I am thrilled to share this #HaltonHour Features interview with Ripley of Smokey Quartz Readings as the third in the video series of interviews with organisations in or serving Runcorn and Widnes in Cheshire and the wider area. Ripley started her business during the 2020 lockdowns following her redundancy from her corporate role. We did joke that she could be the pandemic poster child for taking a hit, spinning and resurfacing as something different!
In this video, Ripley shares how she got started in her business and learning curves. You can get involved in #HaltonHour too, find out how on our Get Involved page
Contents
#HaltonHour Features Ripley, Smokey Quartz Readings Video Interview
In this video interview with Ripley you’ll learn about:
- How Ripley combines her skills to provide a needed service
- Why comfortable is better than perfect production
- How Ripley will transition from Zooming to face-to-face courses
Connect with Ripley
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SmokeyQuartzReadings
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smokeyquartzreadings
Web: https://www.smokeyquartzreadings.com
#HaltonHour Features Ripley, Smokey Quartz Readings Transcript
Note: I’ve started using Otter.ai to transcribe my videos to save time!
Jan Kearney 0:06
Hello, Ripley. Wonderful, wonderful. How are you?
Ripley 0:12
Yes. Very well, indeed a bit cold. But okay, yeah, we’ve had some snow yesterday, didn’t we? So? I wasn’t expecting that.
Jan Kearney 0:22
I expect anything. Yeah. So just to throw you in the deep end. Would you like to introduce yourself and what you do?
Ripley 0:32
Yeah, absolutely. So my name is Ripley. And I want Smoky Quartz readings, which is a, I do Oracle readings, spiritual coaching. And everything woo woo really. I’m also a clairvoyant. So when I do my readings, you get the mixture of all of those things together with a big sort of dollop of coaching because I was a professional coach for many years, and I work within leadership developments and so on. So it’s not just about this is what this card means. It’s also about what do you do with that? How do you actually use that to improve your life, and I really love having conversations with people to motivate them, and moving forward in their lives because that is what I’m all about. Absolutely. Love that.
Jan Kearney 1:23
Brilliant. So how did you get into the spiritual side of things? Is this something that you’ve always been aware of from from a very young age?
Ripley 1:32
Yeah, absolutely. So even as a kid, I was very much aware of that. And I first went to a spiritualist church when I was 19. And, you know, was told that I was going to be a medium and so on. And I thought that might be great. But I’m a kid. And it’s I want to go to church every week. said that’s great. I’ll come back when I’m 50. And I know it’s hard to tell 50 this year so I kept some of promise sort of by accident almost. But in between times and I have been involved on and off and to a lesser or greater degree. I was formally trained as medium at a place called the Arthur Findlay College in Stansted, which is a college and university for mediums really like Hogwarts basically. So Hogwarts I went there a few times and and I also worked with Warrington spiritualist church where I taught development for mediums. And I also ran something called an open circle, which is where loads of learning and aspiring mediums managed to, you know, are able to get open practice with the general public. So throughout my life, especially over the last 10 years, I’ve been involved in mediumship, and the sort of thing that to one degree or another. And, but I was lucky enough, sounds weird to be made redundant last year, and started off a little business thinking it would just be a little bit something to do on the side, and absolutely fell in love with it. And I know this is what I’m supposed to be doing. It’s privileged to do it.
Jan Kearney 3:11
That’s brilliant, isn’t it? So you’ve spoken very sort of briefly in passing about your coaching, do that go into a little bit of detail about that, and how you got into coaching? Is it is that something you always wanted to do? Or was it a job function that you landed with?
