I had sciatica and back pain for years after I became a teacher of Alexander Technique.

Turns out, it was how I was using my Self, but until I met Marj, no-one knew to point that out to me. One day this huge hand appeared from space, repeatedly whacking me psychically on the chest, as I heard words that echoed through the days and years that followed:

"What are you doing that for!?"

On September 26th, 2012 I decided to start blogging.

I didn't decide then to do it every day, but in my enthusiasm to communicate, that's what happened.

It took up time, a lot of time, but I loved doing it. I also realized, that I was carrying around in my mind a vast amount of information that was unique: how to power a business that was solely based on Alexander's Discovery. That's what I have been doing all my life: figuring out a business model for Alexander Technique teaching.

Before I die, I wonder how long my automated email system will be?

5 years? More?

At the moment some of them are about a year long. And they keep growing. For our Prolist (people interested in teacher education) I am now writing a new email each week, adding to it's already considerable length. It is like a slow drip Chinese torture, and my guess is that 70% or more of them are just spammed out, but there is a devoted 20% who open and read them: that is the person I am writing to.

The single most important thing you can do for your Alexander Technique teaching business is build a list. It will become the primary asset of your business.

A list?

Yes, of names of people who have visited your website, met you at an event, attended an introduction or have in anyway, anywhere interacted with you. If you do nothing else but focus on this as a business strategy, eventually you will succeed.

Your Task – How To Build Your List

Just start with that simple decision: I will build a list.

I heard recently that for the first time, a new generation of teenagers emerging in the States are not rushing out to get a driver's license. When all your friends can be texted, videoed or walkie talked from your bedroom, who needs a license to drive a car?

So Daryl Joyce, an Alexander Technique teacher from the UK who once visited BodyChance in Tokyo, has decided to join as a Lite Member of ATCS to focus on increasing his online presence. Smart move.

Last month I was lucky enough to attend a final performance of Carlos Acosta at the Coliseum in London. He was accompanied by many of the principal dancers of the Royal Ballet, but even at 40 he cast them into the shadow of his greatness.

As a student of Alexander's Discoveries for longer than this man has been on the planet, I took it upon myself to analyse what made his movement so superb. What differentiated him from the other dancers, themselves at the pinnacle of their profession?

The answer surprised me.

Carlos Acosta stopped being Carlos Acosta.

I just pitched for a new book in Japan, which will not mention Alexander Technique on the cover, and will instead be "60 Exercises To Improve Your Life".

The idea came from two cheerful lady Editors who love the work, but need to convince their company bosses back in their 24 story building to back a book about it. Their marketing department is telling them that people want to buy "How To" books, so they came to BodyChance's Meguro studio determined to find a successful formula for a new book. This is a powerful, national publisher of considerable market strength.

Cool and trendy people in Tokyo read Cocoro, or at least the younger ones do.

A few years back they sent a curious journalist along to BodyChance to catch the word on Alexander Technique. My introductory group – that my journalistic visitor witnessed - turned out to be especially varied: a dancer exploring a leg lift, a shopkeeper concerned about his cash register manner, a salaryman fearful of his boss and a yoga exercise on the floor; among many others over the course of 90 minutes.

Missy Vineyard, in a open post on Facebook's AT Global Group, threw in a focused point about the tablework "is it therapy?" question that I raised yesterday. Let me quote:

I am not a guy in a coffee shop going "Blah, blah, blah" about things he doesn't really know about, because a few people are willing to listen.

This business with a few rouge teachers in AmSAT – who BTW are doing AmSAT no favours – has got me thinking about BodyChance's service: how radical it must appear to some people who have yet to read my two position papers from the International Congress in Oxford (2004) and Lugano (2008) which are available here as a free download.