Episode 20: Going Pro: How Nat Daudet Built a Trusted Fertility Education Business
In this episode, Lauren is back behind the mic after maternity leave and joined by a familiar face: Cycle Coach School graduate, mentor, and founder of Fertility Awareness Project, Nat Daudet. Together, they explore the journey of building a meaningful and sustainable business in the women’s health space, and what it can really look like to grow a career rooted in values, curiosity, and care.
Nat shares the story of how she moved from working in mental health and social work into fertility awareness education, and how her work gradually evolved from a passion project into a thriving business. Rather than following rigid formulas or business “rules,” she reflects on the importance of creating systems that support the life you want to live and allowing your work to grow alongside you.
Throughout the conversation, Lauren and Nat discuss collaboration, community, boundaries, business evolution, and the realities of working for yourself. They also explore the pressure many practitioners feel to always have the answers, and how moving toward a more collaborative and supportive model can create safety not only for clients and students, but for practitioners too.
If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to build a trusted career in women’s health education, or found yourself comparing your own path to someone else’s, this episode offers a refreshing and honest perspective. It’s a reminder that growth often happens through small changes over time, and that building something meaningful doesn’t need to happen all at once.
Click play to learn more about creating a business that supports both your work and your life.
Resources and Links:
Nat Daudet’s Website:Fertility Awareness Project
Nat Daudet’s Instagram:@fertilityawarenessproject
Fertility Knowledge Collective: www.fertilityknowledgecollective.com
Stay connected:
Cycle Coach School Website:www.cyclecoachtraining.com
Cycle Coach Instagram: @cyclecoachschool
Claire's Instagram: @_clairebaker_
Claire's Website:www.clairebaker.com
Lauren's Instagram:@laurenoliviahughes
Lauren's Website:www.findingjulian.com
Lauren (00:48)
Welcome to the Cycle Coach show. I'm so excited to be back recording. And for my first episode back, I have a familiar face and that is Nat Daudet. She is the owner of the Fertility Awareness Project and the co-founder of the Fertility Knowledge Collective. So she's covering all her bases in the fertility awareness world. She's absolutely brilliant. And she's also a mentor at the Cycle Coach school. So we are huge fans through and through.
Lauren (01:15)
Welcome back Nat Daudet. I'm so excited you're here.
Nat (01:17)
I'm so happy to be here.
Lauren (01:19)
Yay. Okay, to start us off, we're going to do a cycle check-in. So what cycle day are you on and how is that feeling so far?
Nat (01:27)
I'm on day 18 and I feel very like resilient today. Yesterday I was feeling really down in the dumps and really luteal ⁓ and today I woke up and I was like today is gonna be a good day. So I like started the workout. I'm like we're gonna be we're gonna feel good today. I like
wash my hair, which always helps. And then it's like so sunny and nice out today, which really helps. So I like just was hanging out with my niece and we were sitting in the backyard and we were like going for a walk. And so I feel like very refreshed today. I feel really good.
Lauren (02:09)
So wonderful how the simple things, like a sunny day, fresh hair, just resets the brain. Oh, that's beautiful. I literally checked my cycle app before I logged on, because I was like, I wonder what it says. And I'm cycle day 601. And you'll love this. My app says, well, because I'm postpartum, like I'm 10 months postpartum. yeah, I just haven't had a period since like.
Nat (02:13)
Mm-hmm, 100%.
Lauren (02:35)
a million years ago. ⁓ But I did laugh because my period app says I'm in my luteal phase. I was like, good, good. It's like, you must be, you must be by now.
Nat (02:44)
The longest luteal phase ever. I mean that's
almost two years now. Like that's like, yeah. Wow. Crazy.
Lauren (02:50)
Yeah, yeah, my last period
was on my wedding anniversary, September 27th, ⁓ 2024.
Nat (02:56)
Yeah, there you go.
Lauren (02:58)
Fun times. Anyway, I'm so excited to have you back. You're on season one with Nat Martin talking about irregular cycles and long cycles and how to coach women with them. And I really wanted to have you back because during my like maternity leave kind of, was still creeping on the internet and obviously following you on Instagram, Fertility Awareness Project. And just so in awe of like all the projects that you're bringing to life, the podcast you had with Lucia.
of Ambrose's table and just like all the fun you seem to be having in your business. And so I'd love to like get like deep into the workings because I know you're a Virgo son. I know there's structures and systems and I know it's not just like a highlight reel on your Instagram of like, oh, I'm at the cottage. I know you're actually at the cottage and like fully disconnected. So I'm wondering if we could start at the very beginning of how you came up with the idea of Fertility Awareness Project. How many years ago was that?
Nat (03:57)
That would be, I think I started my Instagram account in 2017, I believe. And then in 2018, I finished my FEM certification, which I you've also done. And then I was working as a social worker in mental health. I became very burnt out. And I was also just sharing about
becoming a fertility awareness educator on my page. And then during the pandemic, I went back and did my MSW. And while I was like my master of social work, it was like all virtual and I was like, had more time to work on my business. And then I just never really went back. So I was like,
Lauren (04:38)
What's it in the family? Sorry.
okay.
