Doulas - are you a small business?

[madison]

As I think about starting my doula practice/working as a doula now & then and working regularly as a post partum doula, I have questions.

Are you a small business, with a name and a business license? Do you pay yourself a wage?

How do you pay your taxes if you are not?

Do you have insurance? What type(s)?


What I'd like to do is combine childcare & mothercare into one business, but I don't know if it can be done? I would like to provide childcare before & after school from home for three school age kids, and work with new moms & babies during the day and evenings. While they are different, they are similar (just different times in the life span). I also would like to be a "safe house" that latch-key kids could contact if they needed help, or were lonely or locked themselves out of the house, or needed homework assistance, etc. Anyone have suggestions on what my business classification might be and how I'd set up a business to provide these various services under ONE business?

I already am starting a distinct craft business and would greatly prefer NOT to have a dozen small businesses!

Suggestions?

[kama'aina mama]

Tough questions. I don't really know. I think a lot of this stuff varies locally, in terms of what kinds of endeavors need to be licensed as businesses and which you are just a self employeed individual or private contractor or whatever. It seems like the childcare part would be the one that had the most 'official' sets of rules governing it, so look into that. If most (or all) in home child cares in your area operate as small businesses that would be a clue. My gut reaction would be that if you have to be a business for the child care, fold the whole doula thing in under the same umbrella, but if you don't just be self employed, I guess.

This is all just me spitballing. I know nothing about insurance. Good luck!