This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at his office, 115 West 35th Street, Virginia Beach, Va., this 9th day of June, 1931, in accordance with request made by self - Mr. [417].

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Mr. [417] and Mrs. [1192].

TEXT

1. GC: You will have before you the body and the enquiring mind of [417], present in this room, especially pertaining to his business associations and relations. You will give him any advice and counsel that will be of benefit to him in regard to these. You will answer the questions which will be asked regarding these an also regarding his family relations and his association with the work of Edgar Cayce at Va. Beach.
2. EC: We have the body, the enquiring mind, [417], present in this room, associations, business relations, conditions and circumstances as surround the body. Much may be said as respecting the conditions as surround the body. There may be given this as the background, or the basis for the questions as would be asked here:
3. While there are many conditions in the business relations, in the family and social relations, that often bring discouragements to the body-mind, [if these will be] will these be met with that same prayerful consideration as has so oft been given seemingly unsurmountable conditions, there needs be little fear held that circumstances surrounding business, business associates, circumstances surrounding the home, the relationships with the family, relationships with individuals, and that that would make for closer relations with others, will move as fast as the body-mind is able to ASSIMILATE and put things to use. Ready for questions.
4. (Q) Is my shoe business in Long Island being taken care of properly?
   (A) This rather a broad question, under conditions that have come from time to time. In a manner, this might be answered "Yes" and be true, and be answered "No" and be true. There are conditions that become unsatisfactory at times, but [if] are the circumstances and the surroundings with those that are in charge [are] ironed out occasionally, we will find this will continue to be on the improve, and will be MORE satisfactory in the future than it has in the past.
5. (Q) What can be done to increase the sales?
   (A) Increase the service as may be rendered to customers and prospective customers; that of a better service in a better way, in a better manner. This may be done by careful attention to each individual that is served through this channel. That sounds to some rather as trite, or commonplace, yet it is the LITTLE courtesies, not extension of questionable conditions - the LITTLE things that makes for the BIGGER things, and the better business, and the better associations and better relations - see?
6. (Q) In regards to the lease on my shoe store, how can I secure myself with a longer lease, and how should this be done?
   (A) About the best way would be to talk the man out of it! and this CAN be done! There have been some questions as respecting this for some time, as we have had something regarding this before [372-4 for his father, 1/18/30?]. This condition may be met, as we find, by being - NOT humbling self as to those holding same, but as to favors and services and conditions as may be met THROUGH and FOR the individual through whom this may be obtained - see?
7. (Q) Is it advisable to take another shoe store in [..., L.I.?] and what location would show the best return?
   (A) As we find, there is another good location here on this corner, where there's sort of a triangle here, that's some little distance from these places, that have been indicated as places for such establishment, but - it's a three-cornered place!
8. (Q) Can you give us what is there at the present time?
   (A) Go and look and see! It's there! It's a shoe shop of some kind, or MACHINERY with it - it's a repair shop, or something of that kind.
9. (Q) In regards to my dress business in New York, what can be done to stimulate or increase the sales, and what is the future of this business?
   (A) In choosing this line, as has been done, this has been well. That the line, or the products of the line are needed in most EVERY territory to meet the needs of that as may be termed, not the highest, neither the lowest priced stores. Now, as circumstances have so set in the various parts of the country as to a change, or a turn in the direction of what may be termed the middle-class, or the BETTER lower-price, these should - by MAKING the contacts in the various centers or places of distribution - offer an excellent opportunity in the next few years of this being advanced to an enormous BUSINESS! There is, of course, the tendency of CHAINS of stores along these very lines, but they are not SPECIALTY - and these very stores, or chain, or centers, may be used for the distribution of these products - see? In making, then, a survey of the conditions in the country, would be well to consider those centers where this very IDEA; that is, of making for the better medium-priced, these will enable those to EXPAND this business - see? There are very few manufacturers that have ever taken into consideration the tendencies as exist in the human family; that is, the whole race of American people are growing larger. [GD's note: His firm specialized in Youthful Stout Dresses.] ESPECIALLY is this true in the Southwest; in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma. Then, this field offers the greater opportunity for THIS manufacturing, see?
10. (Q) Are those states the best states for the sale of this merchandise?
    (A) Georgia, Alabama - southern Alabama, especially - Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, southern Missouri. All of these would be the better states for this merchandise.