Ripley 3:28
Yeah, sort of. I mean, and I was originally a lecturer in an art college. So I’ve got a creative background. And I was lecturer in art college. And moving on from that, I then went into being a training consultant. And a huge part of that is around coaching people. And it’s something that I’ve always been interested in. So I went off and got qualifications and so on. And throughout my career, because I was with the company that was worth of 20 years in Runcorn. So I think everybody probably knows Capita, or O2, as it was Telefonica. So I was with them for 20 years. And I was able to coach people in all different areas, and it was definitely part of the job. So it’s something that I’ve kind of fell into, but was really interested. And I was interested in that I went off and got, you know, some professional qualifications on my own there. But as my career moved on, I got more and more involved in it. So when I was made redundant, I knew that I wanted wanted to go into coaching somehow. I’m thought that was what I should do. And I thought that was going to go into coaching in the sort of corporate world. But in the back of my mind all the time, I’d always said I wanted to work with something in the spiritual industry. So originally, I thought I was going to go into the corporate world as a spiritual coach, because believe it or not, that is a big thing these days. And when I thought about it, it was just a bit of a cloud. It just didn’t seem to feel real to me. Whereas what I do now, straight away as soon as it started, it was clear to me that it was like, how was this not obvious to me before, because I’m able to use the coaching and the spiritual side, and the clairvoyance and all that sort of thing, and put it together, even sort of as, say, when I was at art college, and you know, all that side comes into it as well, because all the social media and creating posts and all that sort of thing. So I feel for the first time in my life, that all my little talents and all the things I’m really passionate about, I’m able to put together in one career and one business, and it feels absolutely that it’s, it’s my sole purpose. And that’s why I’m here. So it’s amazing to be able to do that, you know.
Jan Kearney 5:46
It’s great, because I mean, it comes across just even talking to you, because you just lit up. And it’s, I’m gonna say it’s fabulous. It’s fabulous, I get whole face has lit up, and you’re very, animate, very, very passionate about it.
Ripley 6:07
It’s absolutely fantastic. And, you know, in a lot of different ways, I get to have the most amazing conversations with people. So the majority of my time is actually spent doing one to one readings with people over zoom. And which I didn’t necessarily think would have worked, but it works perfectly. And each one of those conversations, and has the ability to really move somebody on. So sometimes somebody contacts me because they’re grieving for someone that they’ve lost, or they’ve got a situation that they’re really in two minds about, or they don’t know where they’re going in life, or they feel really stuck during a pandemic and that sort of thing. And over and over again, the feedback that I get from people is that it’s really helped them to move forward. And especially, I’ve had a lot, I’ve had a lot of conversations with young women that have previously lost children, you know, that have lost a baby, through miscarriage or something like that. And I’ve been able to help them by actually, through clarvoyance, being able to sort of connect them with that made a massive difference. Some people, you know, it’s made a huge difference. And the people that I’ve been able to connect with and help, it’s just use the word all the time, it is an absolute privilege to do it. And, and having those conversations is just is just joyful, you know, and, and I also on Facebook, and soon on Instagram, I go live about once a week. So I have loads of people that come on that from my page, and I do sort of quick, tarot reading. And, and so many people, you know, they’re able to come on and ask a quick question and get a little bit of guidance. And it really helps people, you know, and so I have people come back time after time. And you know, some of those people go on to have a personal reading and it’s just fantastic. I never, I never thought that I’d be able to do something as helpful. And as fulfilling as I am. You know, and it’s just, I’m so lucky. Yeah, business, where I wake up every morning and think, wow, you know, this does not feel like it certainly is not work. And it’s something that I just, it brings me so much joy to do it. Well, if I’m not mistaken, is what we all aim for, is to be able to spend our day doing something meaningful that helps other people. Yeah, you know, that also pays the bills. So you know,
Jan Kearney 8:43
That helps, does it it paying the bills? So when you decided that you were going to do the lives and the readings online, and this is gonna sound like a daft question. Yeah. Did you need any specialist equipment? Is it did you initially with your phone? Or have you now got the whole studio setup? Or how does it work? Does it get in the way as well?
Ripley 9:08
Yeah, absolutely. So what you’re looking at is my living room, as you can imagine, because that over there, believe it or not, that’s a pile of laundry, that is a bag of sticks, but that’s a complete mess. So what you’re looking at might look like a normal living room, but in this direction, it’s a little bit different. So I’ve got, you know, a laptop microphone, ring light overhead camera, I’ve got various cameras, because when I’m actually doing a reading for somebody, they’re not just looking at me, I’m just the little box in the corner. And they’re actually looking at my table while the cards will spread out. And so that does take a little bit of equipment. And I have no idea about any of this and I’ve just learned bit by bit as I’ve gone along. So you know how to make things look a bit more professional and how to get a really good sound and all that sort of thing to make sure that people got the best experience and and it’s Like with social media media, you learn a little bit at a time. You know, I’ve got tripods and all that sort of thing for when to make videos. And it’s, it’s sort of that’s my
Jan Kearney 10:09
That’s my next thing up in my spare room. But for now getting me back room in the window. With a light in the corner!
