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Is the staggeringly profitable business of scientific publishing bad for science?

The long read: It is an industry like no other, with profit margins to rival Google – and it was created by one of Britain’s most notorious tycoons: Robert Maxwell

The core of Elsevier’s operation is in scientific journals, the weekly or monthly publications in which scientists share their results. Despite the narrow audience, scientific publishing is a remarkably big business. With total global revenues of more than £19bn, it weighs in somewhere between the recording and the film industries in size, but it is far more profitable. In 2010, Elsevier’s scientific publishing arm reported profits of £724m on just over £2bn in revenue. It was a 36% margin – higher than Apple, Google, or Amazon posted that year.

But Elsevier’s business model seemed a truly puzzling thing. In order to make money, a traditional publisher – say, a magazine – first has to cover a multitude of costs: it pays writers for the articles; it employs editors to commission, shape and check the articles; and it pays to distribute the finished product to subscribers and retailers. All of this is expensive, and successful magazines typically make profits of around 12-15%.

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A worthy goal will do both.

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When life knocks you down, you realize how much power you have.

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Forty Tarot Business Tips I Wish Someone Had Told Me

Starting a Tarot or soul centered based business is hard work. Throughout my time as a professional Tarot reader, I’ve made countless mistakes, been in tricky situations and learned many things about myself and the way I like to work. Running a Tarot business isn’t always glamorous. It can be frustrating and lonely. I wanted to share with you all some Tarot business tips I wish someone had told me.

One.

You are the only one who can decide if you are ready to start a Tarot or soul centered business. There is no grand proficiency test you can take. If you want to start your own Tarot business you either take the plunge or play the waiting game. I played the waiting game and I really regret it.  I sought so much validation in others that I forgot to validate myself. Once I gave myself the permission to go on the journey of starting my own Tarot business, everything changed. Taking the steps to start my Tarot business was the scariest thing I’ve ever done but also the most rewarding.

Two.

Know your local, state and federal laws. Starting any business, let alone a soul centered or Tarot business is hard work. I encourage you to do your homework when it concerns your business type, liability, the laws that proceed how you are conducting your business online versus local, etc. If you can afford it, I would highly suggest obtaining legal advice before proceeding. Please do not try to mirror someone else’s business or think that just because someone is doing something in their business it is okay for you to do it too. Keep in mind that there are various different rules, regulations, disclaimers, and laws that precede your location, state, country and the businesses in your area that can and will differ from someone else’s location.

Three.

Write a business plan. I know it sounds a bit scary or intimidating but before starting any business, really sit down and think about why you want to be in this business. The next question you should ask yourself is how you would like to help others with your business. Think about what you would like to offer in said business. Do you want to sell readings, courses, printable content, a membership?  What are your goals for your business? Who is your ideal client? What is your niche? These are important questions.

Four.

Pick a name. Do not take this lightly. Your business name will be a reflection of you and your services. Switching your business name mid business can be a difficult situation in regards to branding yourself, but not impossible. Try to pick a name that is easy to spell and memorable. Once you’ve chosen a name search to see if the domain name is available and if social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Gmail, etc are also available for that business name. If all is good, I highly recommend purchasing the domain name and signing up for social media websites and obtaining those usernames.

Five.

Create a website.  Although this is not for everyone, it looks very professional when presenting your business to others. Gone are the days of needing to know complex coding and HTML. You can get a website up and running with web services like Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, Wordpress.com, and Sitebuilder. Your website will be the central hub for you to showcase your services and what your business is all about.

Six.

Pick a platform or online e-commerce system to sell your readings and services. For those who own websites that lack e-commerce functionality, Many online and in person readers like myself use external websites to sell our services. There are websites like Etsy, Storenvy, Shopify, Squarespace, BigCartel, Squareup, Paypal etc where you can list your offerings to clients. *Each respective website or service has their own fees and rules you need to be accountable for.

Seven.

