- Set up a Tarot reading business plan.
- Create a legal entity for your tarot reading business.
- Tax registration for your tarot reading business
- Open a Business Credit Card and Bank Account
- Set up your Tarot reading business’s accounting system.
- Obtain the Required Licenses & Permits for Your Tarot Reading Business
- Purchase Business Insurance Tarot
- Establish your Tarot reading company’s brand.
- Make a website for your tarot reading business.
- Install the business phone system.
Starting a business involves more than just filing the necessary paperwork with the government. This straightforward manual for launching a tarot reading business has been put together by us. These actions will guarantee that your new company is carefully thought out, legally compliant, and registered.
In This Article...
STEP 1: Plan your business
For an entrepreneur to be successful, they must have a clear plan. You can use it to map out your company’s specifics and identify some unknowns. A few crucial subjects to think about are:
- How much will the first and ongoing costs be?
- Who is your intended audience?
- How much are clients allowed to pay?
- What will the name of your company be?
How can I create my own Tarot deck?
What I actually wanted to do was open a store that offered independently made tarot and oracle decks like the ones I collected, first online and then offline. I would purchase these independent decks from vendors like Two Sides Tarot and Little Red Tarot, and I imagined that perhaps I might create my own small collection to offer to Manila residents (and maybe Asia).
Now I know some of you who frequent this blog do have tarot deck creation goals of your own… so I thought I’d put together a guide that can *fingers crossed* walk you through the creation process the way I did it.
Disclaimer: If you think this piece is going to be about suppliers, printers, and the like, I’m going to warn you right away that it isn’t. I get a lot of queries about those things. I encourage you to conduct independent research on execution. You can set together your decks just as easily as I did by conducting your own research. Your best friend is Google.
So let this serve as a guide, but don’t expect any spoon-feeding. Open yourselves up to the experience of learning through process, discovering through research, and creating a tarot deck all your own.
Have a goal in mind. Back in architecture school, we had to begin with a design challenge before we could even begin sketching or discussing aesthetics. You must understand your why. Initially, why are you building a deck? Is your deck an outlet for your creativity or an attempt to tackle a problem? Are you making a deck in order to generate income, support a certain cause, or get a little more tarot knowledge for yourself?
Knowing your why will set the tone for your entire creation process. Give this fundamental step time.
begin with a notion. These days, independently produced cards are based on themes. It’s too general to say, “I want to create a tarot deck.” Make your creation worthy. Do you want an animal-themed deck? Why? Do you favor having a “Stranger Things” theme? Eighties soap operas? political leaders
Select a form of artistic expression. If you’re into impressionism, Op-art, or post-modernism, go ahead and do whatever you feel at home with, unless you’re making a deck to broaden your style or portfolio. I selected collage because that’s the medium I’m comfortable with.
Setting your parameters will help you create a visually appealing deck (unless the concept you’re working with calls for a range of art styles, in which case mixing things up might make sense).
You need to accept your own artistic ability at this point. If you have a deadline, consider what you can actually accomplish in that time. Perhaps painting frescoes, photographing them, and then processing each image is not the ideal course of action if you want to complete a deck in a month. Consider whether you can actually complete 78 canvases (and possibly more since you’ll need extras for do-overs and such) if you’re comfortable working with oil on canvas.
Establish your guidelines so that you have a reference point to use when you build your deck.
Make sure you understand what you’re getting into before you even start. I am aware that many artists who have no background in tarot take on the task of creating a deck. But I think their cards have a distinct vibe than real tarot readers. They aren’t as useful as decks created by those who are proficient in spreads, have a thorough understanding of their archetypes, and can read for themselves or others. Even the most accomplished artists are unable to discern tiny elements when using the tarot, despite their skill.
If you are familiar with tarot, create a deck. If you are proficient with it, construct an oracle deck. Do your research.
Start working. The part that most eager beavers are anticipating, you’ll just have to put in the effort. Tarot cards cannot “magician their way into existence.” Get your iPad out, start using Procreate, get some scissors, paint thinner, and brushes.
