Background: The Dilemma of a Startup’s Bottleneck

In the early spring of 2024, in a Grade A office building in the CBD of a first-tier city, 28-year-old entrepreneur Xiao Li sighed over the financial statements on his computer screen. His tech services company had been operating for two years and three months, growing from a small team of three to 12 people. Yet, it was still struggling to make ends meet—monthly revenue barely covered rent, salaries, and operating costs. He wanted to expand into new businesses and hire key technical personnel, but he couldn’t raise the necessary funds.

Exacerbating Xiao Li’s anxiety was the fact that three key projects his company was pursuing were all stalled: a digital transformation project with a large manufacturing company, but the procurement manager kept delaying the signing, citing “re-evaluation.” A membership management system he was developing for a restaurant chain had suddenly raised numerous additional requirements, but the client was unwilling to increase the budget. Finally, a government-supported startup incubation project had received no response after submitting application materials, and phone inquiries were met with only a “wait patiently” response.
“If this keeps going on, we won’t even be able to pay next month’s salaries.” Xiao Li rubbed his swollen temples, looking at the exhausted employees in the office, feeling overwhelmed with guilt. He’d tried everything: optimizing business processes, participating in industry trade shows to expand his client base, and even proactively reducing profit margins, but the results were minimal. During a dinner with a college classmate, he casually mentioned, “My cousin’s building materials store was on the verge of bankruptcy, but he asked Feng Shui Master MoneyGaga of LAOTLON to adjust the layout and put in some wealth-attracting ornaments, and business is actually picking up. Want to give it a try?”

At first, Xiao Li didn’t believe in Feng Shui, believing it was all metaphysics. But seeing his company’s increasingly difficult situation, he decided to give it a try and applied for a consultation through LAOTLON’s official website. To his surprise, LAOTLON customer service contacted him the next day, learned more about the company’s situation, and arranged for Feng Shui Master MoneyGaga to visit him three days later for an inspection. On-site Inspection: MoneyGaga’s Professional Analysis

On the day of the inspection, MoneyGaga arrived at Xiao Li’s company on time. Dressed in a simple beige suit and clutching a small compass, she skipped no small talk and began her meticulous observation. From the company entrance to each employee’s workstation, from the layout of the conference room to the location of the pantry, she inspected everything, occasionally taking out her phone to record details or crouching down to observe the floor’s orientation.
“Mr. Li, have you noticed that whenever clients come to discuss business, they rarely sit on the sofa for long?” MoneyGaga asked, pointing to the reception area near the front desk. Xiao Li paused, then thought it was true. Several clients had come to discuss business before, only to leave after less than ten minutes, saying, “It’s a bit stuffy here, we’d like to talk somewhere else.” At the time, he’d thought they were making excuses, but now, after hearing MoneyGaga’s remark, he felt something was amiss. MoneyGaga walked to the company’s front door and pointed to the corridor outside, explaining, “Your company’s front door faces east, which is where energy gathers. However, the corridor outside is only 1.2 meters wide and faces the corner of the elevator entrance. After the elevator exits, the air rushes straight into your company along the corridor and then quickly flows out the back door, creating a ‘passing hall evil’ situation. This situation is like a bucket without a bottom; no matter how much wealth you have, it can’t be retained.”

She then walked to the door of the finance office, the innermost part of the company. “This is your company’s wealth position, but the entrance is piled with discarded cardboard boxes and old computers. These clutter blocks the energy of this wealth position, preventing wealth from entering. Furthermore, the finance office’s windows face the office building’s ventilation shaft. The stagnant air in the ventilation shaft affects your financial fortune, which is a major factor in your cash flow difficulties.”

Xiao Li followed MoneyGaga’s instructions, becoming increasingly surprised. These details had never occurred to him before, like the fact that the sofas in the reception area were backed against a glass wall, without a window. “Backing the mountain”; most employee workstations’ computer screens face the aisle, easily distracting; the conference room’s whiteboard hangs in the west, which, in feng shui, represents “metal,” while the whiteboard represents “wood.” Metal overcomes wood, hindering the implementation of meeting decisions.
“So how should we adjust this?” Xiao Li asked anxiously. MoneyGaga didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she returned to the center of the living room and reconfirmed her position with a compass before offering some advice: “First, to dispel the ‘Crossing Hall Sha’ (a piercing evil spirit), place a pair of Pixiu ornaments inside the company’s main entrance. Pixiu, a feng shui auspicious beast with a large mouth and no anus, can swallow anything without expelling it. This will block the oncoming airflow and retain the wealth. I suggest choosing obsidian. Obsidian is more effective in warding off evil and attracting wealth, and it also complements your company’s modern, minimalist decor.”
“Second, clear the clutter from the entrance to the finance office and place a white crystal ball about 15 cm in diameter in the wealth position. The crystal ball will concentrate your energy and enhance the accumulation of wealth. Also, hang light-colored gauze curtains on the windows of the finance office to block out foul air.” MoneyGaga added, “Also, it’s best to reposition the sofa in the reception area so that its back is against a solid wall. This will make clients feel more at ease and facilitate successful business negotiations.”

