This is a great video which illustrates Gary’s work.

The boys are my sons Jakob and Johannes. I did camera and helped Gary editing and do the voice over.

Since a couple of months I am taking a Pilates session once a week. Kate Wodash, a client of mine, offered the first sessions for free, because she was so satisfied with my service to her. ‘Why not’ I said to myself, I also was curious, ‘What is Pilates?’. Now I am enjoying it so much. Without her introduction I would have never taken Pilates.

When Misty, a participant of my web 2.0 workshop, started her ‘Tranquility CS’s blog‘ in her opening post she writes: “Each post will provide the latest tips, techniques, and articles to help you relieve the effects of stress including: stress-related headaches, neck, and shoulder pain.”

Reading that I realize most of the trainings like Pilates are focused on people who have pain. I always see myself as healthy and sometimes I have a little pain. I had no idea that all that pain is stress related and that a lot of tension is not yet painful. I have no idea under how much pressure and stress my body is, just because of my normal work day. Sitting at the computer, my mind works hard, my body is not moving. Because I create value and receive value through that work I don’t have the experience of being frozen, but my body is most of the day not moving at all, only my fingers and my eyes.

I am so happy that Kate sold me on Pilates, even I thought I don’t need it. She did know I need it, she could see it in my body. I started most of all because I trusted her.

How do you sell to people who think they don’t need your service or product after you as the expert see they need it? This question sounds already like you have to sell. If you ask Kate, she did not sell at all. For her it is a surprise to have me as a repeating customer and fan who refers new clients.

What Kate did: She never stopped inviting, subtle and playful. If you ask me what kept her going: Her love for people and her passion for her business, that’s what I sense.

This is the first video my son Jakob shot with our new Flip Video camera.

That is customer service. I just wanted to start to explain my wife we have to make one list of movies.

Slideshow by Tara Hunt.

Yesterday evening the TV show ‘Docubloggers’ by KLRU, a local affiliate of PBS aired a great portrait of my wife Dana. This little clip tells part of her story and how she developed our business with me together. Enjoy!

Lumiere Rules: 60 seconds max., Fixed camera, No audio, No zoom, No edit, No effects.

Watch more Lumiere Videos + Music here.

Michael Gerber is the author of ‘The E-Myth‘, one of my favorite business books.

In his newest book ‘Awakening the Entrepreneur Within‘ released this year he describes how a conversation with his mother started a whole new business project:

… So, in 2005, my mother asked me, “So, what’s going on in your life, Michael?”

“I’m feeling lost, Mom,” I said. “I’m sixty-nine years old and I’m feeling like I used to feel when I was a kid. I don’t know who I am anymore, or where I’m going. I feel disconnected from my company and disconnected from myself. I want to do something new but I don’t know what. I feel at a loss, disconnected from the past and the future, and not doing very well in the present, either. I don’t even know how to say it.”

My mother smiled, “Michael, if there’s one thing I know about you, you’re never at a loss for words! Tell me what you would tell me if you did know how to say it.” …

How his mother reacts to his statement is what I call great coaching. She gets not pulled in his story, tries to fix his problem, gives some solutions or advice. First she acknowledges him and than she asks him an open ended question so he can find his next action steps by exploring what is really going on. During their following dialog she completely trusts his genius to find out, what he needs to do.

That is sometimes the biggest challenge for a coach. Stay out of their story and be passionate with your clients. What always helps me is to look out for the genius in them. Often clients hide that very well. But I can wait until a glimpse of it shows up, often as a light in their eyes and than I follow it.

Since beginning of April one of the highlights of my week is the production of the online show Sister Lucille at http://www.mogulus.com/sisterlucille. It is such a pleasure to work with a great performer. This show is an example how you can give a message in an entertaining way. Because we are laughing about her, we open our heart and let the message in. ‘Entertrainment’ with a big infusion of humor.

The show of this week features ‘yours truly’, I learned that phrase a while ago, now I can use it. The German Cowboy talks about Contemplation, my favorite coaching tool, also called a transformer. Another inspiring story tells you how to handle stress. And like always in Sister Lucille’s show you get besides practical guidance your online blessing.

On her show page you find all her shows by clicking on ‘menu’. Then you click on ‘browse on-demand library’ to choose the show you want to see.

Enjoy!