Profile interview Christian Schoyen D2/Dagens Naeringsliv

D2

Scandinavia's leading newspaper D2/Dagens Naeringsliv

Translated from Norwegian

WITH A SPIRIT ALL OF HIS OWN

Norwegian,Christian Schoyen drives a Bentley, has made a Hollywood feature film, and written self-help books. The self-made millionaire works as an expert in human behavior.

TEXT: BIRGER EMANUELSEN

THE ANGELS. On the property in Hollywood Hills, Christian has placed three 800-pound bronze statues of archangel Michael. They are there to remind him of our everyday battle against the dark, negative energies, which we have to win.

“I

want to be remembered as someone who shared love and happiness, someone who made a contribution to the greater good, who did not just live a life for oneself, but also for others.”

-

CHRISTIANSCHOYEN

Headhunterandbehaviorexpert

CHRISTIAN SCHOYEN

BORN: 1966

LIVES: LosAngeles,California

EDUCATION: BBA from Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington

African- American studies at California State University, Northridge, California

PROFESSION: Founded Executive Search Research in 1997 CEO of the company in U.S.A., London, and Oslo.

BOOKS: Secrets of the Executive Search Experts (1999), How to Get a Job: A Handbook for International Job Seekers (1994), Change Your Life - Change the World (2009), The Mystical (2010)

FILMS: Wrote and produced the Hollywood feature docudrama, Living the Dream (2006), and the short film, The Corner Office (2004)

BOYISH. Christian Schoyen has two ties, a red one and a blue one. They have both been purchased in the White House souvenir store, and are both exact replicas of the official presidential ties

“EVERY PERSON IS A UNIQUE DIAMOND”

Christian Schoyen steps on the gas pedal with his leather shoe, and his Bentley Continental accelerates soundlessly along Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California. He passes the luxury stores of Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, and Channel as he talks about basic life values God is inside all of us We have an obligation to give back Love is the ultimate goal for all humans

“Everypersonisaunique diamond.Thatisthe messageIwanttoshare.”

- Christian Schoyen

Pearl white smile. Blond hair lightened by the sun. Tanned. Symmetrical facial structure. Schoyen´s smile is his trademark It radiates towards you from everywhere: from his book covers, on his website www schoyen ai, and from the stage

BRAINWASHED. The 44-year-old started his headhunting firm, Executive Search Research, in Oslo in the late ‘90s, and shortly after the company's inception also opened offices in both Los Angeles and London Now, 20 years later, he has designed his own belief system, authored the self-help books Change Your Life Change the World and The Mystical, and is certified in hypnotherapy. He titles himself as international expert in human behavior and public speaker. Earlier this year he parked his car, then rented a worn older white van, got on the road to journey the country, visiting the most poverty-stricken parts of America with his Awakening Tour " From the stage of such places as Edgar Cayce’s Soul Center in Virginia and Mystical Isle in Los Angeles been proclaiming the uplifting message: “Your where all born to greatness! But, then you where brainwashed and manipulated by society”.

“When you stand up on the stage and see the audience holding their arms around each other and letting go of their emotions, allowing themselves to feel, with tears of joy in their eyes as their hearts are filled with unconditional love for one another, that's when you truly feel what is important in life,” says Schoyen

He states his love for America, and that Americans and Norwegians can learn much from each other In Schoyen's belief system and ideology the message is that people struggle because they have been brainwashed by society. It's not about your physical characteristics or what kind of car that you drive Schoyen believes he has God by his side, to help people live in unconditional love for themselves and others love being the driving currency “This as a tool to regain the inner strength, to also become successful in all parts of life, including the job market,” he says. The belief system" is something I do in my spare time, in addition to my professional work My energies are applied first toward my core business: headhunting But when you have achieved success, you have a responsibility assist those in need. I finally have a solid base, where I am in the position to help others.”

ROLE MODEL. It’s difficult to picture Christian Schoyen as skinny kid with low self-esteem, when growing up “If you don't excel in team sports, it's difficult to be accepted in such a place as my village, Klofta. I was ‘the benchwarmer’ who never got the opportunity to play. Then, when the others laugh at your expense, it becomes bullying. Life becomes challenging. When you have a speaking disorder and are unable to say the letter ‘r,’ an already difficult situation gets even worse And the chain reaction led to me also stuttering,” Christian said. “I felt useless. But children are children. At Christmas of 1977, my transformation started.” A letter from Sweden was received at his home on the farm at Klofta. The letter said that Schoyen had won first prize in a drawing competition arranged by Disney, and his first prize award was a trip to the United States He immediately told his parents, then run downstairs to his grandfather who lived with them. Minutes later,as his grandfather was reading the letter, he had tears of joy running down his face. It was then, for the first time, my grandfather shared his story with me When poverty was at its worst in Norway during the late 1920s, Schoyen's grandfather traveled to Detroit to find work, and save up money for his starving family in Norway. He had ten brothers and sisters.

