There are certain signs where a theme for a business blog is just obvious.  Many astrological signs are quite adaptable to our business world, and others take more time to develop a meaningful and practical message.  Cancer is one of those signs!

Why?

The sign of Cancer is really not known as a business sign, yet the sign that naturally deal with home and motherhood – not to mention hotdogs and apple pie.  In fact, Cancer is the sign that opposes the great business sign of Capricorn.  However, despite the difficulty, we can learn something about business from every sign.

But, you will have to wait!

The Astrology

The Sun and Mars make minimal aspects throughout the month of July, which precludes us from taking a lot of action in our business.   However, July 6^th and 27^th are great days for innovation and making short-term decisions.   On the planning front, Mercury moves into fiery Leo on July 1 it is time to begin looking towards our fall marketing.   This would be a great time to think about what your fall plans are for your business, and begin researching how to implement them.   Mercury will move into shadow towards the middle of the month as it prepares to move retrograde in August.  Financially, the month of July will be rather bi-polar, one day sales will be up and the next day they will be down, and this cycle will continue through most of the month.  Do not become lackadaisical on the days that money is flowing through the front door, as those will be the days that will balance out the rather challenging financial days.  Venus will move into Leo towards the end of July, which is a more favorable position for the planet to be in.

Your Business Cosmic Weather Forecast

So, how do we use the sign of Cancer in our business?   It’s back to basics baby!

I recently had a business client that contacted me regarding her website.   Her business has been down for the last several months, and she asked for my advice.   I went to her website and was very confused at what I seen.  I felt like I was at a web flea market!  If I feel totally confused at a metaphysical website (having been in the industry for 20 years), how would a potential customers experience be on the site?

I contacted the website owner and asked her who her target audience was.   She responded with a target audience that was completely different than her website.  I wrote to the website owner and asked her some simple questions – the primary being why did she have all these items on her website that simply were not for her target audience?  She wrote back and told me that she “liked those products and felt that these were the products that people really need.”  Needless to say, I was rather shell-shocked.    Her business was suffering because she was catering to herself rather than her customer.   Further, she did not seem to know what her customers’ needs were.  Moreover, much of her stock will probably sit there and never sell because it is not what her potential customers want

It’s time to work it – and reverse it!

Storm’s 4 Point Back to Basics Marketing Guide:

1.   Who are your potential customers?

Who are the customers that want to purchase your products?  What do they look like?  What do they purchase?  What magazines do they buy?  What television shows do they watch?   You have to research and know your audience.   Trends change and you have to stay on top of the trend before the trend gets on top of you.

2.  Cater to your target audience not to everyone!

I know this is hard.   I have found many business owners who want something available just so they can sell something to anyone.   Stick with your target audience!  If your target customer is 25-50 years old female and an executive, she is in your store to purchase something for her.  She is not going to buy a slinky or a Harry Potter broom.   You are wasting resources and space when you go outside your target audience.  You do not have to be all things to all people.

3.  Why do people purchase products?

People purchase products for 3 reasons – solving problems, feeling better about themselves, and for basic needs.  Pick 1 or 2 areas that fit your products.   If you own a candle shop, then the reason or people to purchase your products would be either solving problems or for them to feel better about themselves.   Candles (although if there is a black out they could be a basic need) are not a basic need.

4.  Create a marketing strategy to cater go your target market

Now that you know who your client is, what she wants, and why she is buying your products, you can begin to create a marketing campaign to get your target market into your stores (and onto your websites), and get them to stay there!

Let me know how this “Back to Basics” Marketing Guide works for you!

Planning Guide:

Great Money Days:  July 4, July 9, July 28, July 29, and July 31
Challenging Money Days:  July 7, July 8, July 9
Great Planning Days:  July 4, July 9, July 11, July 28
Challenging Planning Days:  July 5, July 29
Great Action Days:  July 6, July 22, July 27
Challenging Action Days:  July 1, July 2,

We interrupt your regular internet browsing activities for this public announcement.

A Storm Warning Is In Effect!

Most people do not understand the wide reaching effects of eclipses, but they are one of the most dynamic factors that help us understand trends in our lives. The little information people do have about eclipses is based on supernatural fear from ancient times, which in modernity is neither practical nor constructive. This special Cosmic Weather Forecast will not focus on the theory of eclipses; there are many websites that do a great job at this which can be independently researched. I will focus on how we can use this eclipse (and the two eclipses that will follow this one) energy effectively in our businesses.

There are many controversies that surround eclipses, and some people pay a lot of attention to them, and others see them as just a passing influence that seems to affect more the world stage than it does the “common” people. In many ways, they are both right! Eclipses can come and hit a major part of your natal chart and there is no “event” that goes along with them, yet the world stage burst(s) into a heavy “news cycle” about various events. However, what I do feel happens with eclipses is that they show a movement that is occurring within the collective psyche which eventually trickles down to ordinary life. This includes our business lives.