Thank
Nat (04:54)
There was like a point where it was like, could get another job, but like, I think I can do this full time. that, like having the bridge of like being in school and like kind of trying to do this was really helpful. And then, yeah, I just like didn't, I just didn't go back after that. And so slowly over time, kind of like just shared about my
passion for ovulation charting and fertility awareness and also like sharing a lot about my own cycle too, which has been a journey that like we talked about last time and I joined cycle coach school in 2020, which was I think also like a really helpful like way to, I don't know, like hone in on how I wanted to teach. And I initially joined cycle coach school because I was like, I want to be a therapist and like integrate menstrual cycle awareness.
Lauren (05:54)
Hmm.
Nat (05:54)
into therapy with women. But I found like my niche or like my passion really just isn't like the nitty gritty and like the Virgo Sun really comes over. I like really like to know like the practicalities of fertility charting and like make it really clear and understandable for people. And I've been charting to avoid pregnancy for 10 years. So that's like kind of how I came into fertility awareness. And it's just like something that I can't imagine not.
Lauren (06:08)
Hmm.
Nat (06:24)
doing. It's just so helpful to know, like, as I know where we are in our cycles, but also like, to know when I'm ovulating too. Yeah, and then in like, 2023 or no, 2023, 2022, I started Fertility Knowledge Collective, where we started like,
Lauren (06:31)
Yeah.
Nat (06:49)
Me and myself and Tami Stroud, she's another fertility awareness educator. We started teaching fam educators and that's kind of how we got to where we are today.
Lauren (07:02)
All right, so that's kind of your journey of how you became certified, how you landed where you are now. Where did that curiosity initially begin for you? Where you're like, want to learn how to chart for birth control.
Nat (07:16)
Well, I remember a friend lending me, I don't know which book it was, teaching me about the phases of the cycle because I'd always circled my period start date on a calendar and was starting to just vaguely pay attention to my cycle. And then I was at a point of looking into getting on birth control and
Lauren (07:38)
Hmm.
Nat (07:46)
It's like if I'm gonna be responsible and sexually active, I need to be on birth control, because it's like what I learned when I was in high school. It's like everyone was on birth control. And I just like was looking at all my options and it was my family doctor who was like, what's wrong with condoms? Like just use condoms if you don't wanna be on birth control. It's like, really? Like that's safe and like reliable. And she's like, yeah.
Lauren (07:50)
and ⁓
Nat (08:12)
as long as you're using them right, like you use condoms and then she's like, there's also this class that you can take, this national family planning class. And I was like, really? Like, this seems weird. It's like kind of religious. But I like checked it out. And they're talking about like giving back rubs in the fertile window and like tracking ovulation. was just like, this is so weird, but so cool. And like, I understand now like
Lauren (08:20)
Hmm.
That's really cute.
Nat (08:42)
more about Catholic National Family planning and like I was like why were we never taught how to chart ovulation and that we ovulate like I was only ever taught about way period and so it was like it came out of like wanting birth control but I think like now it's just become so much more like I think like yeah I I just like knowing what's going on with my body at all times and I think that's the thread that like really
appealed to me about fertility training, but when I learned about it, I was still, I think, really skeptical. was like, really? This seems strange.
Lauren (09:18)
Well,
yeah, and I love that GP who is just like, hi, there's options because I think a lot of women, myself included, don't encounter that. Or I had the opposite experience of like a GP asking what I was using and I was said like a fertility awareness method. And she was like, what's that? And I was like, okay. So I explained it to her and she's like, that sounds complicated. And I was like, okay. She's like, let me know when you want to go back on the pill. was like,
Nat (09:24)
Yes.
Yeah.
And you're like, for sure. I know. I'm like, people just need to tell their GPs that they use condoms. It's too complicated to tell them that you use fertility awareness because a lot of people don't know. But there are some people who do. There's like the odd doctor who knows about it.
Lauren (09:45)
Probably won't be back.
Yeah.
Hmm.
Mm-hmm. No, that's brilliant. so then is that when, so Fertility Knowledge Collective is your certification program that you created with Tami, where you're kind of combining the different methods of the fertility awareness umbrella, I suppose, because there's different.
Nat (10:14)
Mm-hmm.
Lauren (10:22)
methods I suppose or just like teachers within that space. Why did you feel like you needed to do that?
Nat (10:29)
Great question. ⁓ I think like when you're in the fertility space or like if you're in the Facebook groups who will often say like, learn a method of fertility awareness. Like that's the first step. You need to learn a method. And there's this lineage of traditional OG training institutes that
Lauren (10:31)
You
Nat (10:59)
Some have done research on their methods and some haven't. A lot of the science kind of like comes from this original body of work. And then you have these like original institutes that are just like the classic ones that we think of. Like Billings or ⁓ Simdo Pro, Creighton, like all of these, yeah, these institutes. And then, so like I trained with Fem and then
I also trained with Billings, is like one of those, you know, traditional Catholic training programs. And the research and the science is so sound. And at the same time, those institutes can be so rigid and like, if you don't fit this exact chart criteria, you can't confirm ovulation. And so I was going to Tami with questions.
being like, how do I handle this? Like, how do I be like responsible when teaching, but also give people options? And I think like a lot of people learning fertility awareness want to know the why behind like different rules. Like when we're thinking about opening the fertile window, we want to know why like taking charge of your fertility says use dry days, why billings use cervical mucus only rules.
why NFPTA uses a combination of like cervical mucus and calculations. Like everybody is doing something different. And I think we all like, we all want to know why, like why is that? And so that's kind of how we started is we just like went into the evidence for people and like Tami is so smart and she knows so much and like she'll just like.