Start a blog. Starting a blog helped me not only connect with my business peers but allowed me to share my experiences, much like I am doing in this post. Blogging also helps to create a community of people with like minded interests. Running a blog helps to create a personal connection between you, your readers and potential clients.

Eight.

Provide services that excite you. You do not need to sell a particular type of reading just because it is popular. Be unique in your offerings. What I think about when coming up with a new service or reading is what would be something I would love to purchase myself.

Nine.

Have a clear and simple way for potential clients to find your services. The purchase process should be safe, secure and seamless.

Ten.

Stay organized. My first few years of business were a wreck. I learned quickly that organization could become my best friend instead of my worst enemy with some simple tricks.

Create a separate user account on your computer for your business and business related content. Keeping your personal files away from your business files is half the battle.

Use folders both on your computer and in your work space. 

Create folders for spread offerings (sort them by card number, topic, etc.) Create a folder for reading templates, business ideas, previous client readings, etc.

Start a business journal for business ideas, traffic stats and do some book keeping.  Keep records and logs of readings you have done, the income you have made, expenditures, incoming and outgoing payments, bills, etc. Keeping track of your sales is also beneficial when filing your taxes.

Eleven.

Create a separate e-mail account you only use for when you get paid. I had my PayPal account hacked and someone tried to clear out my funds. Thankfully PayPal noticed the suspicious activity and stopped the transaction. Ever since then, I have a separate e-mail address that I only use for when I send out invoices or charge for a service. This limits the number of people knowing that e-mail address and keeps things a bit more secure.

Twelve.

Obtain a separate phone number for your business. I use to give out my cell phone number to clients. Many clients abused this privilege and because of this, I sought out a separate number. I utilize google voice as it works seamlessly with my phone. A few friends of mine have also used MagicJack, Skype Voice, Call centric and YouMail with great success. With these such services, you can enable do not disturb settings when you are off call. *Each respective service has their own fees and rules you need to be accountable for.

Thirteen.

Have business hours. As I mentioned above, many clients abused the privilege of having my personal number. I would receive calls all hours of the night. After having a business number I made it clear what my hours of operation were and placed it on my website, blog and social media accounts. You can also mention your business hours in your voicemail greeting for your business number. Setting business hours also helps you to manage your time.

Fourteen.

Use a scheduling application or keep a daily work schedule for when you do readings, appointments, etc. I learned very quickly that having a clear way to share with clients my availability made the purchasing process easier. It also allowed me to allot a specific time in my day for a reading without losing track of time.

Fifteen.

Back up your files and computer often. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve dealt with computer crashes and corrupted files. Backing up your content on a continuous basis. It would be ideal to invest in an external hard drive to keep your business files and personal files backed up in case of hardware or software failure. I once had a computer malfunction and lost a forty minute video reading. Since then, I back up my computer all the time. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Sixteen.

Create templates. Before implementing templates in my Tarot business workflow, I spent so much unnecessary time designing each reading one by one. I now have set templates for each reading that I offer. I am able to drag and drop photos of the custom reading after taking them and also insert the typed out portion from my word document into the reading template when it is all done.

Seventeen.

Create product and service listing that are easy to understand and compelling. Some things you may want to include in your reading listings are:

Subject of Tarot reading or service.

Who the ideal client is for the reading or service is.

What divination tool will be used. (Tarot, Oracle, Runes, a combination?)

How many cards?

Estimated delivery times.

Previous testimonials from previous clients who purchased said product or service.

A link with an example of the reading.

Reading or service format (Audio, typed, snail mail, video, live, skype, recorded call, etc)

Spread positions (If using a spread)

Deck choices (If using decks)

Any addons (Extra cards, rush delivery, etc)

Eighteen.

Set clear boundaries, ethics, and policies in your business. Also, it is okay to say no. I think it is important to be upfront with who you are, what you do and what you don’t do. This will help prevent being put into situations where you would rather not be put in. Remember that there is nothing wrong with saying no. It is okay to not read for everyone who wants a reading or service from you. I ensure that every client knows my ethics and policies beforehand. Some policies I have in place for my business are payment policies, privacy policies, disclaimers, refund policies, rescheduling and cancellation policies.

