Discover how tarot card reader Mystic McKenzie turned her curiosity into a thriving business. From personal growth and unexpected family connections to building a professional career, her journey shows how self-reflection and following your interests can lead to meaningful opportunities.
Becoming a tarot card reader
For Mystic McKenzie, becoming a professional tarot card reader was a journey of self-discovery and spiritual exploration. Growing up in a religious Southern family shaped her early experiences. Later, finding the freedom to explore her identity in Australia helped her embrace every part of herself and become the reader she is today.
Early signs
McKenzie grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, surrounded by a big, loud Southern family whose love and encouragement helped shape her. Religion was also an important part of her upbringing. “We did grow up a little bit religious, maybe a little bit more than a little bit religious,” she said, describing her family’s faith with a touch of humor. “They are some of the most loving and encouraging people.”
When McKenzie was 14, her mother passed away, leaving behind a lasting influence. “She was the brightest light in the room, just captivating. She was a professional ballerina,” McKenzie recalled. Her mother’s confidence and presence also shaped the way McKenzie learned to express herself. “She gave me a lot of permission as a child to be the biggest version of myself,” she said.
When she was young, McKenzie would look in the mirror, trying to gaze into the eyes of her future self. “And it wasn’t until about six years ago that I started to essentially do it back, now as an adult, communicating with young me,” she said. “For me, that was probably my earliest experience of feeling more aware of the thin veil and thread between the past, the present, and the future.”
Finding space to grow
After completing yoga teacher training in Costa Rica, McKenzie felt ready to explore new sides of herself. “I wanted to be all the versions of myself that maybe I wasn’t allowed to be growing up.” She moved to Australia, where being far from home offered the freedom to change and grow without worrying about others’ expectations. “It was that safe space of distance that gave me the ability to deepen into a lot of parts of myself.”
Around that time, McKenzie also began exploring tarot. Once she arrived in Australia, she used some Christmas money to buy her first deck. “…I went straight to the crystal shop and bought this big, beautiful, The Wild Unknown tarot deck,” she recalled. She started by reading for herself before offering readings to her Instagram followers. Quickly, it became a regular part of her life. “I really just practiced it for about two years while being there,” she said.
A family connection
After McKenzie became a professional tarot reader, her mother’s best friend from high school reached out to schedule a reading. During their conversation, McKenzie asked whether she’d ever had a tarot reading before. Her mother’s friend said, “…once, with your mother.”
The revelation surprised her, given her mother’s religious upbringing. “Apparently, my mom would secretly have her tarot cards read by a neighbor with a regular playing deck of cards,” McKenzie explained. She had often wondered what sparked her own interest in tarot, making the discovery especially meaningful. She said, “…it just validated me so much to hear that it was her secret interest, so my mom is here with us now, and she’s here with me on this entire tarot journey.”
For McKenzie, success is less about meeting traditional milestones and more about building a life where she can be fully herself. Expanding on this, she said, “Success to me is being able to live within my means and my terms and my authenticity. Where I get to be me every day, and I feel celebrated, valued, and respected for being who I am.”
Using GigSalad
Mystic McKenzie has been a GigSalad member since 2023. In that time, she’s consistently earned Top Performer status, performed at a wide variety of events, and received glowing five-star reviews. Learn how GigSalad has helped her tarot-reading business grow and made booking easier.
GigSalad: How has GigSalad made it easier to do what you love?
Mystic McKenzie: GigSalad is basically the opposite of hard work for me in my tarot business. Before GigSalad, it was hours and hours of researching different events going on around, different venues that are having pop-ups, and then having to communicate with them: Can I come? Can I set up? Can I give you 15% of the profits? GigSalad takes all of that out of the equation, and anyone who needs my services can immediately find me, see my photos, see my reviews, contact me directly, and work out a rate that works for them. Amazing clients come directly to me rather than the other way around, so it’s much easier.
GS: How does GigSalad make the booking process easier?
MM: For the clients, it’s super easy for them. They receive a quote from me, and I can quickly draft it based on the hours and what they’d like. Once the quote is booked, the payment exchange is also very simple; it just makes it really easy. Then afterward they can leave a review, and those reviews help boost my profile, so just the whole way along it just feels like a reward system.
GS: How has GigSalad helped you reach new audiences?
MM: GigSalad has brought my talents into rooms I don’t know how I would have gotten into otherwise. To events, to clients, and to moments of large success in my career that, without GigSalad, would have been very impressive for me to find on my own.
GS: How has GigSalad helped you grow as an artist?
MM: GigSalad has helped me structure my business. I have amazing reviews. I’ve got great photos now from all these different events, and it’s also helped me figure out proper rates and things that I needed to consider, like travel time, insurance, and hours. It’s really professionalized tarot reading, from setting up in a corner doing card readings to running a full-blown business with five or six of us at a time.
GS: How does GigSalad support your business?
MM: I will say GigSalad also supports me in feeling safe when you’re booking with clients for parties and things like that. Sometimes Venmo and the invoice can get a little weird. And I just love that with GigSalad, I’m like, they’re going through GigSalad, the finances, all that stuff. And I know that GigSalad’s holding me accountable, and GigSalad’s holding the client accountable. I love that. It supports me a lot.
✨ Looking for more inspiration and tips? Check out last month’s People of GigSalad spotlight with DJ Mel!
Mystic McKenzie’s story reminds us to reflect deeply, pursue our passions, and stay true to ourselves. With the right tools and opportunities, you can turn what you love into a career that supports your goals and opens doors to new experiences. 🔮💫
Matt Holland is a Customer Happiness Agent at GigSalad. With 10+ years of experience performing as a jazz drummer, he has gained insights into the life of a gigging musician as well as what makes an event go off without a hitch. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, cooking, and watching the newest TV shows with his wife.