I don't know, she has a lot of experience that I continually learn from, but she and I put everything together for people to then go to their clients and say, here's the evidence, make an informed choice. I want to help support you through weird chart scenarios. ⁓ And we were like, one day we'll create a teacher training program, but it felt so daunting.
Lauren (13:04)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Nat (13:17)
And
we were just like, we're just going to teach fam educators who are like already certified. And then eventually we, one day we were like, we were, we were making suggestions of like best practice for people to use with like temperature and cervical mucus, LH tests. ⁓ and then one day we were just like, did we accidentally create a method because we have like these, we have recommendations that we suggest people use. we're like, yeah, I think we just did. I think we just did create a method.
And so took us like four years to then be at a point where we're like, okay, we feel good about teaching people who don't yet have a background in another method. And it's been so fun. we, like, there was like a little bit of like fear of like, who are we to do this? And we also recognize that like a lot of modern methods are pulling from existing research or like pulling from the evidence and.
Lauren (13:56)
you
Nat (14:14)
we're doing it in like a very new way. I'm like, we're just like, I don't know, we're just doing some really fun stuff. Like we're doing these, we just started our cohort and we're doing these nurture calls and we're inviting people, like we're inviting alumni to come in and be in the calls with the new cohort, which is really cool. And like support each other and just like talk about how we're feeling. And like, I think there's a lot of like,
There's a lot of fear around feeling like you need to know everything to teach fertility awareness or like feeling like you need to have all the answers. And we're all looking at each other going like, like you must know, or like you must know. And it's like, no, we all like don't know everything. And so it's a space where we can all just like honestly show up and like ask questions in a safe space. And like, I'm still telling my clients like, I have no idea. Like I'm
going to go to Fertility Knowledge Collective I'm gonna go to Tami and I'm gonna like talk through it and come back to you. Which I think makes like a really good fertility awareness educator when you can like see where your gaps are and then have somewhere to go. So that's kind of how it came about.
Lauren (15:28)
I love it though, because what you're describing is, I think the evolution of these like training and coaching spaces, because I think for so long it was, you know, person on pedestal, you want to become person and like everything they say is like the word. And it's just like, now we're kind of getting into like this circle. It's more like matriarchal way of teaching where we're all like equal. We're all coming in with experiences and answers and questions.
And of course you and Tami are like more than certified and more than like able to hold that container and, you know, make sure there's boundaries and rules and whatever we need. The Virgo structure, if you will. ⁓ But what a beautiful way of teaching to be like, okay, what are the problems you're finding? Let's work it out. Let's workshop it. Because I think that's the next generation of teaching really.
Nat (16:20)
100%. Yeah, we've been talking a lot about like, decentering ourselves as the experts and like a lot of the curriculum we've like recorded and developed is there for people to learn from and then it's like, now we want to try to resource our community and also like help people, help people feel regulated enough to
like not find the answers within themselves because like obviously there's things they just don't know but it's like can we stop looking at Nat and Tami to like have the answers for everything and like resource the community which I think has been really cool and it's also something I've been doing with my clients too where it's like I'll teach you the method I'll teach you how to chart I'll teach you like how to know when you're fertile when you're not but I've started just like
trying to step out of the role of like constantly fixing or like constantly having the answers or constantly like needing to like respond so quick, not respond so quickly, because I don't want to sound like I'm like a bad fan educator, but like ask people what they think about their own charts and like what were like help them feel confident because I think like so many of those questions come from this place of
Lauren (17:36)
and
Nat (17:46)
of not knowing their chart or not knowing their bodies or like feeling really panicked and it's like can we just like take a breath and like figure this out together instead of like constantly needing to like go outside of yourself to like find the answers. So that's been like a big shift for our program but also just like in my own teaching and it just is like so like for my nervous system feels so much better and like
Lauren (18:15)
Mm-hmm.
Nat (18:16)
I can just kind of exhale and not like carry the weight of everything on my shoulders. Yeah, so.
Lauren (18:20)
Mm-hmm.
And you're inadvertently
encouraging their nervous system to find safety and sitting with their chart and being like, god, like you said, there's not that knee jerk reaction to respond, which is beautiful and nice to have space away from your laptop. I don't think anyone would think poorly of you for that. But beyond that, teaching them to have confidence and to be able to like...
Nat (18:30)
For who?
Lauren (18:48)
look and be like, maybe I do know, or maybe there's someone I can ask, like a friend that I've met through the course or whatever it is. Because I know, so obviously the fertility knowledge collect over your teaching the new method, you have that space. But then I know also in your cycle of where you're teaching women how to chart their cycles, like from scratch basically, that you also, if I'm not mistaken, have a community with like mentors in it who can kind of answer questions for you as well. So how did you integrate that?