Ripley 10:18
I was going to set up in the spare room, I started to do it. And I thought, I have a nice background. So it looks all slick. And I want to try for ages and it just looked awful. So I made a video about it. And I said to people, I’ve been trying to do that, and, there’s my boyfriend passing. And so I thought why I’m going to do this with a background. I want to post the video saying, I’m struggling to do it. Everybody said the same. Don’t do that. We like the fact that you are real in your living room. And it’s you it’s your personality, rather than someone standing in front of a backdrop, you know, so I absolutely stuck with that. Because this is me, at home. And in my world, you know, so everyone gets to see that. And, and we’re in the process, we’re just sort of getting ready to redecorate. So that through out the living room and so on, I’ve got several different effects, and the cameras and all that sort of thing, almost integrated. So it’s turning the living room into, you know, like, a little film set. How’s your boyfriend’s around? Now, when and that sort of thing. I want to give that personal feeling. It’s me, no holds barred, you know,
Jan Kearney 11:43
They are sat with you in the living room.
Ripley 11:46
Yeah, exactly exactly as it would be if we were face to face.
Jan Kearney 11:50
Yeah, that’s brilliant. Talking face to face, you did mention that you were going into doing some courses and teaching in local shops. Are you looking forward to getting back to face to face with people for a start.
Ripley 12:05
I’m really looking forward to it. And I’m so excited about this opportunity, because I’ll be working with the most amazing shop which is called Angel Dust and it’s in Widnes. Bang the middle of the town centre, you can’t miss it. And, and yeah, I’m so looking forward to that. And Lisa and Daimon are the most amazing people I’m so I’m really looking forward to being able to work with them. And so I’ll be in there one day a week doing live face to face readings, which it’s been a long time since I’ve been doing that. So I’m really excited about people. And I mean, I’ll probably end up buying half of the shop while I’m in there.
So as well as the readings, they’re going to be on a Friday. So people can pre book with us either by contacting me or Angel Dust. And people can also walk in, and if I’m available, I can do a reading. But the other side of that as well is I’m going to be teaching a development class, a spiritual development class. This is something that I’ve done before. So I’ve actually done this for a spiritualist church before, but this is absolutely me. So it’s a lot more. There’s no restraints. It’s absolutely what I’ve learned over the last few years because I sort of, I study this sort of thing a lot and have been for a long time. So it’s my experience and from research and so on. And so that’s going to be a six week course that’s actually at Angel Dust. They’ve got a lovely room upstairs. That’s where we’ll be doing it. And, and that started on the 26th of this month. And I start readings from the 16th. So I wanted to start getting in there, buy half the shop. And it covers all sorts of things from sort of, aura, our energy system and chakra and speaking to your spirit guides and about past lives and armour, big things like that, and also manifest and how to manifest things to you, and all sorts of really good stuff. But it’s not total woo woo, you know, it’s about what can change your life now. So it’s called The Link. And it’s spiritual development for real lives. So it’s for real people in real lives. You know, it’s not about sitting cross legged in some ashram somewhere and meditating all the time, because that’s not our lives. You know, it’s about how you can improve your life now. And it’s amazing how working in a spiritual way and working with those elements about your energy system and that sort of thing. You have a huge impact and a very positive impact on your life. And I know that myself have grown, you know, especially sort of over the last nine months, it’s had a huge effect in my life. And the more I’ve worked with it, and the more I’ve studied it, because I’ve just been on a very intense, course myself for a few months, and my life has changed. You know, it’s no comparison to what it was before. And that is because of the work that I’ve done spiritually. And I really want to share that. And the fact that I’m able to do that in my local community is just a joy. I will be starting to do online as well.
