What it Takes to Be a Professional Medium

As a teacher to many student mediums and healers hoping to take their skills to the next level and run a spiritual business, I often get asked, “Dawn, how did you become so successful? What’s your trick?”
 
I am honored they look up to me. I also feel blessed to be able to do what I do every day. And there really is no trick, but these are some of the reasons I feel as though I’ve had success in a tricky business.
 
TIME
First and foremost, I tell people that success doesn’t happen overnight. I have been reading professionally since 2007. That’s almost TEN years. I can’t believe it has been that long as it seems like just yesterday I did my first paid reading out of my mother’s living room. It also surprises many of my colleagues. They are aware I have been around for some time, but because I am still younger than many of them, they find it hard to believe I have been working my business that long. But I have. And, ten years gives the business a lot of time to grow.
 
MULTIPLE JOBS
At the beginning, my business didn’t support a full-time income. In fact, it wasn’t until a little more than three years ago, that I jumped into it with both feet. Prior to that, I juggled my business with a full-time job. In juggling the two, it was not uncommon for me to work 70-80 hours in a week between the two. I worked a lot. Fortunately, I was a little younger, didn’t have a child and had a lot more energy.
 
NOT PICKY
Now that I am established, I can pick and choose when I want to work and what environments I want to work in. I have stopped doing psychic fairs due to drama and intense hours, and have transitioned to regular office hours. This is made possible by the client base I created by doing many, many, many psychic fairs, renaissance festivals and Pagan Pride events. To participate in these events required a lot of time, travel, and patience… but I did it. For a long time, I took any gig I could get to get my name out there. I’m glad I did, it paid off.
 
SPEND MONEY
There is the adage that you must give a little to get a little. In terms of business, to make money you must spend money. Starting a business is never cheap. There are overhead expenses such as space rental or fees to participate in events. If you participate in events, there are a lot of items you will need inclusive of: marketing materials such as business cards and pamphlets; décor to set you apart from other readers or healers; and, any materials you need for your craft. In addition, you will likely have equipment costs such as a computer. Add it all up and this can all be VERY expensive. Unfortunately, this money is not made back right away. In fact, many don’t make money on their first few events. Despite that, I have found that it is important to not go cheap. Patrons can tell if you are being cheap, and it can be a turn off.
 
OPERATIONS
If you become a professional medium, that means that you have a business to operate. Operating a business is not all fun and games. The time spent with clients is incredibly rewarding emotionally and by the fact that at the end of it you are paid for your services. But in addition to this time, hours and hours of time are spent on activities that are critical to keeping the business running that an individual doesn’t get paid for. A rule of thumb for small business is only 30% of time is spent providing a service, while 60% is spent on marketing and 10% on operations. In my business, the 70% of time is spent returning phone calls and scheduling appointments; marketing the business which includes scheduling Facebook posts, writing content for this Blog and a monthly newsletter, filming for my YouTube Channel, etc.; and, I must keep up with my bookkeeping and accounting. Many hours are spent each week doing this work. While it doesn’t equate to money in my pocket, I know it makes a difference because my clients comment on it.
 
GOALS
If you have read my Blogs or watched my YouTube Channel, you know the strategic planner in me LOVES goals. And I credit them with my success. The goals I set give me milestones to work towards. Rather than spinning my wheels going into many different directions, I have a clear vision and focus on what will bring me success. I’m not a jack of all trades, master of none. Instead, I focus my energies towards becoming the best I can become in one realm.
 
SUPPORT
I have the support of my family and friends. My friends and family opened their homes when I would travel for events early on. My mom and aunt babysit my daughter each week so I can see clients. My stepfather who upon hearing my dreams, for Christmas purchases a class to provide me with skills and steps towards being able to achieve it. My stepmom and my dad by proxy, follow everything I do on social media and whenever I participate in a podcast tune in. And most importantly my husband. He is my rock, without him I don’t know what I would do. He returns my calls for me, implements new technology such as my online scheduler to minimize the amount of work we have, films and edits my videos, drives me to all my events, and sacrifices his own career and personal success to see my business grow. I’m so fortunate to have so many people in my life that not only support me, but believe that what I do makes a difference.
 
LUCK                                   
And finally, I don’t want to dismiss the importance of luck. I have put a lot of work into my business, but I have also been incredibly lucky. There have been so many times where things have just fallen into place that have made the work easy. I am blessed.