down instead of hastily cutting corners can help save time in the long run and the importance of setting aside time to plan.It’s time to rebel against New Year's resolutions pressures and find balance in setting goals for your private practice!“ There isn’t one way to plan or set a goal.”In this episode, we will cover: Why a “More of/Less of” list can help you prioritize what is important (3:17) The importance of taking the time to set intentions, plan, and prioritize your day-to-day activities with more intention (6:04) How slowing down can help you do more (7:11) Using other skillsets to help in your lactation business (11:44) Like this episode? Want more?The LBC podcast is ALWAYS free, thanks to contributions from supporters. Every contributed dollar counts and so do our contributors — as a thank-you g

Are you just starting out in private practice (or maybe you are just curious and want a sneak peek behind the scenes of our business)?Well, either way, we are going to explain how our client journey unfolds.Running a lactation private practice is stressful and challenging but it’s also joyful and fulfilling. You can’t have the good without the bad.In this episode, we discuss how we handle our first client interaction, how we set expectations, and how we deal with those challenging clients.“Whether you imagine the worst case scenario or the best case scenario, both of them are your imagination”In this episode, we will cover: Managing client expectations (5:09) Setting your clients up for success in the very first session (6:48) Taking a client-centered approach (14:07) How to handle when things don’t go as expected (19:42) Like this episode? Want more?The LBC podcast is ALWAYS free, thanks to contributions from supporters. Every contributed dollar counts and so do our contributors — as a thank-you gift to our

Remember the story of Goldilocks and The Three Bears and how she found the perfect porridge and chair? It seemed it was made just for her.That got us thinking about what is our perfect amount of work cases to be taking on at a time in our private practice.We soon came to realize that this is a very hard thing to figure out. Being a lactation consultant is an emotional rollercoaster then add running your own business into it and the ups and downs get even crazier.In this episode, we give you a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes of our businesses and how we make sure we don’t get overloaded with work cases so we can try to find the right balance.“It's so important to recognize that there are always gonna be those cases that are gonna go outside of our normal care. I just feel like you have to be prepared for that.” In this episode, we will cover: What the pandemic taught us about burnout (5:30) Trying to find the balance between not taking on too many clients but also having enough to support you and your family

Have you ever thought of being a Pathway 3 mentor? Does it feel overwhelming and you don’t even know where to start?Leah jumped head first into being a Pathway 3 mentor and in this episode, she tells you all about it. Plus we got some backup to help you with all your questions about being a Pathway 3 mentor.We also give you a recap of our time at the USCLA conference and all the amazing speakers that we heard.“If you're gonna do private practice, Pathway 3 really is the only pathway that makes sense.” In this episode, we will cover: What we learned at the USCLA conference (00:14) Why Leah decided to be a Pathway 3 Mentor (07:55) What holds most lactation consultants back from being a Pathway 3 mentor (08:44) A way to improve your education around being a Pathway 3 mentor (10:09) Like this episode? Want more?The LBC podcast is ALWAYS free, thanks to contributions from supporters. Every contributed dollar counts and so do our contributors — as a thank-you gift to our top-tier members, we offer monthly LIVE Deep

Do you find yourself working really hard right now so that you can give your future self a break?Have you actually taken that break that you promised your future self? (be honest!)We realized that we were doing things to benefit our future selves but then not actually taking advantage of all the things we were doing.In this episode, we discuss how what you do today can help your future self and that you actually need to step into that version of your future self because you are never going to wish that you worked more when laying on your deathbed. “I think we have to think of the implications of what we do today will impact tomorrow.” In this episode, we will cover: The concept we use to help guide our tasks and thought processes (1:01) The importance of setting up automations (3:48) Why a busy season can actually help you in the future (8:26) Birthing your future self (19:07) Like this episode? Want more?The LBC podcast is ALWAYS free, thanks to contributions from supporters. Every contributed dollar counts