Nat (19:16)
Yeah.
Lauren (19:19)
heart.
Nat (19:19)
Yeah. So how it works now is like when I'm teaching fertility awareness, because there's this like big question around like structuring training programs or it's like, where's the line of support? What is like the support at start and end? And I think like for a lot of people who just like want to be in service to others, it's like that that line never ends and you
Lauren (19:38)
Mm-hmm.
Nat (19:49)
start out being available forever. And like I used to have it so that people would like have unlimited lifetime support because I felt like I was their birth control and like I that is just a really problematic way to go about it. ⁓ And so it was Tami who like really modeled to me like you are not somebody's birth control like that is just not a healthy way to go about doing this and like
people always have like their primary care providers to like reach out to. And we want people to get to a place of like autonomous charting and like feeling like they can interpret their own charts. I then, and then the other thing too is like when you're doing a course, you want to have this like contained timeline for people to take advantage and like make the most of the space. So when I switched from making it evergreen to like a six month support,
Lauren (20:26)
Mm-hmm.
Nat (20:45)
Then I felt like I was inviting people in to like make the most of it for six months and be like, go all in and like take advantage of everything that's available to you. And like the lessons are available for as long as cycle up exists so you can go back. But if you want to message me with your questions, that's a six month commitment. And after that point, people move into an alumni group, similar to how we have a cycle coach. And I don't like.
I'm in there, but I don't put pressure on myself to like moderate it. It's fully peer supported. And I used to have mentors, but now it's just like full, full peer support mode. And I'm actually thinking of switching my platform. I was in Mighty Network, but they're like, features are not available to people in the UK. They're like, you can't join if you're in the UK. So was like, okay, it's time to change things up.
So I think that's also a part where like for me I was like, I can never change anything. Like if I said it was going to be forever, it has to be forever. like, yeah, just allowing things to evolve and change. And I think it works better. And then if people want like a one-on-one call with me, they can always like pay to have that once they've like gone through CycleLab, they can join and get a one-on-one. And so that system has worked.
Lauren (21:53)
you
Nat (22:08)
really well, but it was like a little, it's always hard to go feel like you're going back on what you said or like feel like you're changing something that you once promised people. But I think people understand that like, it can't be the same forever. So yeah, that's how it works right now.
Lauren (22:18)
Thank you.
Hmm. Yeah,
change is inevitable. how did you, how did you work through the discomfort of that of like being like, actually, this is not going to be like, was there any pushback? Was there any like, did anyone know?
Nat (22:38)
Well, I think it was actually working with you, honestly, for coaching. feel like we did talk a lot about that. I think you were like, Nat, this is ridiculous. You cannot let people have this much access to you. Or you need to have some boundaries in place. so I think there is always just a little nudge, a little question that you have to follow and explore. ⁓
Lauren (22:47)
Boom.
Yeah.
Nat (23:06)
remember that like your business is not chasing like nobody's chasing after you like you know like nobody is out to get you you can just like let your system like settle and ⁓ just chill out like it wasn't there was not really there was no pushback from anybody it was like fine ⁓ but yeah
Lauren (23:27)
Hmm. So from starting this like Instagram account, obviously building it, at what point, or have you maybe always felt this way? At what point did you feel like you could invite in collaborations or welcome external opinions? Or have you always been someone who's kind of loved that collaborative space?
Nat (23:48)
Like in what way do you mean?
Lauren (23:49)
Well, Justin, I think sometimes, and maybe this is from my own experience of coming from the real estate world where it's like, you're gonna make it on your own. And I think it's maybe a little toxic patriarchy of it. Maybe that mentality of I'm gonna be the lone wolf and build something up and you gotta make your name first and then you can do stuff with other people or ask for help or even your relationship with Tami is so beautiful. It seems like a mentoring relationship where you can ask questions and.
Nat (23:59)
Mm-hmm.
Lauren (24:18)
receive that support. So has that always felt natural to you to kind of invite those relationships into your business?
Nat (24:27)
Yeah, think, honestly, I haven't really thought of that before, but I think it does come fairly naturally to me. think like starting out and going through cycle coach school gave me a really positive experience of collaborations where people were genuinely so supportive of one another and like it didn't feel competitive. It just felt very
like we're all in our own lanes and like we all have our own expertise and we all benefit from like lifting each other up. And so I think that like first cohort was so special too, like we were just kind of like new and figuring it out together. So it's always felt very natural to me. Like I've done several, like I did a podcast with Lucia, but I also used to have a podcast with another fam educator and like
⁓ There's a couple of like fertility awareness or there's one fertility awareness Facebook group for fam educators that like I feel like I became friends with people that way and you just kind of like ask questions and I think it does come from a place of like acknowledging like you don't know all the answers that like gives other people permission to be vulnerable to and like
I think that's maybe kind of where it started where it's like, I need help, like I need to hear from other people who've had other experiences. And then it just like allows people to be like, I don't need to pretend or like have this mask up of like knowing everything. So yeah, I think it, I think it always kind of comes naturally to me, but I also don't collaborate with everybody. Like, I think you just have to have like a vibe sense of.
