HYDERABAD: Hirav Shah, who calls himself an astro-strategist, has Tollywood biggies, politicians and corporates in Hyderabad approaching him for business and career advice. He tells us why so many people are panicking during the pandemic and how his advice blends logic with astro science, and is not just predictions
What do you have to tell people who believe that astrology is still not a science?
I feel sad when I see a person has huge potential and is still not earning enough or successful enough or is famous enough. If you are into business, profits should flow. If you are into politics, you should be in a seat of power. If you are an entertainer, you should be in the top 10. Otherwise you are struggling. Business strategy is the combination of when, where, what and how to ‘act and react’. There are 12 zodiac signs, 12 houses in horoscope, 12 months, seven days, seven main planets and two Shadow planets (Rahu and Ketu). All planets are good and display movement everyday. The point is to utilise and strategise with planets’ movement to create opportunities for business and for a better and brighter future.
How is an astrologist or an astro-strategist different from an astrologer? Do you combine astrology with logic?
If you approach an astrologer with your birth details and you are seeking advice on 10 different companies with every organisation having different locations, different partners, different types of businesses, then you can ask questions such as these: when will I have huge success from my first business? When should I launch new brands or products in my second business? Will my third company get into international markets?... It’s hard to give answers from individual horoscopes. However, such queries can be addressed successfully by using business astrology. So as a business astrologer and astro-strategist, I mix business principles with astrology.
I am an electronics engineer who did Business Management. I am also a national chess player, music graduate, SAP-certified etc. So it’s easy to analyse business or humans and find out strengthes and weaknesses, also to conduct GAP analysis, SWOT analysis. After creating all necessary charts you can find solutions and recommendations around the following business metrics and activities: Business ROI, profit, sales, marketing, advertising, branding, image building, acquisition, exit, etc.
I advise in the fields of real estate, sports, entertainment, tourism, sports etc. I have scores of clients in Hyderabad, but I cannot reveal names due to the confidentiality clause. Also, I do not charge anything from those who have been successful but are going through a tough phase in life now. I am keen to help people do well in their lives.
How did it all start? Was it self-taught?
In 1999, I had an IT company with 30 staff. Suddenly my mother suffered a brain hemorrhage. She was operated upon six times and kept slipping into a coma on and off for three years. If I earned Rs 1, my expenditure was Rs 20. I knew a bit of astrology in my college days and I implemented astrology over mom. In three months, she recovered and I felt I should explore my astro potential.
What does it take to succeed in career/business?
For any business to fully realise its potential, it must check off seven critical aspects of success (including luck) Why is this so? Let me explain with a couple of different examples.
How does food taste without salt? How will a movie perform at the box-office with a weak script? How does a track field athlete feel if the track has a poor surface? Similarly, in business, if the structure of the organisation is great (i.e., business name, great partners, correct registered and administrative address, logo, web-print-digital presence, brand name etc.), by adding an astro-strategist, the business can make and execute decisions within a perfectly timed framework to maximise success.
What kind of guidance have you given to a few Hyderabad corporates and how has it helped.
1. Short term strategies – where you get recurring income.
2. Long term strategies –where you can make some long term brand and money in your business.
Business fundas
Did you know that 50 percent of all businesses fail in the first year itself? In five years, 80% perish. In 10 years, 96% of businesses fail. This means that only 4% make it. The rest need guidance to stay afloat, says Hirav Shah.