11. (Q) Is it advisable to send salesmen through this territory?
    (A) Would be advisable, for it would be well. Much might be accomplished, especially as this is the first portion of the country that will recover from conditions that have been over the country. Be better sales through these than there will be in many another portion of the country!
12. (Q) Should another priced line be added, or is it best to concentrate on the priced merchandise now being sold?
    (A) As we would find, it would be best to concentrate on the price now being sold; though there may be considered, as in the cutting - and in the needs of the using up of those as would be losses in some directions, in a way in other things as may be brought out to use this up. This would be well.
13. (Q) Will the cheaper priced dresses be more in demand this Fall and next Spring?
    (A) More the medium-priced than the cheaper price. The best, or - this may be termed in this manner, as in the line - the BEST of the cheaper-priced materials will be the ones in demand.
14. (Q) Would our product be considered a medium price?
    (A) Be best of the medium-priced. That's it! See, that's the consideration as we have given here. There are many lines - that is, of the same manufacturing - that are cheaper, and many that are higher - but of the WELL-made, well-patterned, of the medium priced, or the higher priced, see? for, as we may illustrate here: Were these same products priced in three DIFFERENT stores in Atlanta or Shreveport, they would be three different priced articles! yet the same manufacturer, yet these depend upon the ability to PLACE these with these SAME firms in the same places in a manner as to make it meet the needs of those individuals in those places - and they do! That's the beauty of the article, for they are made a SPECIALTY article - see?
15. (Q) Is it advisable to start a new concern to manufacture cheaper dresses, and continue the concern now in operation?
    (A) We wouldn't do that immediately. This should be done a little bit later, as this one is advanced.
16. (Q) With the extra expenses body has in regards to his son, what can body do to guarantee him an income to take care of this? [Afflicted son, [758]]
    (A) This, as intimated from the first, as given for a basis of consideration, the hands and the heart, and the mind, are full, with the conditions, with the surroundings, with those extra or those added conditions also that come from circumstances. To divide self in any undertaking that would, as it were, tide over, would be to weaken self's position with those things that are attempting to be made successful, unless they were added to, or with individuals whom the body would know would handle that as would be entrusted with same in a manner as if the body would himself, and he be able to forget it! Understand that? Then, give thine whole self to those things in hand, and as circumstances arise in which the body would be able to make contacts that would enable individuals to handle other propositions, MAKE same, and get EXTRA returns from the result of those operations in which the body has invested only self in mental capacity and ability, and no portion of the business in any sense will be weakened. Let's illustrate this in a concrete way and manner: There are the continued seeking of channels for individuals in various portions of the country where even the products are sold, that connections or associations may be made when these are sought; with the social, with the business abilities of the body, the body may become an intermediator that would be able to make much - MUCH moneys through this character and kind of association, without investing one penny! Do that!
17. (Q) How can body make enough money to make it possible for him to devote more time in the [A.R.E.] work at Va. Beach?
    (A) Through this same way and manner, through this same channel. Don't think you've got to go in to speculate. Don't think you've got to go in and do anything of the kind. Attend to the job that's in hand, and those businesses in hand, that the things may work on in the proper way and manner; but with the associations and the contacts as will be brought about by the natural association and affiliation with the Association, there will be brought those channels and those ways and manners in which the body may make MONEYS, that he may use in whatever way he chooses - but use 'em right!
18. (Q) If the Forces believe me to be sincere in my feeling toward the work at Va. Beach, will they guide me to financial success so that I may assist in carrying on and furthering the work?
    (A) This is just what the plan is that has been laid out - see? This may be illustrated in this, in a more CONCRETE way and manner: There are those locally who have interested themselves through these same channels for information [?] and made contacts that may enable them to carry out developments within this same territory, that would add to the financial assistance to the whole conditions! Now, contacts may be made through the individual in aiding those to further that, and thousands and hundreds of thousands may be made from it! and the entity or body itself invest never a penny! but a good word here and there!
19. We are through for the present.

    Copy to Self
    Copy to File

BACKGROUND

1. See business rdg. 417-2 on 8/27/30.

REPORTS

1. 6/31 He referred his friend, Mr. [279], for rdgs.
2. 7/31/31 "Business has been very bad, both in my shoe and dress business, the past few months and it has set me away behind, but I would smile at all this if son [758] were only well."
3. 10/29/31 He obtained another business rdg., 417-4.

Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation