On August 8, 2012, I made the huge monumental decision to quit my six-figure corporate job and become a full-time Tarot professional.

It was the scariest decision I have had to make in my working life. Would I be able to sustain a decent income and continue to support my family? Was I ditching all my professional experience that I had accumulated in the past 15 years, to become a Tarot reader? Would my friends and family think I’m nuts? Would it be the biggest regret in my life?!

Well, 12 months on and I have one word for what life is really like now.

Blessed.

Creating the Space to Expand

Dedicating myself to my online Tarot business has opened up the space for many different opportunities to arise. And this in turn has allowed me to expand my business and my lifestyle in ways that are incredibly enriching, fulfilling and exciting.

Since August 2012, I have had the space to…

• Speak at TarotCon Australia with the Tarot Professionals crew
• Teach 20 energetic students in the first-ever Tarot Foundations Online Course
• Expand the Free Readings Page with now over 100 Tarot students learning and developing their expertise
• Teach 100s of Tarot readers how to read reversals, card combinations, court cards, and how to go ‘pro’ via my Tarot Masterclasses
• Coach aspiring professional Tarot readers to start their business
• Launch Tarot Foundations: 31 Days to Read Tarot with Confidence
• Welcome Sherry as an endorsed Biddy Tarot reader
• Bring Kim onto the team as the Online Business Manager (AKA Life Saver)
• Invest in my professional development with the Teach Now program, Teaching Sells, and Problogger Conference

Had I been plodding along in a part-time job whilst juggling family commitments,  I don’t believe many of these opportunities would have arisen because I simply would not have the space for them.

Creating a Lifestyle That is ‘In Harmony’

Many times throughout the last 12 months, I have reflected on how ‘in harmony’ my life feels right now.

I am helping and inspiring many people to use Tarot constructively in their life, I am thoroughly enjoying my work, I am spending quality time with my family, and I’m supporting my family financially.

Because my work is flexible and location independent (I can work anywhere with an internet connection), my family and I are living in Spain again for six months. I am able to enjoy a beautiful balance between working and playing, all on my own terms (well, after we take into account the demands of a certain 2- and 4-year old!).

And I think it’s amazing to be adding value to so many people’s lives through Tarot. There have been over 1 million (woah! Thank-you Universe!) unique visitors to Biddy Tarot in the past 12 months, and 7,500 people receiving my newsletter with the weekly Tarot card. I struggle to get my head around how enormous that really is and am truly grateful for the support.

Creating Real Value

One of my greatest fears when I quit my corporate job was, “What if I can’t make enough money to pay the bills and to fulfil our desired family lifestyle?!”

What I have learned in these past 12 months is that the Universe is certainly looking after me and blessing me with abundance for which I am truly grateful. Every month, I am consistently earning more than I ever did in my corporate life (and getting so much more out of it!).

So where is this money coming from?

I truly believe it is in creating value. Creating value for new visitors to Biddy Tarot with great (free) content. Creating value for Tarot students with the Free Readings page and Tarot Guides. Creating value for aspiring Tarot professionals with the Masterclasses and personal one-on-one coaching. Creating value for my Tarot reading clients with clear insight and in-depth readings.

And when I can create value for my customers, I am rewarded so that I can financially support my family. It’s a win-win-win!

In appreciation for the financial abundance, I have also donated over $1,000 to charities in 2013, including the Smith Family and Kiva, and plan to give more before the year’s end.

Where to Next?

I can already feel the energy and the ‘buzz’ for the next 12 months! Here’s what already on the boil:

• Lead a Study Group at Readers Studio 2014 in New York (and attending, of course!!)
• Launch my new Soul Meditations series with the Major Arcana in late October (get on the early bird list now!)
• Teach even more students how to read Tarot with confidence via my online Tarot Foundations Course and the Tarot Masterclasses
• Be interviewed in late August by my all-time-favourite blogger, Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income
• Speak on the Spiritual Path of Tarot Telesummit in late September
• Coach more Tarot professionals on how to re-energise their businesses and create more value
• Further invest in my professional and business development

I’m also playing with the idea of in-person workshops, an email course, a new eBook, and more online Tarot courses. The possibilities are indeed endless!

My Tips on How to Confidently Quit Your Day Job to Become a (Successful) Tarot Professional

Would you love to tell your boss to go shove it so you can read Tarot all day?! Here are my top tips on how to build the confidence to become a full-time Tarot professional:

1. Start Now

Start now, even if you’re working or have a gazillion other commitments. You have to start somewhere.

I built my business for 10+ years while I studied and worked full-time. Those first 10 years, I was lucky to make a $100 in a month. Since 2009, however, I have invested more time, more heart and more soul into it and watched my income triple every single year.

ACTION: What 3 things will do you in August to get your business started?

2. Build a Community

Build a community. Every subscriber counts. Build one by one. 100 fiercely loyal, die-hard fans is a lot more valuable than 10,000 don’t-care subscribers.

ACTION: Who are your die-hard fans? What one thing can you do to make them feel part of your ‘tribe’ or your community?

3. Create Something of Value

If you know anything about blogging or online businesses, you know that “content is king”. No doubt about it.

Create something of value for your visitors, your prospective clients and your customers. ‘Something of value’ might be in-depth ‘how to’ guides about Tarot reading, detailed descriptions of Tarot card meanings, inspiring Tarot stories or hilarious blog posts.

It doesn’t matter if no-one is listening… yet. They will come. You have to start somewhere!

I can see Shelley of Sparrow Tarot doing this. She’s working from the ground up, creating high quality content on her blog and working hard to attract the right ‘fit’ for her business. She has a small but loyal following, and it is continuing to grow. Shelley is definitely one rising star to watch!

ACTION: Write one ‘something of value’ that you can share with your die-hard fans and prospective clients. An epic blog post, a free eBook, a manifesto – you choose.

P.S. If you’re ready to start your Tarot business or give your existing business a boost, let’s chat. I get such a ‘buzz’ out of helping people create heart-centered businesses.

Over to You…

I’d love to hear what actions you take and what results you get!