Turning the Wheel of Fortune: What the Singapore Flyer Teaches Us About Business Revitalization
The Singapore Flyer, once the world's largest ferris wheel, stands at an impressive 541 feet tall as it gracefully rotates in the air. Guests get a full observation of the downtown Singaporean skyline. You might recall seeing it from its appearance in the movie ‘Crazy Rich Asians’. However, after a few months from it’s launch rotation in 2008, something was amiss.
According to Feng Shui experts, the wheel's rotation was directing positive energy straight into the ocean due to its directional flow. In response, the wheel's owner made a decisive move to change the rotation counter-clockwise, channeling the positive and prosperous energy inland, away from the sea and keeping it inwards. Now you might say, “okay, and. . .”. Let me remind you, that the ferris wheel has one job, rotate in one direction, making guests happy and the business prosperous. Imagine, someone coming to you and saying, you need to have the largest wheel in the whole wide world turn the opposite way because the vibes are off. It’s a big damn deal. Remarkably, this transformation took less than a couple of months to make possible.
Consider this: If a team can successfully alter the rotation of an entire ferris wheel to harness the right energy for its future self, envision the possibilities for infusing new life into how you approach and promote your business. The power of revitalization and rejuvenation lies within your hands. You hold the power. You always did and still do.
You might wonder, is this superstitious? Perhaps. But as Maya Angelou once wisely said, 'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.' It holds true with the harnessing the right energy - if a practice works for you, it's because it resonates with your feelings. Those feelings helped your next moves. The feeling of energy is something we all pick up on; it's tangible. Whether someone infuses a meeting with the tumultuous energy of chaos or radiates happiness, or conversely, drains the room, we are keenly aware of the differences. We all leave a meeting with a distinct feeling.
Since then, the ferris wheel has experienced a resurgence of use, highlighting cool marketing activations with branded-themed capsules, shopping experience collaborations, and now a unique full-on dining experience. It proves that having an open and good attitude towards a revitalized understanding of a business’s purpose through continuous evolution is golden. It's about channeling the energy needed to adapt to evolving audience expectations and times. Always setting your sights on your '“right” horizon regardless of the view.