Lauren (26:16)
Mm-hmm.
Nat (26:17)
who you align with and like who isn't it for the right reasons or like you just know, like you can just tell from people even online, I feel like.
Lauren (26:25)
Mm-hmm.
⁓ Yeah, yeah, I think it's worth being picky. I didn't see you in the last photo.
Nat (26:35)
Yeah, I too.
Yeah, you don't need
to collaborate. You don't need to make everybody happy or collaborate with everybody. But I think those programs that you're in are great places to find meaningful relationships with people and just support each other and have a trusting relationship.
Lauren (26:54)
Mm-hmm. All right,
so you have, well, up until recently, you had a very irregular cycle, but now you're like weightlifting and like feeling a bit more, you're cured. Good. That's the end. the saying for, I'm sure you ever got it. ⁓ No, but I'm curious to know, because I know you have, I don't know if you're in your office, but I know you have like a big brown paper calendar for like the whole.
Nat (27:06)
I'm cured. Just kidding. I'm cured forever. Yeah, that's the end. Yeah.
Lauren (27:23)
really stresses me out. You have a year calendar, constantly changing my mind, ⁓ where you plan your year ahead. And so I'm wondering, because obviously, is that like happened at a certain point in your cycle? Is that just like, January 1, you're like, here's what I'm going to do for the year? Like, how did that start? How does it land?
Nat (27:28)
You
Lauren (27:46)
Tell me more.
Nat (27:47)
Calendars, love calendars. So about November, I started thinking about the next year. I know what programs I'm gonna launch. I have three launches of Psycho Love every year and a for years. So it's very much rinse and repeat. And then Fertility Knowledge Collective launches once a year and it's really based around Tami's family's birthdays, because they all have, like all of her kids' birthdays are in March.
So we do it, March is like blocked off and then it like happens after March. So that's like, it's very, it's gotten to be the same ⁓ from year to year. And then I will know kind of like where, like I will usually like go on a canoe trip in the summer or like go travel at some point. So I'll put that in. So it's like all the big rocks go in first.
Lauren (28:42)
you
Nat (28:43)
⁓ And then I will take note of things that I wish I would have remembered. like Black Friday always sneaks up on me and like American Thanksgiving always sneaks up on me. And so I'm like, okay, I'm going to put this in the counter for next year. Or like, there was one other one recently where I was like, I was like, I need to email myself in
August to start running ads for cycle love starting in September or like just things that I will do in the moment and be like I want to remember this for next year because like people were off or like Like unavailable or like this thing happened or this was a really good launch and like seasonally try to kind of remember like summer is a really hard time to launch things like people are just like Away, and so I like try to avoid the summertime or like that's kind of how
Lauren (29:23)
you
Nat (29:37)
how I do it and it's, and when I look at my calendars, there's not that much planned out in the big calendar. Like it's pretty, it's just the big things. And then I will like draw it out in Jan. I will make a reel about it and then I will put it on my wall and then people will message me and be like, did you do this calendar? And I'll be like, just watch the reel. I've done this tutorial multiple times for you.
Lauren (29:42)
Mm-hmm.
you
You're going to start selling them.
Cool. Tap the link.
Nat (30:06)
Yeah, exactly. So
exactly. But like, cycle wise, it was pretty recently that I'm actually able to plan around my cycle. Like, I feel like I now have a little fridge cycle guide on my fridge for the first time ever, because I actually feel like I can live cyclically in the classic way. And I know you're postpartum right now. So I know you understand like,
Lauren (30:30)
Mm-hmm.
Nat (30:35)
when you're in a long cycle, like, yeah, you do feel different, but it's not in the same way where you have 30 day cycles and you're like moving through the phases every week. Like it's just, it's so different. ⁓
Lauren (30:38)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Nat (30:55)
So I would say I don't really plan, like intentionally, I don't really plan much around my cycle. My life just kind of trucks on and then like I respond in the moment still. And I think that's because of so many years of like having irregular cycles.
Lauren (31:12)
Yeah, I wonder if it was almost like a bit of a blessing at times, because I think for me, when I had a regular cycle, sometimes it almost overcomplicated the plot to be like, when will I be bleeding? It's like, OK, but I'm still doing stuff when I'm Maybe not all the time, so you know what I mean, to just kind of add that in and like you said, have the big rocks in the calendar first to be like, these are the things that are happening.
Nat (31:25)
Mm-hmm.
Lauren (31:39)
And then obviously have a bit of like nuance and playfulness in the weeks in between thing. So how did you arrive at like, I'm gonna launch Psycho Love three times a year. I'm gonna do fertility awareness like once a year. Like how did you get to that? Was it trial by error? what trial and error?
Nat (31:57)
Yeah, trial and error. Yeah, trial and error probably. I am very like...
I'm the type of person that if I want to take time off, I'm going to do it. Like work is not going to stop me from doing the things that I want to do. Like I will make those things happen no matter what. I'll just take time off. So everything revolves around the summer that I want to be off because like, or like the trip that I want to take, like that is that I will never say, ⁓ I can't go because I'm working. And
So then I just kind of like, yeah, I tried launching quarterly. Like I tried doing Psycho Love launching that quarterly and then I was like, I just really want, I don't, I don't want to be launching like in the summer. ⁓ and then Fertility Knowledge Collective is just a once a year. It's like, it's gotta be once a year. Like there's, there's a lot of like, we do have mentors as like,
Lauren (32:50)
Mm.
