Tony Hsieh was born on December 12, 1973 in Urbana, Illinois. He doesn’t have a known time of birth so for the purposes of this article I will be using the Moon as the Ascendant. This will set up the full chart for him. I have made his time of birth so that the ascendant shows where his Moon is for this reason. He passed away on November 27, 2020. He was an entrepreneur and Venture Capitalist. He was primarily known for his role as the CEO of online shoe seller, Zappos.
Let’s take a look at his chart and see what it shows us.
Remember I will be doing his chart using the Moon as the Ascendant since he does not have a known time of birth.
Based on the Moon Hsieh is a Cancer ascendant. He has no planets conjunct his Moon. The Moon is very comfortable in Cancer as it is the ruler. He was likely someone whose life had many unpredictable turns and events with constant changes in his daily activities. He may have been prone to mood swings as well as lavish spending at times. He was likely to seek out change. He was likely sensitive and perceptive. He could have a good imagination but could have been prone to emotional ups and downs. His Moon is in the lunar mansion of Pushya. This could make him very intelligent and wealthy as well as independent. He was socially adept, respected and passionate about what he believed in.
In his fifth house, Scorpio, are Mercury and Sun. Mercury and Sun together made him clever and gave him a good mind for business with the ability to keep his eye on the budget. Mercury can indicate that he was a skilled writer and that he had an ability to create. He had a need for self-expression. He was someone that was not afraid to take risks. It gave him clear perception and a need to express himself. It gave him a bright mind with a desire to delve into the unknown. Sun can indicate a competitive nature and the ability to take decided action. He likely had a good sense of self. This can indicate that he was an advisor in his chosen field. Mercury is in the lunar mansion of Anuradha. This could make him someone who was outwardly buoyant and fun-loving. He would benefit more living away from his place of birth. He was focused on his goals with great leadership and organization skills. He had the ability to work well in large groups of people. He may have had a jealous streak or a controlling angry side that only some saw. Sun is in the lunar mansion of Jyeshta likely making him the most successful in his family. He had the ability to manifest what he focused on. He may have searched for a deeper meaning to life. He likely hid his feelings from others.
In his sixth house, Sagittarius, is the node of the Moon, Rahu. This allowed him to think of creative solutions to any problem. He was someone who could meet opposition with courage and determination and come out ahead in the end. This could create a compulsive and obsessive mind that likely kept him in a constant state of anxiety and mental worries. Rahu is in the lunar mansion of Mula. This gives a very passionate nature and someone who wants to get to the bottom of things. He can be good at research but he may have also felt he was bound or trapped by circumstances at times. Excesses could have led to compulsive behavior.
In his seventh house, Capricorn, are Venus and Jupiter. Jupiter is at its weakest in Capricorn. He was someone who gained great respect from being successful and powerful in business. He had an interest in building fortune through business interests. Venus can indicate that he could get great gains from established businesses. He may have had a love of solitude and could have come across as cold and unfeeling at times. Business relationships could be strong because of new and creative ideas. This can indicate that his income would be vastly improved through business partnerships. He was not someone who believed in the word “can’t.” Venus and Jupiter are both in the lunar mansion of Shravana. This gives him a desire to quest for knowledge and information. Venus and Jupiter being conjunct could indicate being in a business related to fashion or luxury trade. He was respected and bright.
In his tenth house, Aries, is Mars. Mars forms a powerful yoga called a ruchaka yoga, making him aggressive, a warrior and powerful. Mars being in Aries gave him early career success through a strong ambition and drive. He was a leader who knew how to give direction. He was unafraid to innovate and had a tireless pursuit of his goals. He was self-sufficient and took quick action to get results. This placement made him a pioneer who pushed through obstacles. He was energetic but could get bored if not challenged. He may have had times where he didn’t think things through before acting. He could be sought out as an advisor for his field and could do well in careers involving investments. For Tony, career success was a driving force throughout his life. His profession is what defined and labeled him. He was someone who was a top executive and was highly respected and honored and he could become famous for his life’s work. He likely became overly dependent on his work environment for meaning in his life. Mars is in the lunar mansion Ashwini. This is someone who has a zeal and zest for life. He could have a restless and impatient nature rushing off without planning ahead. He likely wanted to do things his own way. He was a pioneer and always exploring and testing to see what he could discover that hadn’t been learned yet.
In his twelfth house, Gemini, are Saturn and the node of the Moon, Ketu. Saturn can indicate that he was mentally disciplined, analytical and scientific. Ketu indicates he has a mind that is creative and full of new ideas. He was likely good at writing, conceiving ideas and presenting. It can indicate that his mind may have been disconnected from the world and that he was always on a never-ending search to fill a void in his life that he couldn’t define. Saturn is retrograde indicating that he could be more self-isolating at times and that he had a feeling like no one understood him. Saturn as ruler of the eighth house being in the twelfth can indicate he would spend long times in seclusion and could spend time in hospitals. He may have had trouble sleeping. Saturn conjunct Ketu can indicate a technical orientation and the ability to focus intensely on specific things for short periods. It could make him fanatical in pursuit of ideas and projects as well as obsessive with a one-track mind. Ketu is in the lunar mansion Mrigashira. This could cause Tony to constantly be searching or looking for something. He was likely restless as well as was curious and mentally sharp. He had a rapid learning ability. Saturn is in the lunar mansion Ardra. This can be hard as there is a destructive quality here. He could create havoc wherever he went and may have even destroyed himself. However, he was someone who was good at creating things out of the destruction.
Let’s look at some key events in his life and what transits may have triggered them at the time.
In November of 1998 he sold his first company LinkExchange to Microsoft for $265 million. At this time transiting Jupiter was in his eighth house. Sending its energy to his second house of money from his work. It was also sending its energy to his twelfth house and natal Saturn ruler of his seventh house of business partnerships. Transiting Saturn was in his tenth house of career conjunct his natal Mars within a degree. This indicated that with hard work and discipline he could have positive career movement. Transiting Rahu was in his second house expanding his potential for personal gains from his work. He was in his Mercury Maha Dasha and Saturn sub-dasha. As Saturn was transiting his tenth house of career that was activating that house.
I tried to find dates as to when he became the CEO of Zappos to look into the transits at that time but only found the year. In 2000 transiting Jupiter and Saturn were floating between his tenth house of career and eleventh house of great gains. These two planets together produced a great point of manifestation. One gave the opportunities and the other the structure and discipline to achieve. Transiting Rahu was in his first house expanding what he was capable of.
On November 27, 2020 Hsieh passed away from injuries sustained in a fire. At this time transiting Saturn was in his seventh house. This is a maraka, killer, house. Saturn can be an indicator of death. Transiting Saturn was also sending its energy by opposition to his natal Moon, ruler of his chart. Transiting Ketu, loss, was within two degrees of the ruler of his second house, Sun, also a maraka planet for Hsieh. Also, transiting Ketu was conjunct, by wide orb, his natal Mercury ruler of his twelfth house. With natal Neptune also in this house and transiting Ketu impacting it there are likely many mysteries around his death and questions that may not be answered. Transiting Ketu was also sending its energy to his natal Moon and first house. At the time of his death, he was just finishing his Venus Maha Dasha and Jupiter sub-dasha. Both these planets are conjunct in his seventh house, a maraka house for him.
*Remember for all of the above I used the Moon as the ascendant because we do not have a time of birth.
This was heart warming to read. Thank you so much for doing this for Tony. What a transcendental spirit.