Feng Shui Expert Kathryn Weber Says American Businesses that Use Feng Shui Stand to Gain More Money by Appealing to …

Austin, TX (PRWEB) September 09, 2014

Its often called superstition, but Western businesses are starting to see a rising influence of Asian principles like the practice of feng shui become commonplace. The feng shui of a residence or business can often make or break the deal for Asian clientele. The conservatives might balk, but world-savvy businesses might find that incorporating the ancient art of feng shui makes good financial sense.

Theres no doubt about Chinas financial clout in todays economy and that their influence is expected to rise. As we move into a more global economy, there is an increasing need to rise to meet the unique design and conceptual challenges posed by Asian design traditions. Chinese firms are making starts on large commercial and residential developments, and a recent article in the Wall Street Journal points out the rise in Chinese home builders. These firms are not only building, they're including feng shui principles, like avoiding having a sink and stove opposite one another, a very common arrangement in Western kitchens but considered taboo in feng shui. These new developments are going up on both East and West Coasts and are designed for Chinese consumers in America.

Travel has also noticed the rising Chinese tourism, with more than a 53% growth in Chinese travel from 2009 to 2010. Hotels like Fairmont and Hilton are adding congee, a rice porridge, to morning buffets, and businesses are increasingly adding Mandarin-speaking staff. Thats because when the Chinese vacation, they come looking to spend. According to the US Commerce department, Chinese visitors average $7,100 per visit, more than doubling that of other overseas visitors who average about $3,240. An estimated 1.8 million Chinese tourists visited the US in 2013, and that number is expected to grow to 2.1 million in 2014. According to a new report, the number of Chinese visitors coming to the United States will more than triple by 2020.

Business has learned that accommodating Asian aesthetics is also financially smart. The Las Vegas MGM Grand was originally designed to have patrons enter an open lions mouth, but changed the entrance when visitors complained it was bad luck to enter the mouth of a vicious animal. The new entrance, redesigned in 1998, and now features a stately lion in repose at the front of the casino, is considered to be more auspicious and luckier for gambling. This redesign significantly changed MGMs bottom line in gambling dollars.

More than just making sense, feng shui makes money. In Asia, businesses rarely begin construction on new projects without consulting a feng shui master. The feng shui master looks at the surroundings, calculates the degree of an entrance or reads the symbolism of the concepts incorporated in the buildings design. Another sign of the Chinese influence? The issuance of EB-5 visas to foreigners that enables them to invest $500,000 as a way of gaining a temporary visa. In all, over 6,800 were issued to Chinese nationals, widely overtaking all other countries. The next closest country was South Korea with 364 visas issued.

What is clear is that taking feng shui principles and guidelines into account makes good business sense, and why its a good idea that businesses look for ways to incorporate feng shui principles like those practiced in Asia. Creating an appealing environment that makes both businesses and consumers comfortable will give businesses that extra edge in competing for Asian and Chinese dollars, but shouldnt overlook feng shuis appeal to Westerners too. To help would-be feng shui consultants understand these principles, Feng Shui expert, Kathryn Weber, and publisher of the Red Lotus Letter feng shui e-zine, will be offering a Feng Shui Master Consultant certification course in traditional Chinese feng shui this November 12-16, 2014 at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada.

Participants will learn important principles and guidelines of traditional Chinese feng shui versus the Westernized feng shui that is more aimed at following esoteric practices and has a highly spiritual quality about it that appeals more to Westerners. Traditional Chinese feng shui looks at time and uses ancient formulas and a specialized compass called a luo pan. All attendees will be exposed and trained in the fundamentals of feng shui as it applies to various types of residences and businesses.

Learning how to interpret feng shui principles will create appealing environments more suited for Asian clientele. Weber explains that she frequently speaks to businesses and architects looking for feng shui consultants who are classically trained and who can bridge the gap between East and West, and who take a Chinese approach to feng shui. Plus, according to Weber, consultants trained in this method can command higher fees for this knowledge and skill and are highly marketable as business advisers.

Aspiring feng shui consultants will want to know

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Feng Shui Expert Kathryn Weber Says American Businesses that Use Feng Shui Stand to Gain More Money by Appealing to ...