Why the location of your business matters
I recently got a message from a client asking me to help her choose the best location for her business. She sent me two options and asked me to analyze the locations using Feng Shui principles.
This took me back to when I was 15 and my family had moved from England to the beautiful island of Cyprus. After vacationing there for years, my family decided to take a break from the rain in England and spend a few years in the sun. Moving country is tough, essentially you are starting from scratch and having to learn a whole new language makes the process even harder!
While living there, my parents decided to open a small Indian restaurant and build a business. I remember going out with my dad and looking at potential locations, driving all over the city to find the place they would start there business in. Turns out, you either had to pay thousands of pounds for a great location or you paid less and just tried to make it work. My dad chose to pay less and started the business anyway.
Now i do believe that you have to be passionate about your business before you start, the energy has to be aligned and you have to build your belief about success before you take the action but, the location that you choose for your business is key in helping with that success.
This story is really when i started to believe that location really does matter. The space he chose was small, there was no parking, there was not enough space on the building to place a logo or sign and it was a one way street. The only good thing was it was by water and water equals flow. So even though it wasn’t a huge success we did have little moments of it and a we made a whole lot of happy memories.
A picture of the restaurant as it stands now.
The businesses that were our neighbors, current day.
I now understand that the location of your business really matters.
Feng Shui tips for choosing a business location.
Look at the businesses that neighbor the buildings you see. Are they thriving? Do they look busy? If you can, take a few minutes to talk to the business owners and ask them how business is. Listen for complaints and ask them what they would change if they have any.
Avoid locations that are near cemeteries, hospitals or power plants. The energy that surround these places is not the lively energy you need for a successful business.
Ask whoever is showing you the building the history of the last business. How long were they there? Why did they leave? If the reason for leaving was because they are moving to a bigger location to expand, that is good. If they went out of business, that would be a reason to not take the space.
Check the accessibility of the building. Depending on what type of business you have, you may need customer parking. Is it easy to find parking or will potential customers get frustrated and leave if they can’t park easily?
Go to the potential location many times and different times of the day so that you can see how busy the area gets and what times are high traffic.
This coffee shop is bright and inviting. Be mindful of the colors you choose for your brand.
Locations to avoid
If the building you look at is surrounded by high rises and tall buildings, avoid them. This will stunt the growth of your business and will stop the yang energy you need from reaching you.
If the location is under a bridge, then money will miss you business and flow over.
Avoid dead ends, especially if the location is at the end of a dead end.
Avoid T junctions and locations at an intersection. The Chi flow to you will be to fast moving and not in a good way.
If the building is dark and has a lack of natural light it won’t be the thriving success you dream of.
Avoid location on top of a hill as hills are not properly supported.
Auspicious locations
The most obvious sign of an auspicious location will always be the initial energy you feel from building. When you see it you should feel lit up and excited and ready to get started. If you have doubts or feel uneasy, go with that. Always trust your gut.
When looking for a sign of an auspicious area for your business, the biggest clue will come from the surrounding businesses. Look for locations where you know long standing and successful businesses already stand.
If you choose a location near a body of water that can be see clearly, water equals flow and a steady stream of income, consider it as an option.
The shape of the building matters. Square or rectangles are considered stable and grounding and circular buildings are great for creative business.
If you need help with the location of your business, I am here to help! You can book a career and business consultation with me and i can help guide you through the process.