Drawing up the eclipse for June 1, 2011, we find that the eclipse lands at 12 Gemini in the 8th house (for both the United States and Canada) of the chart. Gemini the sign of the merchant, commerce, buying and selling, trading, and communication, and is ruled by Mercury (Hermes in Greek) who was known as the merchant god. This means that the eclipse is going to affect ALL forms of business in one way or another, based upon changes which might occur on the world stage at the time of the eclipse. Also, the lord of the eclipse is Mercury which is in the money sign of Taurus (also in the Eighth House) conjoined with the fixed star Alcyone known as “the weeping sisters”.

The Eighth house of the chart is where this begins to get rather interesting. In natal astrology, this is the house of death, taxes, and regeneration. In business astrology, the eighth house is concerned with the same issues, except that it also involves our relationships with others. Simply put, it involves our relationship with our vendors, our sellers, our partnerships, our debt, and our lines of credit. In addition, we will see these same themes played out on the world stage – so pay close attention to the events that are occurring at the beginning of June, because these events will eventually trickle down to our businesses.

One of my primary jobs as an astrologer is to observe. I have noticed through many of my social connections a lot of people that are worried about their business, concerned about their finances, and not performing as well as they have in the past. In many ways, I think we are still in “shell shock” that began in 2008-2009, and have yet to adjust to a new reality. I think many of us are still living in a 2005 reality, where credit was plentiful and the amount of excess spending money was at an all-time high. I think for many of us, we have to let go of the “glory days” – 2005 is over and it is never coming back!

We do need a financial revolution – but this is going to occur on the inside not on the outside. We have to accept our current reality, and a reality that includes less availability to credit for ourselves and our vendors. We have to move into a “cash” reality, and begin to put savings away for times that are “financially slow”. In many ways, we need to get back to basics, and start working through the equations that work now, not equations that worked then. For many, finding new equations will be the toughest part, for others it is simply going back to what worked in the past and using the “tried and true” to get moving forward once again.

Work towards budgeting yourself out of the credit and financial lows, and begin to focus on utilizing new tools of marketing and promotion that are that are within your means. There are so many business resources that are absolutely free that will boost your business – all it requires is a desire to learn them. This will be rough for many of us, but the rewards will be many. The first question to ask is whether or not your business is worth fighting for and the inner process of revolution will begin.

Dates in 2011 to watch that are Eclipse Sensitive:
July 06, 2011, August 30, 2011, and December 03, 2011

Storm Cestavani, May 16, 2011

On Wednesday, we will wake up to a Full Moon as the Moon in Scorpio will oppose the Sun in Taurus. The Moon in Scorpio is intense, passionate, and tends to dredge the depths of unconscious and bringing forth issue to the surface that need to be dealt with and resolved. This Full Moon is amplified by fiery and individualistic Mars in Leo (there is also a conjunction with the Sun and Mercury Rx) creating a powerful large configuration between the three planets. So, what does all this mean? Any Full Moon between the Sun and the Moon brings issues to a head – it’s the tipping point and a timing trigger for events in your life. The Moon in Scorpio is about transformation, powerful depth and understanding, and the crisis that occurs when issues that have been buried come to the surface. Since this configuration is in a difficult aspect to Mars we will find a powerful urge towards breaking free of circumstances from the past that are bogging us down and preventing our personal growth. This could create irritability and frustration for the next couple of days. On a good note, this configuration provides us with the ability to free ourselves once and for all from circumstances that might be obstructing our future success. This is a great day to do any intention or affirmation work on the current issues that you are going through, and will provide you with the necessary strength to release and let go.

The Moon will move out of Cancer during the late morning and into dramatic Leo. Now there are certain signs, that I feel heighten Mercury Retrograde energies, and Leo is definitely one of them. Let the games begin! The Moon in Leo expresses feelings in dramatically and with great intensity, and loves to be on stage. Normally, this is a day we spend focusing on our most important production in life – ourselves; however the Moon immediately goes through a series of rough transits (Moon inconjunct Chiron, Moon square Sun, and Moon inconjunct Pluto) that will make this very difficult. We will find that outside forces will impinge upon our creation today, and we will be forced to focus on issues that are much greater than ourselves and our personal wants and desires. This can make the Moon in Leo feel rather frustrated, easily angered, reactive, and at times bitter. It is wise to attempt to manage these feelings rather than attempt to control them. And remember, this too shall pass!

There is no place like home! The Moon moves into its own sign on Tuesday giving us an emotional undertone to the day. The Cancer Moon needs emotional closeness so it’s a great day to connect to those that you care about, and to spend time with your partners. The difficulty with this Moon is that it tends to sacrifice itself for the emotional needs of others because it fears being disconnected on the emotional level. This can create a rather smothering and toxic element to relationships if not handled correctly. Spend some time today analyzing your emotions and discern your emotional motivations in your relationships. By understanding our emotions allows us to understand our reactions, which can create a matrix of energy that actually brings people closer to us providing us with the emotional connections we need.