“My grandparents' generation is exceptional role models Just imagine the spirit and drive they possessed. It was my grandfather's story, which inspired myself to travel out into the world.”

Why did you leave Norway for America?

“In the beginning I wanted to show others what I really was made of ” The others? “Yes, all the ones who believed that I did not measure up ”

SUCCESS STORY. Next to the swimming pool at the glamorous Sky Bar on Sunset Strip, overlooking the city of many broken dreams, you see the panoramic skyline of glimmering city lights. Schoyen sits comfortable on the sofa drinking a Coca Cola He has homes in Manhattan, London, and Los Angeles He also made the Hollywood movie, Living the Dream, with the Norwegian star Kristian Valen playing a gigolo. You did not choose the golden middle way [an ordinary life]?

“No, I have not. But, I do believe that I have grown and evolved considerable due to my work with my belief system One example is that I would probability not have purchased this car,” he says about the Bentley In your book you write that you are a millionaire? Yes. First I did not want to disclose this information. But, here in the U.S., you have to ‘walk the talk’ for people to listen to you.”

FORTRESS. My house looks like a fortress....or maybe even a prison. What first meets your eyes when you visit the white stucco house in the hills of West Hollywood is an 800- pound bronze statute of the archangel Michael. Behind the house there are two more There are American and Norwegian flags swinging in the wind, above the trees and flowers, with the automated watering system running On the front of the building there is mounted a sign made of steel, measuring more than six feet in height, with the name of the house: Nirvana. “I purchased this property from a Buddhist. Due to sign on the house, the neighbors thought I was building a nightclub when I bought it in 2007 When we did digging on this land we discovered artifacts ,from another era, such as arrowheads and various cooking utensils used by Native Americans who once occupied this place due to its strategic location, being easy to defend. From this spot they had a full view of what now is the city of Los Angeles. There is even a gravesite on the lower part of the grounds, down the hillside An older lady, once a burlesque dancer, who lived nearby a long time ago, wanted to be buried here ”

What will you leave behind?

“Nobody is remembered for the car they drove. I want to be remembered as someone who shared love and happiness, someone who made a contribution to the greater good, who did not just live a life for oneself, but also for others I want to be remembered as a person who cared about others’ wellbeing, just like my grandfather.”

No children of his own, there are few visitors. “Even if your house is extensively wired throughout with a stateof-the-art sound system, it can be quiet in this multi million-dollar fortress ”Is all of this “A midlife crisis?” Is it? No Everything in life has to lead up to this moment,” Christian says.

Do you ever get lonely up here? “Lonely?

I have the most amazing people in my life, and great friends I’m often in Norway for business and family, and in London, where my business partner Christin Tellefsen is based. Plus, I always spend a good portion of my time working, so my time goes by fast.” He glances into a side street, then turns his head to check the blind zone. His car has already been hit twice this week “I could though prioritize more time spent with my friends ”

ETERNAL LIFE. His latest book, The Mystical, which continues where Change Your Life Change the World ended, has just been published. The book describes universally shared beliefs, as well as Schoyen’s theories of the paranormal, this including angels and those deceased It's about energies Do you personally believe in everything that you write? You promise the readers eternal life.

Do you believe in this?

“I believe in everything being energy, including us humans, and that this energy never dies. In Norway there is a different point of view on these subjects Here in the U S What I write is not something out of the ordinary Martin Luther King, Jr said he himself had visited the other side, same with president Abraham Lincoln. President Jimmy Carter talked frequently about his UFO experiences.”

The message of The Mystical is meant for those with a high degree of consciousness, who themselves have had unexplainable experiences What I offer is a confirmation that these people’s experiences are not to be dismissed, as they are real and meaningful, and that they can be able to see the greater picture, how everything is linked.” Is the marketplace filled with false prophets? “Yes, but I would not use the word prophets Myself, I only write and speak about what I have firsthand knowledge of ”

Even if Schoyen does not want to use this title, he does sound like a prophet when he speaks. The conversations changes from the processes of life and energy into science, the God consciousness within us, then moves into values shared by all of mankind: unconditional love for oneself and others “Humans are similar to an onion My task is to teach them how to peel of layer-by- layer, so that they eventually can reach the core of themselves, their true self, who is the true authentic you.”

There is a saying that the onion does not have a center?

[Christian laughs.]

Yes, that means we will have to insert a center.