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Going ‘Pro’: Girl Next Door Becomes a Professional Tarot Reader with Christy Talbot

By February 1, 2013 April 5th, 2018

Christy was one of the first free Tarot readers at Biddy Tarot. I was so proud to hear at the start of this year that she had finally got the confidence to set up her own Tarot business! And in fact, it was her story that inspired me to share all of these wonderful ‘going pro' stories with you.

Christy has such a down-to-earth, girl-next-door feel to her. No wonder her new business is called Tarot Girl Next Door. Today, she shares with us her journey towards becoming a professional Tarot reader.

{Brigit} Tell me about your Tarot journey, from when you picked up your first deck of cards to now?

{Christy} The first time I heard of tarot, I was maybe 13, and I came across a book about tarot spells at the local library. Instead of doing my schoolwork, I ended up flipping through every tarot book I could find that afternoon.  I bought my first deck soon after, and quickly became the most popular slumber party guest among the girls at my middle school- doing readings about, you guessed it, boys!  But I didn’t take it too seriously- and at some point in high school my cards ended up in a storage box tucked away inside a closet.

Fast forward ten years to a couple of summers ago, when I was clearing the last of my childhood belongs from my parent’s house and came across that old deck.  I happened to be at a crossroads in my life and decided to consult the tarot for advice- just for the heck of it.  Well- I was absolutely blown away by the insight the cards provided. And for the first time, I truly caught a glimpse of the power of tarot in terms of the practical advice it offers to regular people like myself.

I took the cards home with me and began to consult my deck more and more often- deepening my study of tarot through books and following professional reader’s blogs.

And that’s when I found Brigit and biddytarot.com!  I started offering free readings on her tarot site and was fortunate enough to read for many wonderful people along the way in exchange for their feedback- which helped me to grow exponentially.

I did my first “professional” reading at a bar in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for a group of women about six months ago. It was a little noisy for my taste, but it went well overall. I even read for the wait staff and bartenders- everyone got into it! And at the request of several repeat customers who wanted to pay me for my services, I finally launched my professional tarot business online- Tarot Girl Next Door- just a few weeks ago!

{Brigit} What did you do to prepare for yourself for becoming a professional Tarot reader?

{Christy} Practice, practice and more practice!

Nothing is more valuable to me in terms of developing my intuition and understanding of the cards than querent feedback following a reading. A reading is like a riddle or a puzzle- and finding out where I hit the nail on the head (as well as where my interpretation may have missed the mark) took my reading skills from amateur to professional.

Experience also helped me define my ethics and boundaries- which I think are critical to being a professional reader.  All sorts of things can come up during a tarot reading- and I believe a professional must have the confidence to navigate through any situation with integrity and sensitivity.

Of course I did some formal study, read TONS of tarot books and joined the American Tarot Association.  I also follow other reader’s blogs- which I find incredibly informative and inspiring in terms of my ongoing study of tarot.

{Brigit} How did you know you were ready to become a professional Tarot reader?

{Christy} For me, it was a natural progression and happened organically.  The more I read, the more passionate I became about tarot and so the more I studied.  And the more I studied, the more confident I became in my skills. And around that same time, folks who were coming back for second and third readings wanted a way to compensate me- and so, it just made sense to “go professional.”

{Brigit} What has been your biggest fear or challenge in taking this leap, and how did you overcome it?

{Christy} I love helping people with tarot- doing readings and sharing practical tips and tools for using the cards in every day life.  But I don’t like paper work- I’m not an accountant and don’t have a business background.  Thus, my fears are about my ability to manage the administrative side of things- which I know will be critical to the success of Tarot Girl Next Door.

So I am committed to doing it right from the start- taking time to learn about establishing a small business- talking to accountants and other experts- and setting up structures and processes from day one that will ensure efficient management in the long-term.

{Brigit} How did you go about setting up your Tarot business?

{Christy} I did a lot of research online about establishing a small business and talked to several friends who are small business owners.  I also purchased the Tarot Lady’s Tarot Business in a Box, which was very helpful in terms of understanding the administrative side of things, as well as marketing and social media.

{Brigit} Tell me about your Tarot business. What makes you special?

{Christy} Through Tarot Girl Next Door, I aim to bring tarot down-to-earth by interpreting the cards in a way that resonates with real people and has a practical application in every day life.

I read for strangers as I read for friends, always keeping their best interests in mind.  My readings are intended to provide insight and guidance that enables my clients to tap into their inner wisdom and intuition, ultimately empowering them to make enlightened decisions about their life path, relationships, career, wellbeing and spiritual development.

My business is primarily online, and I offer readings at several different (and affordable) price points on my website (www.tarotgirlnextdoor.com).  I also will do in person readings in the Philadelphia area by special request. I also have a blog where I frequently post tips and suggestions for practical ways to use tarot (www.tarotgirlnextdoor.tumblr.com).

{Brigit} What’s your vision for the next 12 months for your Tarot business?

{Christy} Ultimately, I would like to offer tarot advising packages to clients online- whereby we would identify a specific life issue (e.g. improving relationship with partner,  identifying a new career path,  spiritual development, etc.) to work on together for several months using tarot and related exercises as a framework for growth.  I am also considering running retreats or online workshops for groups of folks interested in using tarot for journaling, affirmations and other methods of reflection and personal development.

{Brigit} What do you believe will be critical to your future success?

{Christy} Because of its ties to the occult, many people misunderstand the tarot and never get to experience its many practical applications.  I believe that finding ways to talk about tarot in a way that resonates with every day people will be critical to the future success of my business- as well as for all tarot professionals.  I want to find ways to demonstrate tarot as a tool that is useful in real life.

{Brigit} What is your one piece of advice to aspiring Tarot readers who want to take the leap and become professional?

{Christy} I found the professional tarot community to be very open and welcoming to newcomers – and quite supportive of amateur readers. Many well-established tarot professionals share a lot of resources and network online. So, don’t be shy! Participate in the online tarot community.

Want to ask Christy a question about her journey? Leave your question in the Comments section and she’ll get back to you! (NOT for request free readings!!)

About Christy Talbot

christy-free-tarot-readingsChristy is a regular girl, who happens to have a finely-tuned sixth sense.  She uses her intuition and experience as a tarot reader to make its lessons relevant to every day, real life. Her readings focus on empowerment and providing clients with insight and clarity that will enable them to make well-informed decisions about their relationships, careers and overall life path. She offers readings online delivered as PDF file via email.  She also reads in person in the Philadelphia area.  For more information, visit www.tarotgirlnextdoor.com. Or connect with her at:

Inspired? Start Your Own Journey to Becoming a Professional Tarot Reader

If you’re inspired by Christy’s story, I can help you create a sustainable and successful Tarot business. A business where you’re helping transform the lives of others and generating a serious income for yourself because your customers value what you do. Find out more about Tarot business coaching with me, including how you can receive a free 15 minute coaching session.

Or, if you want to build your confidence first and offer free Tarot readings in exchange for feedback, check out my Free Readings page and get in touch to add your profile.

Coming Next Week: Success is as You Define It…

Next Friday, I’ll share with you another inspiring story of a Tarot reader who has taken a more subdued approach to building her Tarot business.

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