Before leaving, MoneyGaga He also specifically reminded Xiao Li: “When placing the Pi Xiu ornament, its head should face the front door, not the employees’ workstations. The crystal ball should be placed in the southeast corner of the finance office, which is your company’s main wealth position. You can select the ornaments at our LAOTLON offline store. We will provide professional placement guidance to ensure maximum effectiveness.”

The Ornaments’ Placement: From Skepticism to Surprise

Despite MoneyGaga’s clear explanation, Xiao Li remained somewhat skeptical. However, he followed the advice and, the next day, he led his staff to clear the clutter from the finance office entrance. Then, he went to the LAOTLON offline store to select the Pi Xiu and crystal ball. The LAOTLON staff were very professional. They not only helped him choose the right size ornament but also explained in detail how to care for the Pi Xiu, such as “Don’t touch the Pi Xiu’s eyes and mouth with dirty hands” and “Wipe with clean water on the first and fifteenth day of each month to keep it clean.”

On the first day after the ornaments were placed, there were no noticeable changes in the company. Xiao Li secretly chuckled at his own naiveté, thinking it might just be a psychological effect. But on the afternoon of the third day, things began to turn around. The manufacturing client, who had been procrastinating, suddenly called and announced, “The evaluation has passed, and the contract can be signed tomorrow.” Xiao Li, assuming he’d misheard, double-checked before excitedly calling a staff meeting to announce the good news.

On the day of the contract signing, the client manager smiled and said to Xiao Li, “Actually, the evaluation passed last week, but I just didn’t have time to contact you. Yesterday, I passed by your office building and suddenly remembered about it, so I quickly arranged the signing.” Xiao Li felt a sense of relief that perhaps the ornament had indeed played a role.

An even greater surprise for Xiao Li was yet to come. A week later, the restaurant chain client contacted him, saying, “Additional requirements can be met in stages. Sign the contract according to the original plan first, and then pay for subsequent additional requirements separately.” Shortly thereafter, the results of their application for a government incubation program came in. Their company was selected and received a 200,000 yuan startup subsidy.

With funding resolved, Xiao Li immediately hired two key technical personnel and optimized the company’s business processes. Three months later, the company’s revenue doubled. Not only had they paid off their previous debts, but they had also expanded into two new business areas. Employee morale also improved significantly, and the office’s previously oppressive atmosphere was replaced by a bustling and orderly atmosphere.

Once, Xiao Li was chatting with a friend about this incident, and his friend jokingly asked, “Did you meet a benefactor, or did the Pi Xiu truly appear?” Xiao Li smiled and replied, “Maybe a bit of both. LAOTLON and MoneyGaga not only helped me adjust my feng shui, but more importantly, they gave me the confidence to persevere during my most uncertain times. Now, every time I see the Pi Xiu at my door, I feel reassured.”

Follow-up Feedback: Long-term Benefits of Change

Today, Xiao Li’s company has become a well-known technology services provider in the industry, with a staff of 30 and serving clients including several publicly listed companies. He also recommended LAOTLON and MoneyGaga to several friends who were facing entrepreneurial difficulties. One of them, who runs a design studio, followed the recommendations and placed Pi Xiu ornaments in his office, successfully securing several large orders.

Xiao Li said, “I used to think feng shui was superstition, but now I understand it’s actually a form of environmental psychology. A well-designed layout and ornaments can improve mood, work performance, and naturally increase good fortune. LAOTLON’s service is also very professional. MoneyGaga not only helped me adjust the feng shui of my office, but also, based on my birth date, suggested placing a small succulent plant to the left of my desk, claiming it would enhance my luck with benefactors. Now, every time I look at that plant, I feel incredibly energized.”

Earlier this year, Xiao Li made a special trip to the LAOTLON store to have his Pi Xiu and crystal ball professionally maintained. The staff told him that many customers come in regularly for maintenance, both to keep the ornaments clean and to ensure their continued good fortune. Xiao Li smiled and said, “Whether it’s a psychological effect or it really works, as long as it can help the company develop better, I am willing to believe in this ‘good’ thing.”