In this special holiday shopping Business of Woo-themed episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with friend and fellow e-commerce small business owner Amy Steffek (of Puck Hcky) all about the trials and tribulations of selling stuff online. 

In the Business of Woo, the pressure to produce and sell products online is fierce, coming along with phrases like "passive income" and "scale". And, while it's good to diversify and sell real, high-quality products online for any Woo-based or other small business owner, it's not the panacea that online influencers and spiritual grifters tell you it is. Just ask Amy! Sure, she may not be in the Business of Woo, but her small, online, cult following apparel business has taught her a lot about the difference between how things look from the outside-- and what the reality is on the inside.

Take, for instance, Amy's 7-figure year. Yes, her online business literally pierced a MILLION DOLLARS (said in Dr. Evil voice) one year, but that's just revenue, guys. What was her profit, you might be asking? $0. Yep, that's right. In one year, she made more money than ever before-- and wasn't able to pay herself a dime for it. And this is NOT unusual in the business world and, in particular, the Business of Woo. The key? Constant tweaks and adjustments in the face of shifting economic and industrial factors is crucial-- and never mistake revenue for margin.

What's more: turns out, our fellow humans aren't really doing great, and the mental health crisis affecting our nation is bubbling up for anyone interacting with the general public-- especially if those interactions are online. Anyone that runs an online business gets near-daily abuse and, in spite of all of our love and light tools, trust me when I tell you: it has an aggregate negative impact on anyone on the receiving end.

This episode is hitting just as we're all heading out into the interwebs to start holiday shopping for friends, family and loved ones, arming us with a heightened awareness of how best to interact with our fellow human beings. Business owners are people, too. And no, they're not always rich. Often, they're tired and just trying to make their cool thing work so others can enjoy it.

Proceed accordingly!

LINKS:

• Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
• TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
• Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach

Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:

• The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG
• The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://totemreadingsatx.etsy.com/listing/1492934343
• The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX
• TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching
• TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo

Amy's Links:

• https://puckhcky.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/puckhcky/

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this special Business of Woo-themed episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with friend Kristen Pavle (of Relational and Ember) all about her work in creating and managing community, both online and in-person, for various businesses, nonprofits and community organizations.

The crux of this episode? 

How can we-- either in the Business of Woo, at our "normal" day jobs, or just in society in general-- identify, build and maintain community? Kristen breaks down the definition of community, why it matters for small businesses (and for us as human beings!), and how it's changed in the strange last five years. She also gets into the nitty gritty of what makes a community work or NOT work, and Rachel and Kristen dig into the nuances within the realm of "spiritual community" and its classic pitfalls: spiritual narcissists, grifters, unstable Cluster-B types, and those suffering from "Main Character Syndrome". 

In a post-Covid, work-from-home, gig economy world, creating community has never been harder-- but it's also never been more important! Thankfully, Kristen shares incredible insights, practical solutions, and the all-important dose of hope to get us going.

LINKS:

• Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
• TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
• Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach

Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:

• The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG
• The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://totemreadingsatx.etsy.com/listing/1492934343
• The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX
• TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching
• TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo

Kristen's Links:

• Website: https://www.emberconsulting.co/
• Email: [email protected]
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpavle/

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this special Business of Woo-themed episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with friend of the show and world-famous Tarot Lady: Theresa Reed. Theresa is an award-winning author of MANY Woo-based books-- not to mention an illustrious content creator providing live weekly readings on Instagram. 

In this episode, Rachel and Theresa dive into the tricky para-social dynamics created by social media, podcasting, YouTubing and content creation as a whole, and how Woo-based business owners can (and should) maintain appropriate boundaries with clients, subscribers and listeners. Theresa does a great job explaining how enforcing these boundaries CAN come across as bitchy, rude or even a downstream effect of believing your own myth. But she also explains that we in the Business of Woo can't always manage the perceptions or reactions of others, so it's best to just stay focused and in our lanes-- and within our healthy, appropriate "container".

The summary? Modernity is bringing an increasing rate of change, particularly with regard to technology and its downstream effects-- particularly as it relates to near-constant, 24/7 access and stimulation. As psychics, energy workers and Woo-centric content creators, we need our downtime-- and our space and silence! 

So, don't feel bad about holding the line in the war of constant communication. You don't always have to respond right away-- and, sometimes, you don't have to respond at all! 

LINKS:

• Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
• TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
• Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
• Kasia's TOTEM Deck(s) Review: https://youtu.be/Ba7Mi7HaEO8?si=X2IVEQrxj_jqPi3r
• TOTEM + Tarot Map Interview: https://youtu.be/yCOOjzGY0Yo?si=xV5UOtGdayTJgl4p

Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:

• The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG
• The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://totemreadingsatx.etsy.com/listing/1492934343
• The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX
• TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching
• TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo

Theresa's Links:

• All links: https://linktr.ee/thetarotlady
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetarotlady/
• Website: https://www.thetarotlady.com

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this special Business of Woo-themed episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with the world-famous star of YouTube's Tarot Map channel: Kasia Kulbaska. Kasia, an astrologer and tarot card reader, has been on what she calls "TarotTube" for many years, sharing incredible deck reviews and facilitating fascinating discussions about the world-- and Business-- of Woo. 