Nineteen.

Set small goals for yourself (daily, weekly, bi weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly) Being a reader with chronic illness, I like to set monthly goals as it helps with my energy management and I also do not feel rushed. I also like to hold myself accountable for my goals by tracking my progress and either changing or evolving a goal if it no longer feels right to me. Some goals you may want to consider are how many sales you want to make a day, week, a month? How can you make X amount of money each quarter of the year?

Twenty.

Comparing your business to someone else’s is the quickest way to discourage yourself. How you measure the success and lessons in your business should not be put against someone else’s. Remember that we all started somewhere. Focus on how you can better your business instead of putting it down.

Twenty-One.

Be patient. I know this one is easier said than done but rushing to try and make money isn’t the way to go, at least for me it wasn’t. Growing a business takes time. Overnight successes are few and far between.

Twenty-Two.

Find your people. During the first years of business, I found it significantly more important to build an audience and a following before trying to sell to people who had no clue who I was and what I was about. Build your own community of clients and like minded people. Creating authentic interaction, and building trust helped me so much and I highly suggest trying it.

Twenty-Three.

You and your services are not meant for everyone and they shouldn’t be either. Not every client and service provider can be a perfect match. That is okay. Focus on those who find value in your services and who you are.

Twenty-Four.

Do not be afraid to market yourself. With the power of the internet, you can use social media and old school marketing like business cards, fliers, to promote yourself, your content and your business. I know it can be easy to be scared of feeling scammy or annoying but if no one knows who you are or what your business is about, how can you connect with those who are searching for a business like yours? I like to promote by teaching things. This helps create an even exchange of promotional material and digestible content for my viewers. Something that I also like to do is to create a marketing plan and use social media apps to automate the process. This helps take the guess work out of marketing and it is done for a month in advance. Don’t fear doing what you can to put yourself out there. Marketing is essentially a call to action. You are allowed to take up space. There is no shame in that. People need a way to learn about you, your business and if they want to support you. Marketing helps with that.

Twenty-Five.

Engage and collaborate with your peers. I used to be so scared to talk to some of the Tarot readers and diviners in my same field but quickly learned that interacting with one another created awesome friendships and helped us learn from one another in the process. Networking is key. I cannot tell you how many times one of my peers have highlighted me on their blogs or sent a reading referral my way. I have also done the same.

Twenty-Six.

If you primarily sell readings, your income will fluctuate on a consistent basis. You will find that some weeks you will book out, and others you won’t make any sales at all. It was so difficult for me to understand this. Something that may help you obtain a more stable stream of income would be providing self-sustaining services and products like courses, e-books, decks, and mentorships.

Twenty-Seven.

Expect naysayers and doubters. Try not to take it personal. Not everyone is going to believe in your business or services and that is okay. You are not there to prove your worth to someone who has already made up their mind that you aren’t worth their time or respect. There are going to be those who want nothing more than to discourage you. Spend time bettering your business, and silence the noise of those who want to see you fail.

Twenty-Eight.

Be consistent with your service rates and what you are offering. While you are growing your business it is okay to do rate increases sporadically but having inconsistent rates can put off potential and returning clients. The same can be said for your services. If you drastically change your business model or offerings, it can leave clients feeling insecure with doing business with you. Making changes when necessary and ensure a seamless process for your clients.

Twenty-Nine.

Have a working Tarot deck. I had a client of mine bend one of the cards in my favorite deck while they were shuffling. I was horrified. From that moment on I used to never allow the client to shuffle my deck out of fear, but it always felt wrong to me. I now use a working deck or a deck that I use just for clients that if damaged I can easily replace.

Thirty.

