I am the six of diamonds. I get things done! Focused, powerful, and stubborn. I approach success so quickly you’ll be shocked. And if you aren’t my priority, don’t expect my attention.
I met the nine of hearts at the cheeky Anti-Valentine’s Party I threw at Green Spaces this year. His is the “card of wishes,” regarded by many experts as the best in the deck. A nine of hearts birth card marks you as a giver of love and goodwill, predisposed for ambition, dreams, and success.
English: 6 of diamonds. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Alexander Dunlop is connecting thousands of New Yorkers with cartomancy via his life coaching company, Spiritual Nutrition. Reading playing cards for guidance is a practice whose history is untraceable -- except for the knowledge that its older than the bible (literally). It’s also a methodology that could easily have been lost to our society without the work of Alexander and a few others.
The birth card, calculated by your full birthdate, is just one small part. Every person has 13 cards in their reading, some of which change over time, that can tell you heaps about yourself. Most of Alexander’s clients see him for six-month, goal-oriented periods and are entrepreneurs. Some are high-level CEOs and public figures. Essentially, he isn’t lacking for fans and believers who are a lot like you and me.
I trusted my friend who brought Alexander to the party back in February, so I dubiously agreed to receive card-based, spiritual advice from him regarding my work and life. Today, he’s still guiding me through some big decisions, helping this six of diamonds make more progress than ever.
This Post's Big Takeaway Lesson for Every Social Entrepreneur:
Personal referrals trump consumer skepticism just every time. Hands down, there's no better way to convert clients.
However ...
Word of mouth can only scale your solo business so far. Alexander came to present at an Idea Bounce looking for feedback on some marketing and positioning ideas. But first, he shepherded half the room from stages of ragey denial to grateful tears of acceptance at his impossible accuracy. He described some our fundamental gifts, weaknesses, and strengths. (You can learn what your birth card is at www.spiritualnutrition.org.)
Then, we collected ourselves and got serious. Because when you tell me that a big component of your service model is guiding people’s lives based on the little papers I thought were good only for (light) drinking games, I’m going to tell you that you have no normal marketing challenge on your hands.
As per usual, Green Spacers had strong ideas in spades to help Alexander scale his business. But I just know you’d rather hear more about how a man builds a successful business using a standard deck to give spiritual guidance to entrepreneurs.
You may or may not buy cartomancy. But you can’t deny that you need to make important decisions based on your gifts and your developed strengths, within the context of reality (aka, your weaknesses and obstacles) and the environment. For me, the question is not so much:
Spiritual Life Coach of many entrepreneurs
Is there room for spirituality in social entrepreneurship?
Instead I wonder:
How is harvesting your own talents to sustain yourself and improve your world not an incredibly spiritual experience?
Alexander has a business because his model works. He’s developed a coaching method that teaches new ways of being introspective, helping people pull from their best out within and harvest it into success. What he sees in the cards is an authentic experience that supports me and other entrepreneurs in our journeys. Whichever practice works for you, nourishing your entrepreneurial spirit and bringing you clarity (and you’ll find it if you look) give yourself to it from a place of conviction. Confidence lives in stranger places than the deck of cards.
Green Spaces is New York City’s sustainable coworking space for startup people, entrepreneurs, and others who like to work happily while improving the world. Members and guests from diverse and overlapping fields make us NYC’s networking hotspot for the eco and socially minded. I’m Marissa Feinberg, Green Spaces co-founder, PR and marketing media whisperer, and rapid dot connector. See my recent interview about Green Spaces on Mashable.
Idea Bounce goes digital
Each Wednesday, members gather for the Green Spaces “Idea Bounce,” also known as “startup therapy with dumplings.” One person (sometimes a member, sometimes a guest) introduces a challenge they’re facing. The group bounces ideas, recommending strategies and contacts. I’m sharing some of what we come up with here on this blog.
Previous Idea Bounces:
Prosperity Rides -- Bicycles Against Poverty
Transfix the audience of your next business presentation -- Hank Fieger
The Fairy Godmother of Social Entrepreneurs -- Ventureneer.com
Launching a bicultural startup — Carpooling.com in the U.S.
On the future of angel investing — Mission Markets
More on Green Spaces in New York and Colorado:
