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Meet Jen Stone of Feng Shui by Jen® in Scottsdale

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Stone.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. 
The story of my feng shui journey is a bit of a cliche really. It all started when a dear friend gifted me a book on feng shui. This gesture triggered memories of growing up in Hong Kong and remembering how feng shui was incorporated seamlessly into the Chinese culture and everyday life. My curiosity drew me to want to learn more about it.

After spending more than 12 years in the corporate grind, I grew restless and craved more meaning and passion in my work and in my life. So, I took a leap of faith and transitioned from the corporate world to entrepreneurship full time and founded Feng Shui by Jen®, a Classical Feng Shui consultancy firm.

But my path was not a smooth one as I discovered that traditional Chinese Feng Shui (not Black Hat Feng Shui or westernized American Feng Shui) was not easily accessible in the U.S. and it took years of painstaking and frustrating trials and errors before I found the right teacher and training program. Life came back in full circle when this led me back to my birth country where I met world-renowned Feng Shui Grand Master Raymond Lo in Hong Kong.

After completing Grand Master Lo’s training courses, I suppose he saw my potential and invited me to be his apprentice to train and learn from him. This mentorship opportunity was an honor because it was rarely offered.

And so, over a period of three years, I worked alongside with him, traveled around the world to places like Dubai, Istanbul, London, Singapore, and Tokyo, and assisted in his classes to gain precious hands-on training experience that otherwise would not be easily attainable through books or in traditional classroom settings.

I literally lived and breathed my work as it weaved into every part of my life. I studied and practiced tirelessly, incessantly, and diligently. All the while, I worked on unique client projects, taught workshops and classes, and wrote many articles. In 2014, I published my debut book, The First Guidebook for Feng Shui Enthusiasts, to address the void in which the American public lacked in truly appreciating traditional feng shui. It was an exciting and whirlwind time of absorbing and sharing knowledge at full speed.

Then in 2016, my hard work and contribution to Classical Feng Shui was recognized when I was awarded the title of “Accredited Feng Shui Master” by the prestigious International Feng Shui Association (IFSA). This honor was conferred to me with the collective support of Grand Masters Raymond Lo, Dr. Stephen Skinner, Vincent Koh, and Tan Khoon Yong. To date, this is the first—and only—time the title was bestowed to a recipient in North America.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you? 
Not at all! I think the road to entrepreneurship—no matter what you do—has its own inherent sets of challenges, let alone practicing Chinese feng shui in America. Based on my own experience and what I see as a trend in the industry, I think there are three additional factors that have made these struggles very real.

Firstly, the lack of a good Chinese feng shui school available in the U.S. is a prevalent challenge especially if you want to learn Classical feng shui and then practice it as a legitimate business. Next, the lack of professional regulation is another real struggle.

In fact, it is not uncommon to encounter a so-called practitioner or self-proclaimed “master” who has only taken a 2-day course. There are no real professional accountabilities when it comes to governing the practicing of feng shui. Because of this, the public is easily misguided and deceived by less experienced or ill-trained practitioners, making my efforts to promote Chinese feng shui even harder.

The general public is not equipped to understand that while the feng shui profession does not technically require special licensing provisions and oversight by a governing body like a medical doctor, Classical feng shui is indeed a highly disciplined and rigorous profession that requires years of training and practical experience.

I have to continuously help educate the public that not all feng shui practitioners are created equally so as to avoid being misled by false and dubious teachings or cheated by unqualified individuals. Finally, the chasm between Classical and Western feng shui is the root of all hardships. Because the public’s understanding of feng shui in the U.S. is predominantly saturated by the Americanized version of feng shui, which is a much more diluted approach to traditional Chinese feng shui, there are so many fallacies that hinder many people from enjoying and benefiting from authentic feng shui.

Though this is not a common struggle that my colleagues face in Asia, this is at the forefront of what makes my work so much harder! And still continues today. As frustrating as it was for me, I am glad I experienced these difficulties first-hand because I can commiserate and empathize with those I work with or teach because they are also going through the same struggles. Thankfully my journey had not been as costly or financially burdensome as compared to others.

