The Great Mdina Escapade: When Family Business Meets Fortune Telling

Uwejja! A Fortune Teller’s Accidental Takeover of the Schembri’s Family Business

It was a typical bustling day in Valletta when Carmenu, the patriarch of the Schembri clan, decided to spice things up for his family’s age-old falconry business. “Business needs to fly high, just like our falcons,” he told his eager-to-please son, Wenzu, one balmy afternoon over a couple of succulent pastizzi.

In his quest to add some pizzazz to the family biz, Carmenu stumbled upon a cozy, albeit slightly dusty tent tucked between St. John’s Co-Cathedral and the souvenir shops that line Republic Street. A sign hanging crookedly at the entrance announced “Madame Taljanova: The Future of Business is in the Stars.”

Madame Taljanova’s Predictions Go Viral

“Ma kinitx tiegħek! Your family business will be transformed beyond recognition,” sibillated Madame Taljanova as she gazed into her crystal ball, the dim light casting ominous shadows on the walls.

Carmenu, captivated by the idea of a transformed business, eagerly shared the fortune teller’s prophecy with Wenzu. Thus began a string of strategic moves neither had thought of—after all, who better to dictate business strategies than the stars?

Wenzu, not one to shy away from publicity, posted about Taljanova’s predictions on social media. Overnight, their quiet Mdina shopfront was swarmed with customers, each one keen to see if their own fortunes would soar with the Schembri’s falcons. As client numbers doubled, so did the shambolic attempts of Carmenu’s relatives at strategic planning.

The Twist of Fate

Suddenly, Madame Taljanova became an unwitting business consultant. She started receiving invitations to family meetings in Marsaxlokk, where the Schembris—now minor celebrities—held psychic-themed fish dinners of lampuki and rabbit stew. As bottles of Ġellewża flowed, her influence on their business soared to the point where she found herself advising on everything from marketing strategies to succession planning.

The Unraveling of Schembri’s Newfound Success

As months rolled on, the Schembri legacy faltered under the weight of misplaced trust in astrology. The Mdina community gossiped relentlessly as each family member tried to outdo the other with star-guided decisions, leading to some rather unorthodox business ventures—such as investing in a ħobż biż-żejt delivery app, and replacing the falconry presentations with bird-themed horoscope readings.

The family’s misinterpretation of Madame Taljanova’s advice turned their flourishing enterprise into a parody of itself, and she, flustered with the chaos, decided to vanish as mysteriously as she had appeared, leaving behind a flurry of astrological charts and the scent of sandalwood.

The Sobering Lesson and a Call to Action

Left to pick up the pieces, Carmenu realized they had gone too far. In an exclusive interview, he declared, “We’ve learned our lesson: A balanced diet of sound business planning, training, and maybe a pinch of superstition is what really keeps a family business thriving.“

With a newfound respect for sensibility, the Schembris returned to their roots, serving Gozo and all of Malta with the pride of their historic falconry heritage, proving that sometimes the most traditional ways might just be the best strategy.