Have you ever gotten swept up in the marketing tactics of online courses and purchased one only to realize that it won’t actually work for your business?We are both guilty of falling prey to the “you have to buy this course in order to grow your business” marketing tactics and it doesn’t feel good. The thing is that most of these online courses aren’t right for lactation consultants or the way we run our private practices. Our clients are already vulnerable and we definitely don’t want to use high-pressure strategies on them during this time.In this episode, we are sharing how to know when an online course is right for you and why marketing strategies don’t work for our business. “The thing is these courses are not necessarily a good fit for what we're doing in private practice.” In this episode, we will cover: Why most marketing courses don’t work for lactation consultants (4:10) Using marketing in the healthcare field (9:59) What online courses were helpful for our business (12:15) How different courses app

Nobody is immune from stress. (If you are, then please tell us your secrets).Everyone experiences life in different ways so everyone has things that stress them that may not be obvious or logical to you. As lactation consultants, sometimes we have to get creative in how we communicate with families.In this episode, we're talking about ways families might be stressed and how can we help them work through that stress.We are giving you our tips and tricks that we use in our private practice so you can have a better connection with the families you work with.“We do have to be creative in modifying how we're communicating with families to recognize when what we're saying isn't landing with them.” In this episode, we will cover: Getting creative with how you communicate with families (6:18) The importance of having an attitude of agreement with your clients (10:38) Why getting curious can help the families you work with (13:09) Using yes and language (15:38)  Like this episode? Want more?The LBC podcast is ALWAYS f

Is it your dream to have your own office for your private lactation practice?We all dream about making it look pretty and what kind of couch we would want, but there’s so much more than just the decor to think about.In this episode, we are chatting with Katy Linda, IBCLC all about finding and designing your dream office from the not so fun part of thinking about parking to the decorating part (which is our favorite part!).Katy helps us focus on the important aspects of finding your dream office while giving practical tips for making sure it works for you and your business.As a mom of four, Katy knows that being a parent is a tough job. Her own parenting and breastfeeding journey has not been without challenges, and she knows her clients won’t be either. Katy helps the breastfeeding parent and their baby be comfortable with their breastfeeding relationship.To check out a video of Katy’s amazing office space go to: https://paperlesslactation.com/blog/finding-and-designing-your-dream-office-with-katy-linda-podca

Sometimes events or issues in our personal lives affect our lives as business owners and IBCLCs. Today we are discussing how to bounce back when these things happen.Let’s be honest, life happens and we can’t always prepare for things that happen but there are some things we can do ahead of time to make sure that our private practices and our clients are taken care of.We are not always in the right mindset to handle these situations when we have an emergency going on or when we are sick so doing this now before an event happens will help not only your business but your peace of mind.In this episode, we are sharing our stories of how we had to step back in our businesses along with all the mistakes we made.“Life happens and we have to be very gentle with ourselves.” In this episode, we will cover: Why you should create policies and procedures for if you needed to step back from work (5:22) The importance of networking with other local lactation consultants (8:33) Focusing on yourself and your needs and trying t

Does your heart start pounding when you hear the word insurance?It does for us.Maybe it’s because not all insurances even recognize us as providers plus there’s the uncertainty about getting paid.We also worry that money will negatively impact our relationship with our clients. It can be so stressful.In this episode, we discuss the emotional side of insurance and how frustrating it can be.“I get so worried that even talking about money or any stress around money is going to negatively impact my relationship with my client.”  In this episode, we will cover: The frustration with only having one lactation code (1:46) The stress of running a business while dealing with insurance companies (5:25) Talking about money with clients (6:01) How to move out of the emotional space of insurance (12:05)  Like this episode? Want more?The LBC podcast is ALWAYS free, thanks to contributions from supporters. Every contributed dollar counts and so do our contributors — as a thank-you gift to our top-tier members, we offer month