Jan Kearney 15:27
That was my question. Is that something that you could translate to an online course?
Ripley 15:32
Yeah, absolutely it is. Yeah, because I’m so used now to work in on zoom. And because I also teach some classes on zoom on various different subjects. And because obviously, I was a training consultant before so I’m used to doing training sessions, but now it’s subject that I’m very interested in. And so yeah, I think, July, I’ll also be delivering that course online. Because I’ve had so many people that have said to me, I want to go on the course. But I’m in Coventry or something like that. So yeah, you know, it hadn’t really occurred to me that Yeah, I can deliver that course the exact same course. Like this. Yeah. You know,
Jan Kearney 16:14
I mean, that would be a really exciting opportunity, wouldn’t it? So you wouldn’t just say just because it is if that’s a little thing, because it isn’t be working with your own community, in an absolutely fabulous shop with amazing things. Yeah, it could potentially be worldwide, it could be International.
Ripley 16:34
Oh, absolutely, absolutely. Because I do readings for people that are all over the world, you know, so I do readings for people in America did someone in South Africa recently, the only thing is we work out the time difference. But apart from that, it’s exactly the same. Well be as close as you and I are now, you know, just sort of down the road from each other. And, and it’s amazing. Sometimes people think that zoom is quite limited, but it’s far from it. You know, so it’s not just the case that people are going to sit down and listen to me talking. I know loads of ways that people can actually work together in groups and give people activities, and we can do all different things. So learning online through this, I was gonna say through this medium, you can see what I did there… It is a really creative thing, you know, and I did this prior to being made redundant. I also trained, you know, on Teams as it was then. So it is something that I’m used to, and it’s fantastic.
Jan Kearney 17:33
That’s great. Well, we’re flying through the time. It’s, yeah,
Ripley 17:38
it’s because I talked so fast
Jan Kearney 17:41
Yeah, I’m just as bad. So before we wrap it up, is there anything because this is your business spotlight, is there anything you specifically want to raise or bring up?
Ripley 17:52
I think, as I’ve said many times, it’s an absolute privilege to be able to do this and to be able to do it in a community. So I really would encourage people if they’re thinking that they might be interested in some sort of spiritual development, to get in contact, because it might be there. And they might like a reading or some coaching, one to one. But also that course is coming up, it’s a really good foundation for people. So you don’t have to know loads before you start. It’s very much for beginners, but even if you know loads about this subject, you’re still take something from it. And I think the main thing is that being able to have these conversations with people, I see the results. And so many people sort of message back to me and leave reviews and everything to say the difference that it’s made, and that it really turned them around. And you know, and it’s almost you know, for the price of a decent takeaway. People can have a real move forward in lives and feel a lot lighter is a you know, a word that people often use. So if people are interested in contacting me on facebook and instagram and everything like that, I’m called Smoky Quartz Readings, all one word I’m quite easy to find. And I’m also my I’ve got a website, which is www dot Smoky Quartz Readings.com. I’m on google. And so people can get in touch, you know, and I’ve not met anyone can’t help yet.
Jan Kearney 19:27
But I will be putting your contact information in the interview notes both on YouTube, and on Halton Hour and on the show notes when we podcast it all over the world,
Ripley 19:40
Send out some vibes.
Jan Kearney 19:45
Send them out send them out. And so I think that’s about it. I just want to say thank you very much for being my third guinea pig. Because it is very new to me and I really appreciate your giving your time and especially inn an evening to do this Oh, thank you very much. I really do appreciate it. And I hope that we speak to each other again very soon.
Ripley 20:07
We will. And I’d like to thank you because I think what you’re doing is absolutely amazing. People like you that put your time and effort in to help small businesses. You know, that just blows me away. And I think that’s such a massive thing that you’re doing in any community. So thank thank you for having me.
Jan Kearney 20:25
Oh, lovely. Oh, what a wonderful ending, What a wonderful ending. Thanks very much Ripley and I will speak to you very, very soon.
Connect with Ripley
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SmokeyQuartzReadings
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smokeyquartzreadings
Web: https://www.smokeyquartzreadings.com
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