Be consistent with self-care and have a plan for it. I cannot tell you how much having a self-care plan has helped me during those days when everything becomes too much for me to handle. Being a Tarot reader who is also diagnosed with anxiety and depression, taking care of myself and having a self-care plan has saved me from potentially detrimental situations. Being a serviced based business, we are used to putting the needs of others before our own. Remember that you deserve the same care, if not more, that you give to your clients. Some things I like to do is paint, write songs, turn off my phone and computer, treat myself to a nice cup of chai tea and take a long walk to help clear my mind. I also have a Feel good file on my computer. This file includes letters and positive testimonials from clients, pictures of cute puppies and successes I’ve had in my business. *Everyone’s self-care plan will be different. Do what works for you.

Thirty-One.

Refresh your learning. Take some time to read new material, take a seminar, sign up for a local class, meet up with a local group, enroll in a self-study course, watch videos or find blogs in your niche. This will not only help you stay current but also help you grow your business and knowledge.

Thirty-Two.

Learn your reading style and use it to your advantage. Are you a predictive type reader or a holistic spiritual counselor? Are you a psychic medium or fortune teller? Use your unique way of doing things to tailor your reach to potential clients who are looking for your services. Do not be afraid to think outside the box.

Thirty-Three.

Recognize your limiting beliefs and work at chipping them away. One of the hardest parts of starting my Tarot business was accepting that my worth as a reader was not determined by the amount of sales I made. It was difficult at first but I did some proactive journaling and set some time weekly to address the limiting beliefs I had about myself and my business and how I could help alleviate those things. It took some intense work but I am finally at a point where that particular limiting belief no longer affects my work and business.

Thirty-Four.

Make a budget for your business and determine where your money is going? It is important to be accountable for things like taxes, insurance, liability, licenses, book purchases, deck purchases, copyright and trademark registrations, business registrations, domain registrations, web hosting fees, etc.

Thirty-Five.

Celebrate your successes and goals. There is nothing vain about being happy for selling one hundred readings. Pat yourself on the back and realize that your hard work and dedication is paying off.

Thirty-Six.

If you are a Tarot professional who has to hide their practices from their everyday job, like I am, keep your main work life and your Tarot life as separate as you can. Being someone who works in a business where I could be fired and shunned for doing Tarot, I do all that I can to keep my Tarot life private. You may want to use an alias, not show your face or not provide voice readings, etc. It is all up to you and what you are comfortable with. You may be more comfortable conducting your business online versus in person. * Having to hide your tarot reading business to protect your main business does not make you any less of a professional reader. You are just as valid.

Thirty-Seven.

Running a Tarot or soul centered business can be lonely. I found that my first few years of launching my business, I didn’t really have a social life in person or online. I spent and devoted a lot of my time to helping my business grow and succeed. While I appreciate the hard work I put in back then, I always felt sad because I felt isolated from the world. When I was working, especially on holidays, everyone I knew was having fun and I resented it a little.  Something that helped me tremendously was to visit local metaphysical shops and attend some of their hosted events. I started to make friends with other Tarot learners and business professionals and it helped fill the void I had in my life.

Thirty-Eight.

There is no room for drama, gossip, and bullying in your Tarot or soul centered business. What you say, do or allow in regards to your business speaks volumes for your business, clients and potential clients. I had another tarot business bully me and I promptly blocked them. I didn’t want their negativity in my space or the space of my clients and peers. No one wants to find out that they are supporting a bully because of a tweet, blog post or facebook post you made about someone else. The quickest way for a business to be tainted is if its business owner is involved in drama, gossip, and bullying. Your priority should always be to handle even the most negative situations with the utmost professionalism. If you focus on bullying or negativity, all it shows clients that that is your main focus.  If someone is being disrespectful or hurtful to you or your business, do not stoop to their level. It will only reflect badly on you and your business. Have a plan of action and handle the situation as best as you can.

Thirty-Nine.

Remember that set backs happen. It is okay to have a bad week or month. The important thing to do is analyze how you can improve, what you can change and ultimately what lessons you can take from this situation. We all have set backs in our business. Give yourself time to regroup and evolve your business from this situation. I like to get out of my comfort zone a bit and try something new and sometimes that causes a creative spark that I implement in unique services and offerings for my clients.

Forty.