Nat (33:04)
part of it and like we're teaching a lot of that live. So I think just like capacity wise, that's just, it's max capacity right now. And then there will always be like workshops that lead up to big launches. So I'll have like a free workshop or paid workshop leading up to a launch of Psycho Love. And then also this year for Fertility Knowledge Collective, we did a conference, which was new and like so much fun and also so much work.
Lauren (33:27)
Mm.
No.
Nat (33:33)
And it's like basically a bunch of like nine workshops that we were selling. So I think it just has worked with over time, ⁓ trialing things and also my creative capacity, like how much can I reasonably do and still feel excited about it and not burn out or like not feel like I'm running out of ideas. It's not even really burning out. It's just like,
Lauren (33:54)
Hmm.
Nat (34:03)
wanting to keep being excited about what I'm doing. ⁓ So yeah, that's kind of how it all unfolded to what it is now. Yeah.
Lauren (34:12)
Mm-hmm. And then like a
smaller scale, I'm always like inspired by like the structure of like your week, especially like during launch weeks. And they've worked hard to like, you know, pockets of joy kind of in the stress of launch, maybe. ⁓ But just even a regular week. How did you I feel like all my questions are like, how did you get there? How did you get where you are? Tell me everything. But how do you how do you like?
Nat (34:35)
Yeah.
Lauren (34:40)
enter a week and you're like, okay, I'm going to find like these times to work out. I'm going to like, you know, meal prep or whatever it is, and also run a successful business and kind of lock in when you need to. Cause I feel like it can be so easy, especially when you work for yourself, work from home to be like, I'm going to paint this room today or I'm going to vacuum.
Nat (34:48)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
That's a great question. How do I do it? I genuinely love working. I don't know if you saw the new Devilers Prada at the end. Miranda Preece was like, I love working. I relate so hard to that. I genuinely love making things. And I think that's a brain thing. I think that's maybe just personality and like...
Lauren (35:11)
Yes.
Nat (35:29)
who I am. So I'm very like motivated when I wake up in the morning and like, there's these things that I want to work on. Obviously, my cycle plays a part of that. Like sometimes like the last couple days, I've just like not wanted to sit down and work. And the season plays a part in that. So I think having balance is really important for my system and like balancing out seasons of
really pushing and doing launches and then having breaks. I think that's really where like my map, like my calendar comes in where I'm like spreading things out throughout the year. So I'm not having these times where I'm just like on and like go, go, go. It's like kind of this like ebb and flow of inhale and exhale. just like having breaks after big launches. And so same with my weeks where it's like,
Lauren (36:20)
Hmm.
Nat (36:26)
I won't really let work stop me from doing what I want to do. like, obviously there are times where like, I do need to lock in and get shit done. And obviously it's not always fun, but I try to like manage my energy in a way where like working out plays a big part of that. Where like now I'm in a routine of Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8.30 AM. I show up no matter what. And that is like such a nice way to start the day because
Otherwise there is no start to the day. And then every other Monday I do childcare for my niece. Although today was Wednesday and it got mixed up to the day off. So like today was a typical day where it's like I work out and I take care of my niece from like 10 30 to one 30. And then I get on this call with you too. And like, I probably won't work that much today. Like I'll probably just do this and then I might work on.
like a workshop that I have next week. ⁓ But I came up with the slides and the idea for it while I was on a walk yesterday night at like 9 p.m. So like, it's not that scheduled, but everything gets done. And I don't know that's like an annoying answer. ⁓ But if I'm not feeling inspired, sitting down and like looking at my screen is not gonna help me.
Lauren (37:43)
Mm-hmm.
Nat (37:53)
So I wait to like shift my energy so that I do feel inspired. And that part of that is like going outside, cooking, going to the gym. And then I'm like, ⁓ I have the idea for my workshop or like, I have the idea for this post instead of just like sitting in it. Like movement really helps for me. ⁓ And then what else? I do have like Zoom and client meetings and like,
Lauren (38:13)
you
Nat (38:21)
group calls. So I will try to book those on Wednesdays and Thursdays and then Tuesday is precious Tuesday. So Matt always says Tuesday's off. So it's precious Tuesday. So we will I'll work in the morning and then we will like get a treat or we'll do a house project. So that's like set in stone. And then Fridays, I recently opened up Fridays to 15 minute consult. So leading up to Psycho Love.
I was doing a lot more like one off consults with people. like Friday's standing just kind of open for consults. then Mondays are yeah, Mondays, every other Monday I do childcare. So it's like, maybe I'll be working half the day, maybe not. And, but I honestly, Lauren, I am thinking about my business all the time. So it's like,
Lauren (39:15)
Yeah, it's a nice reminder because I think sometimes we can come from like, whether you come from like the corporate world or just like a world where you have a boss and it is very much like nine to five, you have to be sat at your desk, even like if you're not, I was hopeful that the pandemic had kind of, you know, crumbled that structure of just like, you don't actually get anything done, you know, for your eight hour work day, you're working maybe three hours, but whenever it's fine. And so like,
Nat (39:16)
It's...