We’d love to hear more about your business. 
Although Feng Shui by Jen® is based in Scottsdale, my work presence and clients are located in other parts of the world including Asia, Europe, and South America. Here is a summary of my services:

• Classical Feng Shui consultations for individuals (homes) and business owners (commercial). The range of my work varies in size and complexity. I work with people who already live or work in existing structures to those interested in renovating their spaces, scouting new land or properties, and new construction. For commercial spaces, I have worked on simple projects such as 1,200-sq. Ft. existing office spaces (like an acupuncture office or yoga studio) to a 30-acre land new construction for an exclusive hospitality resort.

• BaZi Destiny Reading is a form of Chinese Astrology. This is typically done in tandem with all feng shui consultations, or it can be done alone for those who are only interested in learning about their birth charts. I work with individuals looking for guidance on health, career, or relationship, and I also work with business owners and investors who are interested in incorporating BaZi in their business strategy, for new hires, timing of product launches, logo designs, and joint ventures.

• Auspicious Date Selection is offered to those interested in planning for important life events such as searching for “good luck” dates for major surgeries, weddings, launching business products, move-in, contract-signing, etc.

Although a big chunk of my work is in consulting, I also teach formal training programs to students who want to learn Classical Feng Shui, BaZi (Four Pillars of Destiny), and I Ching Divination. This started in 2014 when Grand Master Raymond Lo selected me to be his U.S.A. representative and the only authorized instructor for his school, the Raymond Lo School of Feng Shui & Destiny. So far, I have helped train over 200 students from the U.S. as well as students who have traveled from places like Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dubai, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.

Feng Shui by Jen® also produces and publishes a Feng Shui magazine called “Feng Shui Journal,” which aims to highlight and feature many of our industry professionals with special topics on Feng Shui, Qi Men Dun Jia, BaZi, Chinese Medicine, and many others. This is released triannually.

Finally, as I mentioned earlier, my book serves as the bedrock that shapes my work, in consulting and in training. Because of my own struggles, the genesis of the book stemmed from needing to clear a lot of misconceptions and debunk common western myths, to offer Americans—or anyone—a fresh start to feng shui.

Most importantly, to incite the reader’s curiosity and enhance his or her appreciation of why this ancient knowledge is valuable, relevant, and powerful to incorporate into everyday life. That’s what I am known for. As a result, I do a lot of public speaking and offer ongoing workshops to help as many people as I can, and make Classical Feng Shui as accessible in the west so that the road for others can be smoother.

In 2018, I founded a 501(c) nonprofit organization, the International Feng Shui Association – IFSA USA Chapter. The purpose of the establishment of the US Chapter was an effort to promote, elevate, and revive authentic Classical Chinese Feng Shui in the West to guide and support practitioners and students through education, training, professional memberships, and networking.

Do you feel luck has played a role in your life? 
In my line of work, I believe that luck plays a major role in life and in business. It’s natural to experience highs and lows, successes and missteps, triumphs and hardships. I am certainly not immune to any of it—and have had my fair share of feeling frustrated and discouraged. However, the substance of good or bad luck, I believe, depends on our ability to make authentic and honest choices all the time. When bad luck creates roadblocks and disappointments, I viewed it as a test to see how much my heart was really in it, how strong my conviction was especially when the road got messy, and how far I was willing to navigate through the changes in order to make a difference in the world. It makes the rocky road well worth the effort.

No doubt, I have been blessed with many good fortunes. Grand Master Raymond Lo coming into my life boosted my chances to succeed in this industry. The recognition I received from IFSA and my peers have certainly elevated my position. Also, happiness in my personal life—marrying my soul mate—manifests as enthusiasm and courage in my work because I always have a full tank to face the road ahead. And his unconditional love and support keep me honest and grounded. Yet, regardless of good or bad luck, it takes a lot of genuine hard work, persistence, confidence, and faith.

Above all, it is in aligning myself with like-minded people and asking for help. In the midst of it all, it is a true testament to keeping a mind and operating a business practice untrammeled by bad luck, hardships, false teachings, or public opinion. In a nutshell, I think when you couple luck with some good old fashion hard work and our human capacity to learn and evolve, all play an intricate part in helping us succeed in business and in life.

Pricing:

  • Classical Feng Shui Consultation (Residential) – $800 to $2,500 depending on size and complexity
  • Classical Feng Shui Consultation (Commercial) – varies on project size
  • BaZi Destiny Reading – $180 (one hour)
  • Auspicious Date Selection – fees range from $0 (included in Feng Shui & BaZi consultations) to $100
  •  Formal Training Courses on Feng Shui, BaZi, and I Ching – $1,500 to $2,200 depending on location

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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