Enroll in the spring cohort

Doula Agency Owner Mentorship

Build an agency that does not run on you.

A live cohort for owners and aspiring owners working on their team, their clients and the systems behind them — led by BBU founder Anna Rodney.

Enroll in the spring cohort Hear from a participant

For owners and aspiring owners: people with more referrals than they can personally serve, owners still taking client shifts alongside the administration, and established owners who want the agency to run without them. You do not have to be running a team already.

$1,000

Five live sessions with Anna Rodney. April 6–May 4, 2027, Tuesdays 12–2 p.m. Central.

  • Five weekly live group sessions: April 6–May 4, 2027
  • Tuesdays, 12–2 p.m. Central (America/Chicago)
  • Led by Anna Rodney
  • One year of access to resources and the group
5 Week Agency Owner Mentorship workbook cover

Hear from participants

Two agency owners describe the program in their own words. Captions are available on each player.

Kristin Revere, an agency owner of eleven years, on what the small group gave her and why she would join again.
Stephanie Heintzeler, founder of The New York Baby in New York City, on the September 2026 cohort.

What doulas say about BBU

Reviews from BBU doula training participants.

Shauna K.Labor Doula Training
“I have completed multiple other labor doula courses over the years and I can confidently say this is the most informative and useful course I have taken.”
Brittany P.Postpartum Doula Training
“The course was incredibly informative, well-paced, and full of practical details that truly prepared me for the day-to-day work of being a postpartum doula.”
Angela W.Anna’s in-person Labor Doula training
“Anna is extremely knowledgeable about birth and radiates that passion onto everyone she teaches. I would highly recommend taking any and all courses with Anna!”
Laura C.Labor Doula Training
“Even as a birth worker I had so much to learn from her.”
Saori B.Postpartum certification
“Her knowledge and how she structures the information makes this training accessible, easy to follow, and overall a great resource to come back to.”
Addi C.Postpartum doula training with Anna
“What I loved about her training is that she incorporated her years of experience as a doula into it and made it personal with tips and advice for new doulas.”
Chrissie D.Experienced birth and postpartum doula
“This wasn’t just a general refresher, it truly helped me fill in gaps, sharpen my approach, and walk away with practical, evidence-based tools I’m already using with clients.”
Shelley M.Experienced doula · training with Anna
“Anna’s training actually changed how I do things!!”
Adriana L.Childbirth Educator Training with Anna
“Her classes are interesting, engaging and full of useful information.”

How it works

Enrollment is open for the spring 2027 Agency Owner Mentorship.

  1. Choose the spring cohort

    Tuesdays, April 6, 13, 20 and 27, and May 4, 2027, from 12–2 p.m. Central (America/Chicago).

  2. Enroll and pay

    $1,000 through BBU for the five live sessions, workbook and cohort resources.

  3. Get your access

    Access your workbook and cohort resources in Learn, BBU’s learning platform.

  4. Work on your agency with Anna

    Five weekly two-hour live sessions with Anna Rodney, plus one year of access to resources and the group.

What owners work on

The cohort is for the owner’s side of the business — the parts that decide whether the agency grows or just gets busier.

  • A team you can rely on

    Recruiting, onboarding and keeping doulas who deliver the experience your agency promises.

  • Systems instead of memory

    The processes that hold client care, marketing and pricing steady while you are in a birth.

  • Leading instead of holding

    Move out of being the person everything depends on, and into running the agency.

The spring 2027 cohort

Five live sessions with Anna Rodney. Enrollment is open.

  1. 01 Tuesday, April 6, 2027 12–2 p.m. Central
  2. 02 Tuesday, April 13, 2027 12–2 p.m. Central
  3. 03 Tuesday, April 20, 2027 12–2 p.m. Central
  4. 04 Tuesday, April 27, 2027 12–2 p.m. Central
  5. 05 Tuesday, May 4, 2027 12–2 p.m. Central

All sessions meet at noon–2 p.m. local Central time (America/Chicago).

What the cohort works through

Five live sessions, grouped around the four parts of an agency that owners bring to the room.

01 People Your doulas, your team and your culture.
  • Contractor and employee relationships
  • Recruiting and keeping doulas
  • Onboarding new team members
02 Clients The experience your agency delivers.
  • Client trust and communication
  • Consistency across your team
  • Working through difficult client situations
03 Operations The systems that let the agency run.
  • Marketing and visibility
  • Pricing and packages
  • Processes that reduce owner dependency
04 You, as an owner The leadership side of running an agency.
  • Leading a team you can step back from
  • Community partnerships and referrals
  • Deciding what to grow next

The workbook you work from

Owners leave each session with work to do on their own agency, not just notes to file away.

5 Week Agency Owner Mentorship Workbook

The workbook runs alongside the five sessions: where the agency is now, what the team and client experience actually look like, and which systems to build first.

Three selected pages are shown here. The full workbook is included with the program and is not published as a public download.

Who leads it

The cohort is led by the founder of Birth & Baby University.

Anna Rodney, founder of Birth & Baby University

Anna Rodney

Leads the cohort · BBU founder and lead faculty

  • Founder of Chicago Family Doulas and Birth & Baby University
  • Master’s degree in education · Former Special Education teacher
  • Lamaze Childbirth Educator · Newborn Care Specialist
  • Breastfeeding Educator · Sleep Consultant · Birth and Postpartum Doula

Anna Rodney is an educator, doula, and mentor who has supported more than 25,000 families and trained thousands of doulas and newborn care professionals. As founder and owner of Chicago Family Doulas, she leads a team of more than 500 birth and postpartum doulas.

Anna holds a master’s degree in education and spent more than a decade as a Special Education teacher. Her teaching combines evidence-informed education with practical guidance on communication, professional boundaries, problem-solving, and compassionate, individualized support.

For agency owners, Anna draws on her experience building the systems, teams, policies, training programs, and client experience standards that support a sustainable agency. She helps leaders strengthen operations and lead with confidence.

Read more about Anna opens in a new tab
Anna Rodney introduces BBU.

The spring 2027 cohort is open

Join Anna Rodney for five Tuesday sessions, April 6–May 4, 2027, from noon–2 p.m. Central. $1,000 for the cohort and included resources.

Tuesdays, April 6, 13, 20 and 27, and May 4, 2027, from 12–2 p.m. Central (America/Chicago).

What is included

One price of $1,000 for the five-session cohort, workbook and included resources.

  • Five live group sessions with Anna Rodney
  • The 5 Week Agency Owner Mentorship workbook
  • One year of access to resources and the group
Enroll in the spring cohort

Questions

When is the next cohort?

Tuesdays, April 6, 13, 20 and 27, and May 4, 2027, from 12–2 p.m. Central (America/Chicago). Enrollment is open.

How much does the program cost?

$1,000 for the five live sessions, the workbook and one year of access to resources and the group.

Who is this for?

Owners and aspiring owners. That includes people who have more referrals than they can personally serve, owners still doing client shifts alongside the administration, and established owners who want the agency to run without them. You do not need a team already.

Who leads it?

Anna Rodney, the founder and lead faculty of Birth & Baby University, leads the sessions.

Is this the agency owner package?

The agency owner package is a separate offer at its own price, linked above. This page enrolls you in the five-week spring 2027 Agency Owner Mentorship for $1,000.

Does this certify me?

No. This is mentorship for people running or starting an agency, not a doula training or certification program.