This story appears in the
March 2005 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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When Michael Anderson, 39, incorporated his online training
company in Seattle in early 2003, he had his legal papers in hand
at the state filing office along with a report from his astrologer,
Madeline Gerwick-Brodeur. According to a planetary analysis,
Gerwick-Brodeur recommended a specific time and date to sign the
papers to position the business for a profitable future. While
it's hard to prove a diretct link to astrology, more than a
year after incorporation, the Avant Institute had reached $400,000
in sales.
Gerwick-Brodeur, president of Polaris
Business Guides LLC in Arlington, Washington, begins her work
with clients with the date of incorporation. She creates an
astrological chart linking the position of the planets to business
activities and goals. By understanding planetary cycles, she says,
companies can more effectively time important changes, such as
introducing new products. "We're teaching companies how to
be more prosperous by working in harmony with the universe,"
says Gerwick-Brodeur.
Applying astrology to business development remains a novelty
among most entrepreneurs, but devoted users swear by it, either to
help make decisions or confirm choices they've already
made.
Astrology stepped in again to guide Anderson when subsequent
charts indicated potential damage from stonewalling investors. The
insight prompted him to sell the company in 2004. "Astrology
helped me take charge of the situation."