Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Revere.
Hi Kristin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started Gold Coast Doulas to make the journey into parenthood easier for women and families during one of the most challenging times in their lives. During my first pregnancy, I had difficulty finding the resources and support I needed. After experiencing preeclampsia, spending time on bed rest, and having my daughter in the NICU, I learned firsthand how essential strong, compassionate support is during pregnancy and postpartum. I leaned on a lactation consultant and a nonprofit that offered postpartum volunteers, but accessing help required significant research, time, and persistence.
When I was pregnant with my son, I hired a team of doulas and felt so supported. I began teaching childbirth classes after he was born, and many of my students asked me to be their doula. I traveled to Florida for my birth doula training and immediately fell in love with the work. As a solo doula, I quickly realized that I could only support a limited number of families. That realization inspired me to grow beyond individual care and create something bigger.
Gold Coast Doulas was built to simplify the support experience for families. We offer a one-stop shop for resources from conception through the first year, with virtual and in-person options to meet families wherever they are. Our foundation is judgment-free care. Everyone has opinions about pregnancy, birth, and parenting, yet our focus is always on what each client needs without imposing our own beliefs.
Reaching our tenth anniversary was an incredible milestone for Gold Coast Doulas. What began as a passion to make the journey into parenthood easier has grown into a decade of serving families with compassion, professionalism, and unwavering support. Our team started with six doulas and educators and has grown to over twenty five.
To honor this achievement, we held a ribbon cutting with the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce during our anniversary celebration. It was a meaningful moment that recognized not only the growth of the business but also the dedication of our entire team and the trust of the families we have served over the years.
I have also made it a priority to celebrate the doulas, educators, and support staff who pour their hearts into this work every day. They have worked tirelessly throughout the year, so we hosted a daytime team pajama party complete with a DJ, cotton candy, balloons, and gift bags generously provided by our sponsors. It was a joyful, relaxed way to acknowledge their commitment and remind them how valued they are.
A decade in, I am incredibly proud of what Gold Coast Doulas has become. The anniversary celebrations reflected both our history and our future, grounded in the same mission that inspired me to start the business: to support families with compassion, respect, and community.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
During the pandemic, we moved our classes from in-person to virtual, and our clients didn’t feel comfortable having doulas in their home with overnight newborn care. We pivoted and launched our Becoming A Mother course and received two grants to keep our office and maintain overhead during the slow period. It allowed us to utilize technology for birth and postpartum doula interviews as well as classes. We were thankful to be considered emergency workers and were able to support our clients in many of our local hospitals during the height of the pandemic.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Gold Coast Doulas is the area’s first doula agency offering birth doula support, overnight and daytime postpartum doula support, bedrest support, HypnoBirthing classes, breastfeeding support, Becoming A Mother online course, gentle sleep training, and newborn classes.
We offer compassionate, professional support without judgment while upholding the highest standards of care. Our full-service doula agency supports families throughout Greater Grand Rapids and West Michigan’s Gold Coast including Saugatuck, Holland, Zeeland, Grand Haven, Muskegon, Fremont, and Hastings.
Gold Coast Doulas also produces a podcast called Ask the Doulas with Gold Coast Doulas that launched in 2017 and has over 300 episodes. We can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Soundcloud. I co-authored the book, “Supported: Your Guide to Birth and Baby,” with Alyssa Veneklase.
I am proud to be a Certified B Corporation, which reflects our commitment to making a positive impact in the community. We donate 2 percent of our net profits to organizations that support low-income women and children. For the past 10 years, we’ve organized a successful diaper drive for Nestling Diaper Bank, partnering with local businesses, which has resulted in collecting between 8,000 and 17,000 diapers each year. Additionally, we devote 5 percent of our time to volunteering in our community. I take pride in the fact that our business operates as a carbon-neutral entity, demonstrating that we blend profit with purpose. This holistic approach not only benefits our clients but also contributes to the well-being of the community.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I wanted to be an astronaut when I was a kid and even attended Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, when I was in 7th grade. I loved every second of it. I wasn’t the strongest in math, so I let the dream go. I ended up with a journalism degree from Central Michigan University.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.goldcoastdoulas.com/ | www.supportedbook.com | www.askthedoulas.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldcoastdoulas
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goldcoastdoulas
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-revere-b44308/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@goldcoastdoulasllc2304
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gold-coast-doulas-grand-rapids
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/askthedoulas
- Other: https://soundcloud.com/askthedoulas