Kasia and Rachel chat about the misconceptions and myths surrounding Woo-based YouTube, particularly with regard to monetizing video content. Spoiler alert: it's hard, and just because someone has tens of thousands of subscribers (or followers), it doesn't necessarily mean that's translating into a direct payment business model.

Kasia explains how she uses YouTube's platform to get the word out about her private practice, acting as a kind of evergreen (and authentic) marketing tool. Kasia and Rachel also chat about how great podcasting and YouTubing are for Woo-based practitioners, helping to introduce yourself to your potential client base while also offering up legitimate Woo-based insights-- not to mention your unique point of view!

And, unlike print or video advertising or social media marketing, YouTube videos and podcast episodes are forever-- and when someone finds out about you, they can go search and "binge" your content to really dig into your vibe (and unique slice of the Business of Woo). 

The key to it all? Well, there's a few.

First, you have to be completely obsessed and inspired with the "thing" you're exploring in this emergent media platforms. Why? Well, because the second requirement is consistency over a long period of time, which can only be achieved by someone that genuinely, actually loves the nerdy Woo of it all.

LINKS:

• Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
• TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
• Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
• Kasia's TOTEM Deck(s) Review: https://youtu.be/Ba7Mi7HaEO8?si=X2IVEQrxj_jqPi3r
• TOTEM + Tarot Map Interview: https://youtu.be/yCOOjzGY0Yo?si=xV5UOtGdayTJgl4p

Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:

• The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG
• The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://totemreadingsatx.etsy.com/listing/1492934343
• The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX
• TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching
• TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo

Kasia's Links: 

• Website: www.tarotmap.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tarotmap/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarotmap/

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this special Business of Woo-themed episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with client, friend and consumer of the Woo Nicole Foos (of NVision by Nicole Foos). 

Not only is Nicole a talented crystal jewelry maker, artist and sculptor, but she's also an accomplished student and practitioner of the Woo herself, making her a VERY discerning customer. And that's exactly why she was pinged to join this Business of Woo-themed podcast series to offer up a unique line of sight into the client's perspective. 

What are Nicole's "green flags" vs. "red flags" when it comes to engaging with a psychic or practitioner? What trends has she noticed in the last few years, and which of these trends give her a solid case of the "ick"? What are some key metrics-- like reviews or age of business-- that skeptical but curious spiritual explorers keep an eye out for as they discern the best (and must trustworthy) practitioners with whom to work?

This episode has it all: what is up with those weird psychic "membership programs"? What is the real math behind those online directories? How old SHOULD you be before you declare yourself a "life coach"? 

Listeners will come away from this episode with a clear set of criteria to consider before committing to someone in the Business of Woo!

LINKS:

• Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
• TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
• Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach

Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:

• The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG
• The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://totemreadingsatx.etsy.com/listing/1492934343
• The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX
• TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching
  TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo

Nicole's LINKS:

• Website: https://www.nvisionbynicolefoos.com/
• Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NVisionbyNicoleFoos

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this special Business of Woo-themed episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with friend of the show Britt Sundkulla-Sinclair of Golden Thread Alchemy all about her transition from part-time working witch, astrologer and death doula to a full-time Woo-based business owner!

And, not only does Britt describe what this transition has been like-- and what it demands in terms of working hours, promotional/ unpaid efforts, and very early mornings-- but she also explores the strange devolution in human interaction (and mutual respect) that has been accelerating since the Covid-19 pandemic. Clients and customers of the Woo just aren't behaving the same anymore, requiring Woo-based business owners to make some necessary but unpleasant changes like: charging for previously free events, making rules at group workshops re: topics to not discuss, and requiring deposits or up-front payment for one-on-one sessions.

But it's not all Debbie Downer sh*t! Within all of this minutea and restructuring are tremendous silver linings, perhaps the most important of which is that this cycle is separating the tourists and casuals from the serious, life-long, real deal experts. If you're a Woo-based business owner navigating these trying times, just remember: every day that you don't give up, you're passively taking market share from those that do!

And that means that you'll get to continue to be of service, fulfill your life's purpose, and continue to "touch the Woo" every damn day!

LINKS:

• Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
• TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
• Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach

Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:

• The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG
• The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://totemreadingsatx.etsy.com/listing/1492934343
• The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX
• TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching
  TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo

Britt's LINKS:

• Website: https://www.goldenthreadalchemy.com
• Substack: https://goldenthreadalchemy.substack.com/

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this special Business of Woo-themed episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Cardsy B (of the Hex and the City podcast) all about what life is really like as a full-time working witch in residence at one of Manhattan's premier boutique hotels.

And, while there's some literal magic in Cardsy's workdays, there is also the reality of the Business of Woo: the increasing exertion required to maintain healthy client boundaries, navigate parasocial dynamics, and process untethered-- and often nasty-- criticism that cuts to the core of your character.