Lauren (39:44)
It's such a beautiful reminder, especially when people are kind of transitioning into working for themselves or like, yeah, wondering how do I set that up? Like that feeling of like, ⁓ I need to be busy. I need to be at my laptop. It's like, actually, because I'm with you. Like if I'm on a walk, like I need to like bring a notebook or bring my phone, like my notes out just to like write things down. Or it's like, I mean, annoyingly, it's usually like in the shower or like just like that. Hope I remember this. I usually don't, but that's Or just like in.
Human design, I'm a projector. And so like, we're big on naps. And so like lying down and closing my eyes, it's like, my brain like sorts itself out. So just like, understanding what works best for you is just wonderful. But yeah, it's not, I don't think it's ever staring at a screen being like, all right, this free workshop.
Nat (40:31)
Let's go. I know. I think you're so right. I think part of it is that like ingrained, like I was never, when I was working social work, was like there eight hours a day, but was I working eight hours a day? No, like, like there's no way. like, yeah, I think recognizing that like my best work or when your best work happens and like trying to emulate that or like.
Lauren (40:32)
Let's go.
Nat (40:56)
I will literally, like when it's really cold, will go to the track, like this winter I went to the track and I would just walk in circles and answer client messages or like make posts. So like, I think I would be a great candidate for walking desk, but like I will, I will just like go outside or like just walk and that's where I get my ideas. So I think I probably do work.
I think like 30 hours, I probably work 30 hours a week, 25, 30 hours a week, but a lot of it happens not sitting down on my computer or like a lot of it is like thinking about things or like I do answer messages on the go, which like isn't always good, but because I don't have like my full kind of like work brain on. that sometimes is a challenge. I do sometimes need to sit down at the computer and like,
be hyper-focused on things that I really need to think about. But, yeah, I think, I don't know, it's kind of all over the place. And I think that's the way that I work best. I do work on the weekends. It's hard for me to not, which...
is where that piece of loving working comes in. It's like there's always something that I want to do or something that I'm excited to do. It's a matter of letting myself do the thing that excites me or that I want to do and following that thread versus the type of work that is like, I don't really feel like doing that. There's always going to be that kind of work. So on the weekends, like, if I want to do something that is really fun or I have an idea, that's often when I get my best Instagram ideas is just when I'm not pressuring myself.
Lauren (42:30)
Mm-hmm.
Nat (42:41)
to do stuff. So I don't know if that's helpful.
Lauren (42:44)
Yeah. No,
is. it's like, mean, yeah, it's not like you're chained to your desk all weekend or like anything, but just having that balance kind of throughout your weekend. like you said, having big chunks of time off in the year. Like I know you were off like all last, not all last summer, but you know, like you went camping, you went traveling to Europe and like, it's nice to be able to do those things and to like enjoy the business that you're in and create a business that you want to create. Because I think there's, mean,
I don't think there is a right way to do anything. And if anyone is like, like I said, I feel like we're moving away from that kind of coaching of pedestal being like, do these three things that I did that worked for me. It's like, I've tried a lot of those and it makes me cry. So no thank you. I'm so tired. Please no.
Nat (43:24)
100%.
Yeah.
100 % no. And I think too, like when you allow, like a big through line for my business has like really been allowing like who I am in my life to be a part of my business. So I think once you do that, then like the five weeks that I took off last summer where I was like, we were moving and I was traveling and canoeing, like that is where like I got the idea to like,
do a podcast with Lucia, I was like when I was canoeing or like all of that then becomes like part of content or like stories that I tell in my newsletter or like it just fuels me creatively to have experiences that then I can like pull on or like bring people into and yeah that was like that was tough last year because I wasn't like planning on moving and then there's just like things booked.
But like I said, it will never stop me from doing those things. So I just kind of like embrace it as a way to like build on my like content really and like continue to feel inspired. So I think those things are so important. Yeah.
Lauren (44:43)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
I think it's also important, like we've said a few times, to keep yourself centered kind of in that story of like, does this method work for me? Is it the right time? Like even I think of the podcast of you and Lucia, I listened to it a lot in January, because just Home with the Baby, it's nice to put a podcast on. It's like, I'm hanging it with two friends. But then was just like the two of you were like.
holding each other accountable to goals and like said, and I was like, me too. And then I was like, no, now's not the time for you. So it's just like, yeah, all of these things. It's like wonderful to hear about your business and your story and to like hear how you've gotten here. But yeah, for any cycle coach graduates or listeners in general, don't like, don't, I, every time I would go to a conference, I'd always say like, you don't need to implement everything.
Nat (45:15)
That was not the charm. That was not the charm.
Lauren (45:37)
pick one thing that really resonated and just let that be the thing that you're like, I like that. I like that she does X, Y, Z, whatever it is. ⁓ Maybe some rapid fire curiosities out of my own brain, but what's your favorite tool that you've invested in for your business?
Amazing! That counts!
Nat (45:58)
Pidgin membership.