We have all had those clients who seem to always need us and are always texting or emailing us (you know the ones we are talking about).When you first start your lactation business you just want to help everyone even if that means your family and personal life suffer.But as you take on more clients, you have to start setting those boundaries or it leads to frustration and burnout.In this episode, we talk about the boundaries we have set in our private practices and how we enforce them with clients.“I think some of our suffering comes from how hard we are on ourselves.” In this episode, we will cover: What our businesses looked like with no boundaries (3:55) The types of boundaries we have set in our businesses (8:53) Setting boundaries with yourself (12:38) Trainings that have helped us in our private practices (23:17)  Like this episode? Want more?The LBC podcast is ALWAYS free, thanks to contributions from supporters. Every contributed dollar counts and so do our contributors — as a thank-you gift to our to

We are so excited to rebroadcast this episode all about the power of collaboration with Nikki & Nikki.Do you know that kismet moment when you start talking to someone and the brimming over of idea-sharing makes you feel like you are on to something? Something that hasn’t been created yet and there is a big need for it in the world. Like you and this person can literally come together and give birth to something unique and extraordinary, just like the one-of-a-kind tiny humans with which we work.That is exactly what happened when we met and decided to collaborate on LBC. Here’s the thing, we are not the only ones connecting with colleagues and germinating ideas that can help to create the IBCLC world in which we all want to live. That is why we were SO excited to welcome Nikki Greenaway, IBCLC, aka Nurse Nikki, and Nekisha Killings MPH, IBCLC, RLC - the dynamic duo that makes Nikki & Nikki - to our most recent podcast episode - The Power of Collaboration. Their collaboration grew from identifying gaps

Brandie Mitchell, RN, NC-BC was a recent speaker for our USLCA workshop, which was such a success, so we're excited to rebroadcast this episode with her.Do you find time to rest, like truly rest?Because we hate to break it to you but having reality TV on in the background while writing emails doesn’t count as real rest!In this episode, we are talking to Brandie Mitchell, RN, NC-BC about actually taking intentional time off from your business by looking at the cycles in our lives.Brandie is a Board Certified Nurse Coach specializing in holistic, personalized health coaching for women ready to reclaim their health from autoimmune disease, anxiety, depression, pain, insomnia, and fatigue. She also supports women during pregnancy and postpartum for a healthy and empowered transition into motherhood. Brandie empowers women and families to take ownership of their health, overcome anxiety and overwhelm, and move from where you are to where you want to be in your body, health, and life.“There are principles that can

You want your private practice to be sustainable but where do you begin?We want to let you in on a little secret, nurturing your business is actually not just about your business. It’s also about nurturing yourself.You have to pour into yourself because behind the business is a person. As a lactation consultant, you've been called to do something amazing in the world, and being able to come at that from a place of wholeness and strength, only happens when you take care of yourself first.“We are not just businesses we’re people.” In this episode, we will cover: The importance of nurturing not only your business but also yourself (3:38) How to start building that sustainable foundation in your business (8:47) The reason you need to take care of your future self now (12:00) The power of making connections (14:14)  Like this episode? Want more?The LBC podcast is ALWAYS free, thanks to contributions from supporters. Every contributed dollar counts and so do our contributors — as a thank-you gift to our top-tier me

Have you ever said I’m a terrible lactation consultant?We have!It doesn't matter how long you have been in your private practice, we all have those moments that make us feel like we don’t know what we are doing.We want you to know that you are not alone in feeling this way so, in this episode, we are sharing what makes us feel like terrible lactation consultants and tips on how we deal with those negative thoughts.“Everything that happens in your life, that seems to be a challenge or a mistake or feels like you’re a terrible lactation consultant, could possibly be something that we need to learn.” In this episode, we will cover: The challenging parts of being a lactation consultant (9:33) How to challenge your negative thoughts (11:23) The value of learning from your mistakes (19:08) Why you should treat yourself like one of your clients (26:50)  Like this episode? Want more?The LBC podcast is ALWAYS free, thanks to contributions from supporters. Every contributed dollar counts and so do our contributors — as

