8 Things My Tarot Business Has Taught Me

A lot of people ask me how I transitioned into professional tarot reading.

Everyone gets here in their own way. For me, the leap happened in 2015 when I was working at a national non-profit.

My five-year work anniversary was coming up later that year. A few of my co-workers had already celebrated similar work milestones that year. We had stood around a grim boardroom with slices of cake sitting precariously on paper plates.

All year, I kept thinking to myself, “I really don’t want to be working here by the time my five-year party rolls around.”

I was burned out and disillusioned, and I knew that I had to get out.

I’d been doing tarot part-time on the side, reading at parties and taking on private clients when I had time. I felt strongly that tarot was something I was supposed to be doing, and I wanted to make more space in my life to offer more readings to more people.

The only problem was that my day job took so much out of me that I had no idea how I would be able to make the transition. I knew how much work goes into starting a business.

As much as I wanted to just up and quit, the reality was that I lived alone and had no cushion to fall back on. My rent was high and my non-profit salary barely carried me as it was.

It was one of the few times in my life where I felt truly stuck. If you’ve ever felt that way, know that I completely understand. It’s a very uncomfortable place to be in life.

I didn’t know what to do, so I turned to my spirituality. One night, on a new moon, I lit a candle and made a promise to myself that somehow I would figure out how to start my tarot business.

A month later, my boss invited me to a meeting where I was let go with a few months’ severance – just enough to keep me going while I got my business off the ground.

Transitioning into and sustaining full-time self-employment hasn’t always been easy, or perfect. I don’t know if anyone’s business journey is.

But regardless of the ups and downs, I have learned a lot, and I have had the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people along the way. I know there are many readers out there who may be walking similar paths, feeling caught between two worlds and wondering what might happen if you put more energy into you tarot business.
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Here are eight lessons I've collected along the way so far. The main takeaway? The journey will turn out a lot differently than you expect ;)

1. This is harder than it looks. When you’re on the outside looking in at other people’s tarot businesses, it’s easy to get the impression that everyone is building the life they want and experiencing a lot of success as they go. In reality, building a client roster is a slow process and success does not happen overnight.

2. Your business will change as time goes on. What I thought I wanted for my business has changed over the years because I have changed. When you’re starting a business, you don’t always know what will work, or what your future customers will want. Don’t be afraid to adapt, and don’t stubbornly hold onto things that aren’t working.

3. You don’t have to give all of yourself away on social media. Social media is a great tool for small business owners, especially tarot readers, because it gives people a chance to get to know us. But you don’t have to compromise your privacy or personal life to build a following. You get to choose what parts of yourself you share with the world.

4. Your client base might be different than what you expect, and that’s OK. When you’re starting out, you might have an idea of who your ideal clients are: Maybe you really want to work with ambitious young professionals, or aspiring artists. But you never know who will resonate with your work once you start getting yourself out there. Be open to receiving people as they are, and trust that there is a reason they want to work with you.

5. You can’t do it all. I used to think that being “successful” meant saying yes to every opportunity that came my way. For the first few years of my business, I worked almost every day of the week, morning to night. Eventually, I realized that saying “no” sometimes wasn’t going to break my business: There is always going to be more work to do.

6. Don’t try to compete with everyone. When you’re getting yourself established, it’s common to feel threatened by other readers coming onto the scene. Especially if they’re local to you, or their work is very similar. But people also come and go from this industry all the time. Business is fluid, and everyone is on their own path. Focus on what you’re doing and don’t worry about what’s going on with your neighbour down the street.

7. It’s not always enough to be a good tarot reader. In an ideal world, you work would speak for itself and people would line up for a reading with you. Unfortunately, we don’t live an ideal world and running a business means learning what it takes to run and market your business effectively. Don’t hold yourself back thinking your "just" a tarot reader: When you're running a business, you're also an entrepreneur, and you have to have your feet in both worlds: The practical and the esoteric.

8. Don’t give up. So many people close their tarot businesses prematurely when they don’t see results right away. As a business owner, there is a lot you can do to take control of your business. And it is your responsibility to steer your business through good times and bad. Don’t give up if you don’t see results right away. Instead, figure out what you need to do differently to change your experience.

Until next time,
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Liz

p.s. If you're building a tarot business and want help with strategy, support, or simply getting everything started, I have opened up a new block of time slots for my Tarot Business consultations this month. Click here to learn more.