Be prepared to make a lot of stops and starts at this phase of the process, and be nice to yourself. whenever you’re ready, display your work to the public. You’d probably benefit from getting feedback from both a non-tarot reader and a skilled reader, just to see whether what you’re doing resonates with both target groups.
Remember to keep the big picture in mind. Although we occasionally interpret tarot cards individually, we often use pairs of cards and broad spreads. You must have the ability to take a step back from your task and assess how the cards stack up. three, five, ten, and twelve-spot spreads. Lay them all out to check for stragglers, see if any visual or thematic trends emerge (extremely important in a deck! ), and determine whether you like the way they all look when arranged in a formation.
Beyonc staging Bey-chella comes to mind. She had to make sure that everyone on stage appeared flawlessly coordinated.
Make a trial run. The effort isn’t ended once the art is finished, whether you plan to build your deck for sale or just want a copy for yourself. You want to check to see how the tarot cards represent everything. Look for a printer who can produce a single copy at a low cost on common card stock, or if you want to wreck your inkjet printer, do it yourself at home. This is to determine whether your art, in any size you decide, works. You can use this to check for border problems, uneven cropping, etc.
Use your test deck as soon as you obtain it. Carry it around and do readings for friends, family, and future clients. Trust me, once you acquire that tester, it won’t leave your hands. Check out how it functions in the wild.
Revision is essential. My least favorite project stage, but one that is absolutely necessary if you want to do things correctly. You will be able to determine what needs shifting and what needs altering after holding your sample in your hands and using it for 10, 20, and 50 readings.
With my initial run of the PM Starter Deck, I saw a few things that I wanted to change. The fact that I only had 11 copies printed allowed me to fix any errors I found without incurring significant costs.
Examine the market. If you’re quite certain about your deck, you can have a professional finish it right away. You can either order a task for a small print run for yourself or a large print run if you want to take the plunge. You may relax knowing that you tested your deck, made any necessary adjustments, and took into account everyone’s input.
See whether people are interested in your cutting-edge independent deck. Consider going commercial if individuals appear to be really engaged. Examine your numbers to see if you can feel as like you are taking a calculated risk.
If you decide to place a large print order, say a Hail Mary and good luck to yourself. Who knows, your invention could be the next item to appear on the independent shelves of Two Sides Tarot and Little Red Tarot.
Is an LLC required for a tarot business?
Starting a limited liability company can be advantageous for some tarot reading businesses (LLC).
Depending on whether the business is more of a hobby (and you intend to keep it that way) or a real business, an LLC may or may not be appropriate for this kind of endeavor.
You can safeguard your personal assets, expand your tax possibilities, and build your reputation by establishing an LLC for your tarot reading business.
Why Should I Form an LLC? The advantages of an LLC are covered in my Tarot Reading Business guide, along with instructions on how to create one.
How much do you make reading tarot cards?
Tarot reading fees can vary. Expect to charge $5 and up for each reading. A select few individuals appear to make up to $250 for each reading.
What you charge depends on your background, reputation, the type of reading you provide, and your delivery style. For instance, email readings are frequently less expensive than in-person or Skype readings.
I began by giving out $5 three-card readings and in a month worked my way up to $20 readings. These were far more intricate and elaborate, and I had established a solid reputation.
People enjoy great discounts. After I stopped providing free readings, I provided services like “readings are two for one if a person books and pays for a buddy. I also provided “I offer complimentary three-card readings to prospective clients as an icebreaker.
Can you produce functional Tarot cards on your own?
Tarot cards have been created by numerous people over the years. Ones that are blank and have already been cut and sized for you are available for purchase. You can then design your own artwork to place on them. Alternatively, you may print them out on card stock or picture paper and cut them out by hand. The act of creating itself is wonderful and can be a tool for fostering spiritual development. You may simply incorporate any hobbies or talents you have into your artwork if you have them.
