Business Feng Shui: Retail and F&B Business

What is business Feng Shui about?

Feng Shui is a powerful tool for encouraging positive energies in one environment. However, it is common in Singapore to associate this ancient practice directly with residential Feng Shui.

Commercial Feng Shui is nothing new. Some business owners have engaged in Feng Shui consultation to boost their business. Commercial Feng Shui is the study, understanding and implementation of Feng Shui concepts in a business environment, usually to promote business prosperity, harmonious work environments or business growth in general.

Feng shui business principles may slightly differ from that of residential Feng Shui in some areas but fundamentally, they are similar. In this article, we would like to discuss key areas of Feng Shui Strategies for Business Success in the Retail and F&B sector. You may read more about Feng Shui for small business here.

How Feng Shui can affect a Retail & F&B Business?

Chinese metaphysics, Feng Shui in particular, is embedded in the Chinese culture due to its origins. By encouraging a good flow of energy, Feng Shui seeks to optimise the balance of energy within a business space. Ultimately, Feng Shui business principles are directly aligned to business goals.

In a Retail / F&B business space, the primary goals are always to increase traffic, boost sales, and obviously translate to profits. For business and entrepreneurship-minded owners, it is relatively intuitive that a successful business requires many factors. Detailed planning of business building, good decisions (perhaps selecting the right business space), and having a fabulous product or service are the key elements for a successful business. However, one cannot deny that there is always an element of "luck" in things we do, including businesses. (You may refer to the this article which mentioned on the concept of Cosmic Trinity)

Feng Shui strategies for business success may give you a light push in the right direction.

A blogger stumbled upon a "hidden gem" like your business? Did you accidentally refine your recipe, or is a construction re-route bringing higher traffic to your shop? These events usually had to do with luck but were supported by hard work, diligence, and good foresight.

Feng Shui Strategies for Business Success - 3 Areas to take note

In a Feng Shui consultation of a business, especially for the retail sector, there are certain areas that one might take note of. We have broken it down into three categories.

1. Owners' Bazi and Business Nature

Birth charts provide clues to indicate if business is something suitable for you. Some Bazi Birth Charts may indicate that the route of business and entrepreneurship may be turbulent, while others are incredibly smooth sailing. The nature of business is also something that one should consider. Having an education business is an extremely "wood element" venture, while being employed as a chef is a "fire element" career. Depending on what element favours you, you may either face persistent resistance and obstacles or find yourself a little smooth sailing, blessed with luck occasionally. For more information about your self-element, you may refer to here.

More often than not, knowing one's bazi may offer clues for businesses that suit a person. Function and industry may take up different elements. As a business owner, you may be in charge of the sales aspect of your furniture company. The function of sales is inclined to a water element, while the nature of your business is primarily wood. Based on your element, you may favor one and do not require the other.  

A Bazi Consultation will likely offer you clues on what is favourable and what is not. However, do not let that dishearten your drive from being successful. Chinese Metaphysics doesn’t offer us a way to amend Bazi but offers Feng Shui as something that can improve one's luck.

2. Business Essentials - Name, Date, and perhaps Business Cards

Business Name: A name of a business may be more important than initially thought. For aspiring business owners or entrepreneur, selection a business name is akin to having an auspicious name for a child. Significant consideration should always be given to a business name and having a suitable name, especially one that fits the business partners' Bazi, will be critical.

Date: 开门大吉! That is probably one of the most straightforward connections between Business Feng Shui and auspicious date selection. For most retail businesses, this would be something that you may resonate with. Starting a business on an auspicious note will undoubtedly uplift your business's general luck.

Company identity: Business cards, business logo, corporate colour scheme may all impact a business. Do you know:

1) Does the logo, name, and address/email placement within a business card have a specific embedded meaning?

2) Having the right colour and shape within a logo may work for or against you?

3) A favourable colour scheme may compliment the business?

Some of these concepts goes beyond Feng Shui. Design of business cards do consider attention grabbing techniques. Logo design involves creativity and its ability for consumers to remember and colour scheme of your company could involve color psychology.

At Moon Feng Shui, we offer Business Name Selection Services, Auspicious Date selection for either incorporation, renovation or opening ceremony. We also provide service in business card design.

3. Feng Shui of the Premises

Business Feng Shui's key focus will be this - the premise. For retail and F&B business, it will likely be the shop front or the eatery space. There are numerous things to take note when it comes to Feng Shui of a retail premise. We had split them into 2 key areas. External environment, Layout and space arrangement.

External environment

External environment of a premise is very much determined by how and where your retail space is. If you are within a shopping mall, you may think that there is little chance for "external" environment. However, elevators, escalators, fire exits, restroom are some external facings that may raise a cause of concern. If your business premises has an outward facing front, then that will also be considered.

Internal Layout and space arrangement

Having an ideal direction is one of the "game changers" from the Feng Shui perspective. Different retail spaces offer very different favourable directions. Some may offer 1, others 2, some 4, and there may be cases where there is none. Each premise is different for each business owner. So, the same place may offer splendid luck to one but not be that great for the other. Favorable directions provide the opportunity for auspicious energy to congregate. From Feng Shui's perspective, it is always good to tap into these auspicious sectors by activating them with suitable items (whether it is a desk fountain, lucky bamboo plant, or wealth bowl, it will depend on further analysis).

For existing business owners, changing a retail front is obviously not the most plausible thing to do. The next best alternative would be to improve your retail space layout. Desk placement, cashier placement or dining area may be optimised. For retail, there are 2 key points to take note:

1) Cashier placement + Direction

2) Product placement (Product) or Service Desk placement (Service Business)

For F&B, there are a little more:

1) Cashier placement + Direction

2) Dining area (Assuming there is a dine-in option) or Take-away counter

3) Kitchen

These are important areas for a business that can have positive influence on a business. A cashier is a direct symbol of money and wealth collection, product placement or service desk placement is where your customers attention is and

the kitchen is where you produce your dishes.

Special Mention: How Period 9 Feng Shui can Aid Businesses

If you come across Period 9 Feng Shui, you would be aware that this is a 20-year cycle of the fire element. Period 8 begins from 2004 to 2023 while period 9 Feng Shui starts from 2024 and will last to 2043.

Period 8 is primarily a period of earth element, and that is the primary reason why real estate’s business had benefit thousands of people. In period 9, a shift from the earth element to the fire element is observed. Industries such as IT & social media, F&B and Beauty & Healthcare related industries may benefit from period 9's fire presence. With fire-producing earth, earth-based industries are also likely to thrive.

The general trend for this period tends to be fast-changing, technology-heavy, and innovation-centric.

Feng Shui and Business Goals

Having a Feng Shui consultation is an amazing practice to consider but should never be the only consideration in business building. Business owners looking to give your business a slight push or a boost may seek a Feng Shui consultation from a reputable Feng Shui Master.

At Moon Feng Shui, we specialise in Business Feng Shui, offering solutions to different business. This may range from retail, office environment, warehouse or even home office spaces. Secure your consultation with us now!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional Feng Shui advice. Feng Shui practices and interpretations can vary, and their effectiveness may differ based on individual circumstances and specific locations. For personalized guidance, it is strongly recommended to consult with a qualified Feng Shui Master or professional consultant who can assess your unique situation. The author and company are not responsible for any outcomes resulting from the application of Feng Shui principles described in this article. Always use caution and discretion when implementing any Feng Shui methods.