Tarot Spreads: The Entrepreneur’s Spread

 

 

After relationship questions, career questions are what come across my desk most often.  And that makes sense to me.  After all, in the 21st century we are ALL working to some degree — the one-paycheck family when there are two or more working-age people in the makeup is as rare as a phoenix egg.  But how you look at career using divination methods can be wildly different, depending on the mindset of the questioner.

When someone asks me about career in a Tarot reading, I always start out with one important clarifier:

Do you want to stay where you are and make the best of it?
Do you want to get another job but still have someone else write your paycheck?
Or are you (or do you want to be) an entrepreneur?

That’s not “cold reading” — getting the client to spill a lot of details.  It’s more like a doctor ascertaining which test to give the patient to see what’s going on.  For me, those are three vastly different Tarot spreads; it’s important not to waste the client’s precious time with my looking at a situation that isn’t playing out for them.

When someone comes to me about a business they own (or want to start), then I immediately go for my “Entrepreneur’s Spread.”  It’s much more detailed than a couple of cards that say, “Well, don’t open until August and fire the redhead.”  It looks at all aspects of a business in order to give my client as many tools as possible to create a successful enterprise.

So let’s look at an example using The Entrepreneur’s Spread:  my client, Stephanie, has a glass-and-cosplay business.  She wants to know how to make it really take off.  Here’s the layout and the cards that came up:

1. What is the energy around the client?
2. What is the energy around the business?
3. What does my client need to know about the location of the business?
4. How should the business be marketed?
5. Who will his/her clients be?
6. Who will the competition be?
7. What does he/she need to know regarding staff?
8. What about the business finances?
9. What does my client need to know that he/she does not at this time?
10. What is the best possible outcome?

Here’s how it pans out:

What is the energy around the client? 4 of Rods (or Wands):  The energy around Stephanie is encouraging her to “move on, move out, move up” as this card usually talks about a happy ending after much effort, celebration and reward.  This tells me right away that Stephanie is serious about her business and has already put considerable work and thought into it, which is paying off.

What is the energy around the business?  The Lovers:  The energy around the business itself, the Lovers card, talks about choice and duality.  Stephanie is one of those people with a plethora of talents and she may have to make an “either/or” decision (glassware OR cosplay design), or find a way to combine them in one.  Doing both may lessen her impact in both arenas.

What does my client need to know about the location of the business?  The Ace of Pentacles:  The location card is very promising.  The Ace of Pentacles, with that great big hand holding out an enormous gold coin — for me, that’s an indication that it almost doesn’t matter where Stephanie has her business, though this also indicates that her current locations (conventions and online) seem to be doing just fine for her.

How should the business be marketed?  The Queen of Swords:  For Marketing, Stephanie has to be in her head, not her heart.  The Queen of Swords cautions that she must look at all sides of a question and make sure she is getting what she wants and needs for her marketing dollar.  She may have to be sharp with some bait-and-switch advertising types and be polite but firm, standing her ground.

Who will her clients be?  The Ace of Cups:  This card in the Client position makes very clear what kind of people will want her wares.  The Ace of Cups says these items are purchases that will be based solely on emotional and aesthetic “pings.”  Her purchasers do not think first of practicality but instead focus on the beauty and enjoyment of owning her creations.

Who will the competition be?  The Star:  The Star card indicates there will always be some, but the Marketing Gods have her back.  In fact, the competition will actually make Stephanie’s products better, with higher visibility.

What does she need to know regarding staff?  The 4 of Cups:    The Staff (in this case, her significant other) is a bit of a problem.  He may be feeling a little drained and cranky, not loving the business as much as Stephanie does, and it’s beginning to affect the business itself.  If Stephanie wants the romance to remain in first place and the business in second between her partner and herself, there may need to be some serious conversations.  I’d advise her not to shy away from it; it will pay off in the long run for both of them.

What about the business finances?  The 9 of Cups:  Finances couldn’t be better — the 9 of Cups is the “wishes fulfilled” card.  However, I always warn people there is a secondary meaning to this card:  Be careful what you wish for, because you are going to get it.  Make sure that you have the time and stamina to put into your business without burning out, because it is definitely taking off.  It is also reminding you not to do negative self-talk (“We’ll never get this done” or “I wish that we could get a break here with all these orders!”) because the Universe is listening.

What does my client need to know that she does not at this time?  The Ace of Swords: This is a reflection of the Marketing card.  The emotional involvement needs to be left to her clients.  She needs to be objective on what works and what doesn’t, willing to discontinue a product or even an entire line if it isn’t in the business’ best interest, no matter how much she enjoys producing it.  This “hidden information” is a vital part of the Entrepreneur’s Blueprint, since it specifically targets what may not have been factored into the mix.

What is the best possible outcome?  The King of Pentacles:  This King is the King of money and abundance, the embodiment of worldly success and accomplishment.  It also tells Stephanie that there will be a “major player” who will appear to help her take her business to the next level once she proves she can garner success on her own terms.

So the next time there is a business idea that you want to explore, try the Entrepreneur’s Spread to give yourself a heads up for the next career move!