What is the price of publishing a tarot deck?
effect on the environment. Additionally, you should think about the print run’s and your work’s environmental impact when using your printer. They need to know about recycled paper, soy-based inks, and other factors that will make your product more environmentally friendly. For instance, we used soy-based inks, recycled papers, and paper sleeves in the 10th Anniversary Edition of the Tarot of Trees instead of any plastic during the printing process (I adore how the sleeves turned out!).
Deposit. The majority of printers want a 50% down payment before they begin your print job. You should consider your timeframe if you plan to raise money through crowdfunding so you can have the deposit on hand.
Timing.
Finding a printer, working with them to get your cards how you want them, printing them, and mailing them should take you somewhere between three and five months from start to finish.
Typically, printing takes a few weeks, and shipment can take longer, especially during tumultuous times.
Speaking with the printer about when they can perform the print run is crucial since they can have multiple projects waiting for them before yours. Additionally, be aware that you need plan a budget if you are having your cards printed abroad.
How much does printing an Oracle deck cost?
Most print-on-demand businesses let customers place orders as low as one deck. This is ideal for testing reasons or if your initial printing budget isn’t too large.
On the down side, this printing technique has very high production costs, which means your profit per sale will be modest. Additionally, you won’t have a lot of design freedom, so it would be a good idea to think about some additional options in the long run.
The good news is that almost all print-on-demand playing card manufacturers also provide bulk discounts for larger purchases.
As an illustration, the production cost for a regular size oracle card deck printed by MPC will be roughly $30.10 USD for 42 cards plus packaging. The printing price drops to $13.70 per card if you can order 100 decks at once. It costs $7.36 each deck for 1000 decks, and so on.
Say you intend to sell each card in your deck for $35: Your profit per deck will only be around $5 if you print your cards on demand. If you purchase 100 decks in bulk, your profit per deck rises to $21.30 after subtracting shipping and other costs. You can make $27.64 per deck after expenditures at 1000 decks. so forth.
This choice works best if you anticipate receiving orders frequently, you feel confident sending the cards yourself, or you want to sell the cards locally but would rather print them in smaller quantities initially.
Is a license required to provide tarot readings?
No. To be a competent or reliable Tarot reader, you don’t need to be certified. Without any formal training, you can become a proficient Tarot reader if you put some effort into honing your abilities and practice reading the cards for other people.
However, a lot of people pursue Tarot certification because they desire proof that they are knowledgeable and possess the necessary abilities to provide a Tarot reading. In order to ensure that they have covered all the necessary ground and avoid wasting endless days or even months looking for free Tarot lessons online, they want to be a part of a comprehensive Tarot training and certification program. They also seek certification since it lends them more credibility, especially if they decide to pursue a career as a professional Tarot reader.
Just remember that the entertainment expense has to be reasonable, and it has to be something most tarot professionals would do as part of developing and nurturing their tarot business. It has to be directly related to your professional work as a tarot reader and at that event, there must have been substantial discussion about tarot and tarot business. Seriously, though. Not hard guidelines to meet for most tarot folk, amiright?
Don’t forget that the costs you incur for tarot conferences, psychic fairs, tarot professional association fees and other related membership dues, tarot classes, buying tarot books (to further your tarot education) and other educational books you buy to develop your tarot business are all tax deductible professional expenses.
The key is to keep copious records. From now on, save all receipts related to what you do as a tarot professional. I have file folders and a filing cabinet where I keep my records, but I’ve seen small businesses get away with literally a shoebox. Whatever works. The point is to be able to document every one of your claimed business expenses. Keep receipts, invoices, canceled checks, contracts, and billing statements.
Worst case scenario, keep flyers or well-recorded information on the who, what, where, when, and why of a particular expense. Typically that is also acceptable. Also, generally speaking, if the expense is less than $75, then no one is going to send you to jail for not having documentation.
If you’ve ever wondered how and why so many of these mega corporations that you hear of are making loads of money end up legally paying zero tax, it’s in significant part because of these tax deductible business expenses. Now most tarot professionals won’t be operating at that scale, but knowing these basics will still be a huge benefit to even the small tarot proprietor.