The bottom line? You can't make everybody happy all of the time, so Woo-based business owners and full-time psychic practitioners need to establish codified "shop policies" that enable them to stay consistent while conserving their precious energy while working with the general public. 

In this episode, Rachel and Cardsy chat about what a psychic session is supposed to deliver. Spoiler alert: getting a tarot reading or psychic sessions isn't actually a good way to manage anxiety, nor can a reading or session actually shift the material reality of your life. It's just a diagnostic, and one that the client should come away from feeling empowered and ready to tackle the world of free will-- just with better data;)

LINKS:

• Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
• TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
• Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach

Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:

• The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG
• The TOTEM Tarot Deck:https://totemreadingsatx.etsy.com/listing/1492934343
• The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX

Cardsy B's LINKS:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardsyb/
• Linktree: https://bio.cardsyb.com/

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this special Business of Woo-themed episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with friend of show Nichole Bigley (of A Psychic's Story) about the constantly shifting, evolving and demanding business and technology landscape in the Business of Woo.

Nichole hosts the #1 Spiritual podcast in the world, which might give folks the impression she has a big team of tech-savvy backroom geniuses at the ready on a minute-by-minute basis. But, as Nichole explains in this episode, that's just not how the Business of Woo really works!

What's more: with the exponential increasing rate of change in every vector of modern life-- and especially within the realm of technology and related tools-- managing the ever-expanding world of social media platforms, online course systems, and much, much more is a full-time job all on its own! Never mind the fact that very few of us working psychics, shamans and energy workers aren't exactly tech experts to begin with-- unless, of course, you see a deck of tarot cards as a spiritual technology!

But it's not all bad news-- there's a serious silver lining in the Business of Woo, which Nichole and Rachel dig into, offering solutions and several white pills on the future of our "industry"!

LINKS:

• Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
• TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
• Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach

Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:

• The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG
• The TOTEM Tarot Deck:https://totemreadingsatx.etsy.com/listing/1492934343
• The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX

Nichole's Website: https://www.apsychicsstory.com/about-a-psychics-story
Looking for Angels Book: https://a.co/d/hIZK2f9
Nichole's IG: https://www.instagram.com/apsychicsstory/

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this special Business of Woo-themed episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with friend of the show Colleen Soisson (of Feather Mountain Ayurveda) about the common misconception that business owners-- even those in the Business of Woo-- are rich. 

The reality of the Business of Woo is oceans away from how it's perceived by clients and consumers, and most practitioners make substantial, very unglamorous sacrifices to make their dream a daily reality. And not all of these sacrifices are financial-- there's all of the sweat equity, invisible and unexpected labor (like sweeping and cleaning your yoga studio every damn day), and the burden of taking the financial (and existential risk) of not having a steady paycheck from an employer.

Colleen breaks down the cognitive dissonance between perception and reality, as well as outlines the real breakdown of daily work: how much is actually the Woo-based core competency vs. how much is the marketing, accounting, tech and other infrastructure enhancement efforts. 

The long and the short of it? The Business of Woo is like an iceberg: what you see is just the tip of it! 

So what can we all do about this strange perception paradigm? Well, to start, we can engage in honest conversations (like this one) AND make efforts to engage our Woo-based business owners with compassion and respect as they bust their hump to bring us the very best in spiritual services and technologies!

LINKS:

• Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
• TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
• Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach

Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:

• The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG
• The TOTEM Tarot Deck:https://totemreadingsatx.etsy.com/listing/1492934343
• The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX

Colleen Soisson Links:

• Website: https://www.feathermtn.com
• IG: https://linktr.ee/ColleenAyurveda

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this special Business of Woo-themed episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with writer and modern magician Marco Visconti (of the Magick Without Tears Substack) about the daily grind of being a Woo-baed business owner-- and, more specifically, content creator. 

For Woo-based business owners, these are not the "before times"-- and, as Marco has noted, it's a real challenge to make a living while sharing expertise and insights. As commoditized, race-to-the-bottom (not to mention often free) Woo-based content proliferates the marketplace, knowledgeable, experienced practitioners and authors are getting lost in the shuffle.

After all: why pay for something you can get for free, right? 

Well, the answer is: because it's NOT THE SAME as the free stuff. Not even a little bit. Said another way? You get what you pay for, and this matters exponentially when it comes to the high stakes world of Woo-- and our spiritual development and wellbeing!

Marco gets vulnerable, honest and brave as he shares the daily struggle of a writer that has dedicated their life to sharing their intensive years of research, practice, education, and energy. Hopefully, this episode will dispel outdated myths about the reality of being a writer, practitioner, or Woo-based business owner, engendering some much-deserved empathy and support for those that dedicate their lives to this service. 

The long and the short of it? Support your favorite writer, Substacker, and content creator with your dollars, referrals and recommendations. It makes a WORLD of difference for those trying to eek out a living while making a difference!

Rachel's LINKS:

Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach

Our Sponsors' LINKS:

The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG
The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://totemreadingsatx.etsy.com/listing/1492934343
The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX
TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching
TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo

Marco's Links:

• Website: https://www.marcovisconti.org
• Substack: https://marcovisconti.substack.com/

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.