It has improved my life. Like investing in my long-term health and like aging well is the best money I can spend. So yeah, I want to say my gym membership because it like gives me like a community. gives me mental health. gives me a routine, joy, friends, like everything about it. So I mean, that's, I feel like that's one of them.
Lauren (46:08)
Hmm.
Nat (46:32)
Right now I'm like using a tool called Descript because I'm editing a lot of videos for a particular knowledge collective. So basically you can like edit videos by using the transcript. So it will like allow you to like search for sections by reading the transcript and you can like edit with the transcript. So that's another one that I've been using a lot lately. And then...
I've talked a lot about it on my Instagram, but Lucia got me onto the Focus app. for like, yeah, for blocking, it's like an alternative to the Brick device. So you basically can like lock down certain apps by tapping it like an NFC tag. So I just like have it on a piece of paper and like tap it and then I can't get onto social media. And then I just like keep my phone and my
thing, my little tag far apart. ⁓ So it's just like a good way to have some kind of balance with my social media.
Lauren (47:39)
Mm.
Nat (47:40)
It was very cheap though, was like a dollar to buy the tank. I wouldn't say I invested, but it's been life changing.
Lauren (47:47)
It's an investment of your time, Your investment. Okay, what are you reading or watching that's bringing you joy?
Nat (47:49)
Yeah, yeah.
Well, I just finished Lena Dunham's ⁓ memoir. Have you read it?
Lauren (47:59)
Mmm.
Yeah.
No, I haven't, but I've been following because I know Claire is doing it for her book club. ⁓ And so I've been watching people online reading it and then we go, is it good?
Nat (48:12)
It's great. I loved
it. I really love a good memoir. So I really enjoyed it. It was very messy. And so I'm curious what people are going to say in the book club. But I've also been on an insane Survivor kick. I don't know what has overcome me. But like I never watched Survivor. And then someone was like,
Lauren (48:20)
Mm.
Nat (48:39)
recommended, whether I start with season, there's 50 seasons. Yeah, and there's a new season. Yeah, it's been running twice a year for 25 years. So I watched season 48. It was, oh, it was so good. I can't stop thinking about it. And then I watched season 49. Pardon? Mm hmm.
Lauren (48:44)
I guess that makes sense.
Is it the same host? Is it the same host?
How old is he now? I ⁓ thought he was like, well definitely.
Nat (49:06)
Yeah, it's wild. He's old. Well, he's like, I don't know. He looks young. He's probably had some more like,
plastic surgery. So that has been my current obsession. I'm watching season 50 and I will watch it when I do dishes. I will watch it before bed. I will watch it like when I'm holding laundry. It will just like come along with me throughout my day. And I just can't get enough. So.
Lauren (49:27)
Yeah. Mm. Mm. Incredible. Finally,
what's the next idea that's exciting you? Or like just the little like glimmer of inspiration that's exciting you right now?
Nat (49:41)
Mm.
Lauren (49:42)
that you can share.
Nat (49:43)
have so many. have so many.
I am really, I just booked my flights to Edmonton yesterday, so I'm gonna go to the Wild Roses Festival and a couple of CycleCoach people are gonna be out there too. Kat and Kate are gonna be there. So that's in July and I'm really excited about that. And then...
I am just deep diving into perimenopause right now. So I'm just doing like a bunch of like research. I really want to write like a cycle focus cycle charting focus book on perimenopause one day. And so I'm just really, really digging into that right now. And I also have a big like it's going to be Nat versus the weeds in my backyard this summer.
Lauren (50:23)
Mmm.
Which...
Nat (50:32)
So I'm like on a really big gardening kick right now. Like I'm already, ⁓ like already dealing with the weeds in the back end. We have this like massive rhubarb plant that we inherited from the previous owners. have raspberries, we bought strawberries, and then we're going to be growing a bunch of vegetables. So that's going to be like my, and when I talk about it, I just feel so excited. ⁓ And so yeah, lots of, lots of things, honestly.
but those are the big ones.
Lauren (51:04)
Gosh, yeah, conference, cycle coach gathering, book, gardening.
Nat (51:06)
Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. So many things.
Lauren (51:11)
Incredible. I can't
wait to read your book. I'm so excited about it. ⁓ Whenever you write it, happy to edit it, know, happy to read it, write a review. ⁓ Is there anything else you want to share before we sign off for today?
Nat (51:20)
I'll take you up on that. I'll take you up on that. For sure.
Hmm, I hope it's been helpful for people to ⁓ It's hard to like answer like how it's hard to like look at somebody and be like how did you get there or like how did you start because I feel like so many things were just little tiny changes over time and like even when it comes to like my health and just like working out or just New habits that I've recently adopted it's
It's never all at once and it's always just like little steps and little changes and then eventually become unrecognizable. like, Lucia and I talked about that a lot on the podcast, but it's true. So I hope people are able to take like one little tiny change or just like pay attention to your energy and how it shifts throughout the day and like what makes you feel really good and like follow that because ultimately that's going to make your business better too.
when you're in that like really good juicy space. So.
Lauren (52:32)
What
a beautiful note to end on. Thank you so much. Chat soon.
Nat (52:36)
Thanks, Lauren.
Thank you so much for listening!
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