Today, we begin a new astrological month! The Sun has been in the sign of Aries for the last 30 days, and today the Sun will move into the sign of Taurus. A creative way of working with this energy is to view it symbolically. Aries is about new beginnings, new creative ventures, and the power and drive to get things going. Aries likes competition and believes that if something is not worth fighting for then it has no value. So while the Sun is in Aries, we tend to look towards bringing new energies and new opportunities into our lives. Whereas, when the Sun moves into Taurus the energy shifts because the signs basic structure is about taking things slowly, building a foundation, and cultivating the previous month’s energy into something concrete and real.

We can use this energy in a positive manner by taking time to sit down and really build a solid foundation around us. What in your life needs to be solidified or nurtured? The first way towards getting what we want is really to build a foundation that facilitates additional growth. It is very similar to building a house! Before you can erect the structure of the building, you first have to make sure that the foundation is steady and stable. This is the deepest meaning of the sign of Taurus. Get your tools out and start building!

It is tax day in the United States, and unsurprisingly the Moon is in money oriented Taurus. Taurus Moons love stability and structure, and when the Moon is in this sign we tend to relax and enjoy the fruits of our labors rather than be outwardly aggressive. In essence, the Moon in Taurus loves simplicity. Under normal circumstances it is an enjoyment placement and usually comes coupled with great dinners and sensual comfort foods. However, the Moon during the early morning hours will square (a rather difficult aspect) fighter Mars which will be the main aspect for many hours of the day. Moon in square to Mars is an anxiety filled aspect, which tends to make us feel edgy and agitated when our own will is circumvented by others. During the evening hours, the Moon will conjoin with Mercury which will help to provide us a bit of understanding and insight into our frustrations, and allows for more open communication with those people in our lives we enjoy.

On Friday, the Moon continues its journey through the sign of Aquarius and our need to be part of the larger picture, the larger social scene, and be a part of the larger collective consciousness will continue. As it moves through Aquarius, the Moon will conjoin with both Neptune and Chiron, and its final aspect will be an inconjunct to Saturn. Since Aquarius naturally rules friendships, Friday is a great day to take inventory of our friendships and decide which ones are meaningful for us, which ones provide us with little meaning, and which ones need a little boost. The conjunction to Neptune and Chiron provides us with an opportunity to repair or heal any damaged friendships that have occurred over the past month, whereas Saturn will provide us the ability to make adjustments in our relationships that will make life more structured and secure. Later in the evening, the Moon will move into spiritual and mystical Pisces which will provide us with a relaxing and magical evening.

Did you enjoy the weekend? All the promise of spring burrowing through snow drifts, incredibly cold temperatures, and a winter that lasted too long appeared to be fading before our eyes as warmer weather spread across most of the country. The astrological aspects were beautiful as Venus trined Mars and Mercury conjoined with Jupiter. However, on Tuesday all good things must come to an end as Venus in Aries opposes Saturn in Libra.

Venus oppose Saturn is one of the least favored aspects because of its notorious tendency to cause problems and even end relationships. Venus desires to be social, pleasured, and likes to have fun; whereas Saturn is a nose to the grindstone planet that demands discipline. We may feel conflicted between our duty to uphold our responsibilities and our need to be social and relate to others in a pleasant environment. We all want to relate to others, and feeling stymied by duty can make us feel resentful. When the energy of Venus oppose Saturn is unleashed on already existing relationships it can evoke the areas of our romantic life which may be lacking or where we feel unsatisfied. Thankfully, this aspect only lasts a day (or so)! Today it would be beneficial to avoid reacting to our emotional and romantic frustrations. We may get a bit of relief when we realize that this (like all aspects) too shall pass!

Today should prove to be a positive and productive day for most. The planet Venus will make a beautiful trine to Saturn in Libra creating an easy pathway for success financially and romantically. This is a great day for planting the seeds for raises, expanding business opportunities, and giving much needed attention to our relationships. On the romantic level, I consider this aspect a “get out of jail free” card! By spending a little bit of time focusing on relationships (Venus) and providing them with much needed structure (Saturn), we will open the doorway for understanding when we need self care and self focus without difficulty.

The Moon continues to move through Aries until this afternoon, where it will go void of course. The last aspect the Moon will make before it goes into Taurus late this evening will be a sextile to Neptune. Sextile aspects provide us opportunities, if we are willing to take the action to use them. So you can use this evening for romantic purposes, meditative purposes, spiritual purposes, or you can take in a movie or any other artistic type of activity. Regardless, make sure you enjoy it!