We were lucky to catch up with Jesse Nelson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jesse, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

After almost nine years of living in LA, I found myself (relatively suddenly) living in Portland, OR. While I initially landed in Los Angeles to pursue music, I found life aligning me towards working as a professional Astrologer & Tarot card reader. While I love this work, depending on it in a full-time capacity has not yet been easy. Cumulatively, I spent years trying to find more normal/mainstream work (while still doing readings)- but it just never seemed to pan out. As I found myself now navigating an entirely new life in an entirely new place, I meditated upon how to embrace the shift… how to embrace the path that I keep finding myself course-corrected towards.

During the winter of 2023/2024, I was catching up with a friend on the phone. I was telling them about the ideas that were coming up for me on how to best embody this new beginning. While talking, I posed the question “How do I meet this moment?” And voila! That was it. That would become the name of my business- Meet The Moment Tarot & Astrology. Astrology in & of itself is a study of timing. The Divine Clock; the Cosmic Calendar, if you will. And whenever one sits down for a reading of any kind, they are absolutely meeting that moment- be it one of excitement, exhilaration, fear, confusion, or despair. In my work, I invite people to bring whatever is real for them to the table. I do this with the intention that even within the uncomfortable places & spaces, there can be an opportunity. An opportunity for fresh perspective, new salves, and to leave the reading with a more resourced toolkit than one may have entered with.

Jesse, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi! I’m Jesse- Astrologer, Tarot Card reader, & Founder/Owner of Meet The Moment LLC (DBA Meet The Moment Tarot & Astrology). While I had long been fascinated by metaphysical practices, it was not until attending The Evergreen State College that I felt this aspect of myself fully drop into the curiosity. While I sincerely never planned or intended to become a professional reader, I was Alice down the rabbit hole when it came to my own personal captivation, and desire to learn. Even while still actively pursuing music in LA, I stayed consistent- listening to & learning from the masterful voices that I was blessed to come across.

After years of personal study, I finally dipped my toe into offering readings. At first, just casually for friends. Then, part-time for friends of friends. And finally, the shake-up that the pandemic created is how I landed into doing readings in a full-time capacity. I now offer both Tarot & Astrology services! While I genuinely believe that you can’t go wrong with whatever you choose, I do have a few helpful tips & tricks for figuring out which one might be best for you at any given time.

When it comes to navigating the external world, i.e., life crossroads, relationships, career questions, and the like- I find that the directness of Tarot’s archetypal symbolism makes the cards a front-runner. Reciprocally, Astrology is fantastic for exploring our internal landscape(s). When we find ourselves asking questions like: “Why am I like this?” “What is my love language?” How can I better channel anger?” ‘What am I meant to do in life?”- the richly layered language of astrology has so much to offer here.

I believe that one of the things that sets me apart is the intersectional human perspective that I bring to my work. As a Black mixed-race, first generation, gay man who’s lived all over the country (navy kid); I believe that this uniquely shaped experience has gifted me with an ability to connect with many different kinds of people and to meet them where they’re at. Additionally, I offer a conversational approach. While many readers just want you to sit there & shut up while they talk at you, I create the space for meaningful dialogue & processing.

When it comes to my work, one of the highest compliments that I’ve received from clients is that they got more out of sessions with me than they did with their therapists. I am not a licensed medical practitioner, and I absolutely love that people are working with those who are. With that in mind, this is feedback that I have consistently received, and I hold it in the highest regard.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Landing into my work as a professional reader was the epitome of a pivot. Like many creatives in LA, I was riding a lot of waves of uncertainty, and constantly trying to figure out what the next thing was. I worked in a number of arenas during my time there; everything from freelance personal assisting to dog-walking to retail to moving & hauling to non-profit work, you name it. To be honest, I was never actually aspiring to become a professional reader. There a Linley a few reasons for this, but it was just something that I never really put on vision board- despite years of friends lovingly cajoling me to take it seriously. Finally, in February 2019, I started doing it in a very side-hustle capacity while working admin for a real estate firm. It was very informal, just cheap little readings for friends and friends of friends.

About a year later, I bet you could guess what happened. Like many people, I was laid off due to the pandemic. Though it was a blessing in many ways, and gave me the opportunity to focus on music for a time- the demand for the next professional pivot did eventually make itself known. My days in mid-2021 were rife with sending out applications. Though there were some interviews, the right thing just never clicked. In the early fall of that year, I found myself in a local metaphysical shop checking out crystals. At some point in conversing with the staff, my friend mentioned that I did readings. They expressed interest, and I got an interview! After proving successful with my abilities, I became a full-time reader in the autumn of 2021! A true, full pivot.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Truly, my best source of new clientele has been brick & mortar. In both LA and Portland, my greatest source of new clientele has been the opportunity to work out of established metaphysical shops where the interests are naturally aligned, and there is an organic influx of prospective customers making their way into the store.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Meetthemomenttarotastro.com
• Instagram: @meetthemomenttarotastro