We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kaytlin Brown. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kaytlin below.
Kaytlin, appreciate you joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.
There have been a couple defining moments in my life/career in the last few years. The first is the birth of my son. I was fortunate to have an incredible birth experience at a birth center in Denver, CO. I had a wonderful team around me (nurses, midwife, husband, photographer, doula). It also happened that one of the birth center owners was there that day and she happens to also be a doula! Being a birth center, there was always a great family feel so it was no surprise when she popped in a couple of times to check in on my progress. I’ll never forget a moment when I was feeling a little bit defeated/stuck, she sat next to me, looked me in the eye and told me exactly what I was going to do next. I remember most of my birthing day but that moment sticks with me as it was a turning point in my labor AND the moment I knew I wanted to be that for other birthing people. After I spent a few months at home with my son I worked myself back into doing bodywork and moved my practice into that very birth center to start working more with the pregnant population! The second defining moment came shortly after that, in March 2020 when covid began.
In the world of massage there wasn’t a whole lot of guidance as to what we were supposed to do. This virus that we knew nothing about was getting bigger and bigger. Most of what I heard was to “not work in small, poorly ventilated spaces, or in close contact for extended periods of time…”. That statement basically defines a massage therapists job. That, combined with lack of control of my clients actions outside of my office and the higher risk population of pregnant people frequenting my office, I made the choice to close my practice. My husband ended up out of work as well so we uprooted our family and spent time with my family in Montana. This is a major defining moment in not only our lives but my business. I took advantage of the time off and took an amazing maternal support practitioner (doula) program I’d been eyeing and when we got word we’d be heading to Phoenix, I had my business mapped out to hit the ground running as a doula and massage therapist here in the valley. Covid has been tough for a lot of people but I also think it’s brought out the toughness in even more. Had this never happened… I’d be writing a much different story for a completely different city. I’m grateful to the birth and wellness community here and cannot wait to see what the future brings for my business!
Kaytlin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’ve always loved the body and it’s ability to heal and change. I’ve been a licensed massage therapist for a decade now. Massage Therapy was a natural progression after receiving my BS in Exercise Science. I dreamed of becoming a Physical Therapist but had a hard time getting into a program. Massage felt natural to me and in the end, I found out I am pretty darn good at it, AND I could impact people’s health similarly. I attended The Soma Institute in Chicago and studied Clinical Massage Therapy for a year. After that I jumped right into my career. I’ve worked at a handful of places, spas, health clubs, etc. In 2015 I was fortunate enough to be hired by a private practice in Denver and six short months later I purchased the business from the owner. I ran that practice for 5 years until covid, as I mentioned. In that time I was primarily working on weekend warriors. People came to me to keep their lifestyles active and pain free, work through injuries, prevent injuries and occasionally just to relax and get some stuff off their chest. I had incredible clients for those 5 years, many of them I saw monthly (some even weekly!) for the entirety of my businesses life there. After having my son, I gained a new appreciation for the body and started working more with pregnant people. Supporting them with prenatal massage. After closing my practice in 202o and relocating to Montana for a year, I took advantage of my hiatus from bodywork to pursue a birth doula certification. When we landed on our feet in Phoenix, Asher Birth & Body was born, named after my son Simon Asher. Asher means “happy” or “blessed” which is something I believe every birth and body should be and feel. I now serve growing families in the Phoenix area through bodywork and birth support. Helping them achieve the birth they desire with the support they deserve.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
I was recently told by a new acquaintance that I am “attuned to the humanity in others”. I’ve never thought of this before. It’s funny how sometimes others see us even more than we see ourselves. I have a unique ability to help the humanity in people. I get to touch (literally) peoples lives with my hands and work with them through pain, sadness, elation, stress, and pretty much every emotion one can feel… and that’s just as a massage therapist. As a birth doula I get invited into an experience most people never forget, the birth of their child. It’s a sacred, intimate space and I do not take that lightly. The time I take in both of my professions, to truly listen to my clients body and voices, to earn their trust and build connection with them, that’s how I find such great success. I’ve been fortunate enough to reap the rewards of this trait in my former massage business and I very much look forward to doing so in this new adventure.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
I am big into networking. I put myself out there a lot to meet people I want work alongside. I’m also an extrovert and I love getting to know new people, especially other business owners in the health and wellness field. It’s a team effort, keeping people healthy, so I enjoy bringing my abilities to the table. Once I get to know people, I most always try to get them on my massage table to experience my work hands-on. In the massage field, it’s rare that you will recommend someone without first receiving care from them. I’m very confident in my massage work so I know once I get the chance to work on someone, I’ll have their business, and hopefully, that of their network as well. This goes for birth support too. As this is my first full year as a doula, most of the clients I have booked out, have come from social media, Google searches or provider referrals (nod to networking!). As those experiences happen, I hope that word of mouth will travel in the birth community and my business will continue will grow!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.asherbirthandbody.com
- Instagram: @asherbirthandbody
Image Credits
Emily Gipper Photography Matt Ehnes Photography Rivkah Leah Photography