Happy New Year!Can you believe that it’s 2022 already? It seems so crazy that we crossed into another year.The pandemic has changed our lactation private practices so much but not all of it was bad. It has actually given us new ideas on how we want to run our businesses and serve our clients.In this episode, we are going over what we are looking forward to in 2022 and what we are ready to leave behind.“Here we are two years later and just trying to figure out how we need to continue to shift and be malleable and figure out how to keep running our private practices to the best of our abilities.” In this episode, we will cover: What we hope 2022 brings (3:37) The shifts we had to make in our businesses (4:27) Lessons the Pandemic has taught us (7:48) How we had to adapt and make changes to our schedules and life (10:39)  Like this episode? Want more?The LBC podcast is ALWAYS free, thanks to contributions from supporters. Every contributed dollar counts and so do our contributors — as a thank-you gift to our top

We can not believe that it has been 10 years since we became IBCLCs!No matter how long you’ve been in business, it’s important to always reflect on what you’ve learned and how you will keep growing.In this episode, we are doing just that! We are talking about how our businesses have grown, what we would have done differently, and the danger of thinking you have learned it all. “I wish I'd recognized that the only person I needed to prove something to was myself” In this episode, we will cover: Studying while also running a business (2:05) The importance of reevaluating your goals (6:36) How sometimes your plans don’t happen how you think they will (12:12) Why you should always be learning (19:14)  Like this episode? Want more?The LBC podcast is ALWAYS free, thanks to contributions from supporters. Every contributed dollar counts and so do our contributors — as a thank-you gift to our top-tier members, we offer monthly LIVE Deeper Dive sessions with experts and access to all previous Deeper Dive sessions — che

The holiday season is upon us!When someone asks what you want for the holiday, does your mind go blink?No need to worry, we got you covered!In this episode, we are talking about all the things that we have and love from fun boob stuff to clinical tools that only make sense to carry around if you are an IBCLC.“It's kind of fun to mix it up sometimes, I love all the boob stuff. It's so fun and it just makes it fun to have these statements that we can put out there and promote our profession day in and day out even if we get some crazy looks.” In this episode, we will cover: Some gifts that only IBCLC can wear (4:27) Why scrubs are a good gift (14:15) The life-changing aspect of a second screen (16:21) Masks that make a huge difference in your interaction with babies (18:54)  Like this episode? Want more?The LBC podcast is ALWAYS free, thanks to contributions from supporters. Every contributed dollar counts and so do our contributors — as a thank-you gift to our top-tier members, we offer monthly LIVE Deeper Div

Where do you see your lactation private practice in ten years? If you haven't thought about it don't worry, in the beginning sometimes just focusing on the newness of your practice fills you up. But there may come a day where you start to daydream about the potential and possibilities of your private practice.In this episode, we are giving you our top tips on how you can dream of where you want your business to be and what to do with all those ideas in your brain. (Hint, it involves something sparkly.)“The next million-dollar idea might be sitting inside of your brain right now because you made a connection between a need and an innovation, a way to solve a problem. It could be in your head right this second but we don't give ourselves a chance to think about that.” In this episode, we will cover: Looking at your business ten years in the future (3:35) The first question you should ask yourself when dreaming about the future (9:24) How you might have the next million-dollar idea in your brain right now (16;33

Why do we feel the pressure to do it all? You hear the word hustle a lot in the entrepreneur space. But does the hustle actually help us as private practice lactation consultants?In this episode, we’re talking about the messages about hustle we’re hearing from business gurus and on social media and whether they’re helpful for having a healthy and thriving private practice.(Spoiler alert: we think naps might help us reach our goals, too.)“Let's not think about buying into some dream of a future that may never come true but how can I scale what I'm doing or manage what I'm doing right now so that I am building in that intentional rest because I only have right now. I don't have that future I just have right now.” In this episode, we will cover: The internal pressure to do it all (4:11) The curse of social media (11:38) The importance of releasing what is no longer serving you (17:37) What you can cultivate in your life to take some of the pressure off (20:43)  Like this episode? Want more?The LBC podcast is ALW