Location, location, location — this is the mantra that people in real estate live by. It is no different when it comes to selecting business premises, be they a corporate office or an F&B outlet. Beyond location, other important considerations include demographic compatibility, accessibility and visibility.
The question is: Why do some businesses fail despite having carefully executed business strategies?
The ability of a business to succeed at a specific location is often attributed to the feng shui of the premises. While feng shui may play a significant role in the success of a business, it is also important to understand the type of energy, or qi, that would best suit it.
While feng shui may play a significant role in the success of a business, it is also important to understand the type of energy, or qi, that would best suit it
Identifying positive energy
For any commercial property, it is fundamental to figure out the direction from which the qi is coming. The next step is to tap the qi and harness it to ensure continuity of this positive energy flow. Qi needs ample space to collect. Even if the business premises are small, the positive flow of qi can still be harnessed by ensuring that there is a park or open space in front of the property.
Roads providing access to a building are also carriers of qi. Observe the road undulations: If they are akin to a calm, flowing river, it will ensure that your business will receive auspicious energy. Sha Qi (䅅㰊) or Killing Qi, an undesirable form of energy, appears when roads in front of the business premises are bumpy or steep, like a raging flow of water.
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Harnessing qi collection
In nature, water travels from higher to lower ground, and eventually collects into a pool to give life. Likewise, the calm flow of qi that approaches the premises of a business should gather, bringing great wealth and luck.
To benefit from the flow of good qi, a property should be located in the east, southeast or north. This applies to both owned and rented premises. A business owner would do well to open the main door to welcome the good qi into the establishment and allow it to circulate within the premises. Opening other doors would further encourage its dissemination.
However, some older premises may have been designed with sharp corners, within direct view of straight lines or with narrow gaps between buildings. Examples include buildings located at T-junctions, facing sharp roof edges, pylons, sharp mountain peaks or even straight roads. A consequence of these negative features is that Sha Qi is formed in the surrounding environment of businesses located there. Sha Qi is also produced when wind is forced through narrow gaps between two structures. This undesirable type of energy is vicious and aggressive.
However, pointy plants or furniture do not have a similar negative effect on a business. After all, it is almost impossible to run a business without the use of anything sharp. If that were the case, you can kiss office desks and butcher knives goodbye! As long as these features do not harm your business in any way, there should not be any reason to panic. The best form of defence against Sha Qi, believe it or not, is indeed common sense.
Joey Yap is chief consultant of the Joey Yap Consulting Group and founder of Mastery Academy Of Chinese Metaphysics. Joey Yap Pte Ltd can be reached via its Singapore regional manager Ng Khai Yeing at khaiyeing@joeyyap.com.
This article appeared in The Edge Property pullout, Issue 741 (Aug 15, 2016) of The Edge Singapore.