Take accountability for your actions, your mistakes, and failures in your business. None of us are perfect. Mistakes happen. Did you forget to pay your taxes? Did you forget to send out a reading? Are you behind on several of your services? It is important to understand that if something you have done or said in your business has negatively affected you, your life or someone else, you need to address it and make it right. Hiding behind your mistake and trying to escape from your responsibility does nothing good for your business.

Post Notes: Please do not remove the captions. Title: Forty Tarot Business Tips I Wish Someone Had Told Me Copyright:  © Ivan Ambrose 2017 Deck: Rider Waite Smith Safe Space Tags: Long Post Disclaimer: This post in no way, shape, or form is intended to tell you how you must go about being a Tarot reader and starting your own business. What may work for me, may not work for you and vice versa. The intention of this post is to share my experiences with having a Tarot business. I can only speak from personal experience and what has worked for me for countless years. I encourage you to do your own research, to do what you are comfortable with and to tailor any advice provided henceforth to your specific needs and individual situation. Also please keep in mind that there are various different rules, regulations, and laws that precede your location, state, country and the tarot reading guidelines in your area that can and will differ from those in my location. I encourage and open up this conversation to respectful debate and added commentary to supplement this post of any kind.  Navigation: Table Of Contents | FAQ | Contact me 

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The Future is here. Get on the bus !

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Could A Bus With Sleep Pods Replace Airplanes?

A new startup wants to revolutionize how we travel long distances using pretty simple technology: a bus with beds. Only, they're called pods.

There’s a new long-distance travel option on the horizon: a double-decker bus with pods for sleeping. It’s called, simply, Cabin. And it’s an overnight service — like a red-eye — designed for people who love going places, but hate being in transit.

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HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF SOCIAL MEDIA AUTOMATION

Work Smart Show daily blog.

Now please don’t think I am scared of or anti-technology, in fact it both amazes and frustrates me. I am far from a Luddite taking to a computer with a hammer, well sometimes, but there are some parts of technology that I could do without. I am talking specifically about the auto likes, auto followers and auto DM’s on Twitter.

Almost every time I post an article or daily blog I will receive a notification a second later telling me that someone has liked, retweeted or commented on this. Now please don’t think I am bragging in fact it is quite the opposite; this will be a company targeting a keyword that I have used such as ‘entrepreneur’ or ‘business’. At first I would follow the account because of their like but very quickly stopped when I understood their tactic. They are trying to illicit a human response, a like or follow, with a system set to auto-pilot.

The other example of is auto DM’s when you follow someone. I have read the auto DM’s of three people. Only three of the 1,810 people that I currently follow. When I receive a DM stating “XX person sent you a link” I don’t even open the message. To have people open and respond to your DM’s you need to respect them, their time, needs and wants. Almost no one on twitter wants a link to your site, training course or sure fire way of earning an income at home. Also if you have set up your profile correctly the follower would have already seen this information and links in your bio.

Now let me tell you about the three that I did open and respond to even though I knew they were auto DM’s. The first was when I followed @begosite and received the message “Are you the DIY type of person, or would you rather someone else do things for you?” There was no link, no promotional material even though this is an account for a DIY website builder. This lead to a very interesting DM conversation about outsourcing and what work as an entrepreneur or business you could or would outsource. It also lead me to follow all of the accounts linked to this; @bruceandeddy and @butchewing and receive a similar auto DM; “Would you rather see us as giant corporation or small business?”

Now aside from being another interesting topic for a blog post some other day these accounts went to the time of posing an interesting auto DM question, then taking time to converse in depth once I answered instead of spamming me with promotional material that I would resent.

I have said on the Work Smart Show podcast that I don’t mind advertising if it is interesting and relevant to me and in the same way I don’t mind auto DM’s as long as they are engaging and not self-promoting.

So I give you this challenge; do you have a auto DM? Is it engaging or simply more of your site and contact details? Take time today to work this into an engaging question and then answer the responses. What have you got to lose? After all have you honestly ever made a sale, gained a listener or fan through an auto DM?

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