Starting a new company is hard work! You have to begin with the basics and work your way up. For us, creating beYOU.tv (the website) and the high quality fitness/wellness videos were the first steps. Now we are ready to take the next steps. Our newest feature is the beYOU.tv Embeddable Player! Now you may take beYOU.tv videos and place them on your site!

The Player

Pretty cool, huh?

The Features

When you pause a video on the embedded player, you are greeted with more information. The "Details" section provides information about the video and instructor. The "Share our player" section gives you the code to embed our player on your site. The "More videos" section will display similar videos or segments.

Feel free to embed this player on your site! We are already working on a new version with new features! Remember, good things come to those who wait and we have a lot coming out soon!

Embed away!

Greg

I’ve read a lot about music therapy before to promote overall wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain or to battle depression.

One report explains that "music appears to exert direct physiologic effects through the autonomic nervous system." And while I’m sure that’s technically true, what I know is — music makes me feel gooooood!

I remember on Ally McBeal, Ally and her friend Renee subscribe to the "counteracting depression" theory so much that they actually adopt their own personal theme songs to get them trough difficult days and sticky situations (remember, it was dramady or comedrama, or something like that). My friend Dave and I thought this wasn’t such a bad idea at the time and decided we that we needed our own theme songs too. I think I selected the Pat Benatar’s classic rock anthem, All Fired Up! I can’t quite remember Dave’s, but I’m pretty sure it was something by Melissa Etheridge.

That was 10 years ago. I haven’t had a theme song since then. But I was listening to a new CD I downloaded this weekend, and one of the tracks reached out and grabbed me so much that I decided it was high time to bring back the personal theme song!

So, here and now, I’m officially announcing my new personal theme song - Crazy Dreams. It’s from Carrie Underwood’s new CD Carnival Ride. The spirit of the song is to never give up, because even crazy dreams come true.

I wouldn’t say I’m a country fans, but I do like a good beat with great lyrics, and this one has both. My favorite lines in the song are, "Never let a bad day be enough/to talk you into giving up/sometimes everybody feels like you/…There’s a lot of wonder left inside of me and you/thank God even crazy dreams come true."

I’ve had a few days recently where I’ve doubted myself and my abilities, where, well, I’ve felt like giving up (a start up can do that to you.) Now, I’m not sure if it was the physiologic effects through my autonomic nervous system or just the catchy hook, but this crazy dream we’re building here is looking more and more real each day. So never underestimate the power of music to motivate you or make you feel like any dream can come true!

Everyone has something they put on to chill out, rock out or work out. So let me know what music moves you. What would be your theme song if you had one?

Bob

In honor of Halloween, I’m reaching out the spirit world for my Friday Favorites this week. No, not like the dead (scares me), more like the sixth sense and connecting with my own energy (intrigues me). Check out these videos to get more in touch with those things around you that you can’t see or touch (BOO!)

The Energetics of Healing - Caroline Myss

I first heard about Caroline Myss about nine years ago after a friend recommended her book Sacred Contracts. I was going through a bad break up that I could not make sense of. I eventually went back and read her book The Anatomy of a Spirit as well. In The Energetics of Healing, she talks about many of those same ideas from her books; why some people heal and others don’t (spiritually speaking), how our charkas work and how, just like our muscles, we need to exercise them on a daily basis. If you’ve ever wondered why you have not been able to bounce back from something or why certain people and relationships have come into your life, this one’s for you. So sit back with a good cup of butterbeer and get in touch with yourself.

The Flowering of Human Consciousness - Eckhart Tolle

There are many nights I lie awake worrying about what I have to do tomorrow, or what I did or did not accomplish that day (can I get a witness?). What Eckhart Tolle explains in clear and easy to follow language is that there is a more important and miraculous state to live in than the past or future – the present. This “flowering of a new consciousness” is a transformational experience that goes beyond what the mind, mine at least, can understand. It’s easy to grasp in theory, but requires some effort to practice as first. What I do know is that when I am focused on the moment, the people I’m with, the experience I am having – I feel joy and have no stress. So go get some joy for yourself.

Happy Halloween!
Bob

I’ve been watching the news a lot the past few days. I’m not a news junkie, but I do live in Southern California, which is currently being DEVASTATED by 16 different wild fires. The coverage leaves me speechless. Over 1 million people – a million – have been evacuated from their homes. Over 1,600 homes have burned down. The Santa Ana winds have made the spread of the fire unpredictable and almost impossible to contain.

A few of our instructors and partners live in some of the communities that have been hit. As of yesterday when I spoke to them, they were all OK!

The sad part is that at least three of these fires were set intentionally, and that some people who have come back to find their homes still standing, have founded them looted. Can you even believe that? I can’t.

But I know that the human spirit is better than that as evidenced from the outpouring of support, product donations and contributions from local corporations and individuals.

Nobu in Malibu, one of Los Angeles’ most swanky restaurants, laid out a scrumptious spread for firefighters and residents giving away thousands of dollars worth of food.

The San Diego Chargers opened up their home, Qualcomm Stadium , to 10,000 displaced people and pets. And apparently they learned a few things from Katrina.

If you want to know how you can help, please take a moment to visit one of these sites to lend a hand or make a donation. Or just say prayer for those who have lost so much — and one of gratitude for all you still have.

California Volunteers

Volunteer San Diego

San Diego Humane Society and SPCA

Hands on Inland Empire

Volunteer Resource Center of Santa Clarita Valley

Red Cross Los Angeles

Red Cross Orange County

San Diego Red Cross

It’s Friday, yea! This week I’m focusing on our newest instructor, Misty Tripoli, and her unique videos and teaching style. Misty presents contemporary and fun workouts, for more information on Misty check out Bob’s Get (back) Into the Groove post.

Misty Tripoli’s Body Groove - Yoga Groove

Yoga Groove is a well-rounded, fun yoga flow. Misty takes you through all of the traditional yoga postures: plank, downward dog and chair pose are all here! Adding a "Groove" to her workouts is what makes Misty unique. This yoga video is infused with dance and movement. For die hard yogis, this may take a little time to get used to, but the video is fresh and will keep you in shape and feeling great!

Misty Tripoli’s Body Groove - Pilates Groove

Pilates Groove is similar to Yoga Groove; Misty is working the "Groove" and energizing you! Pilates Groove focuses on the back and core. Through classic Pilates movements, cobra pose and crunches, you will develop a stronger core, increase strength and flexibility. Yoga and Pilates complement each other by concentrating on muscle building, balance and core strength, these videos are no exception. Find your groove with Misty Tripoli and tone your body!

Click to view all of beYOU.tv’s great producers.

Have a great weekend!

Greg

Ironically, I tend to forget at time, as I fly down this information autobahn, that my mind, body and spirit are all connected. What can I say? I’m human.

I can get too caught up in my own head, over analyze things and get stuck – fall out of the flow of energy that is all around us by paying too much attention to my task list and not enough to my body or soul.

Sound familiar?

When I meet Misty Tripoli, the newest member of the beYOU.tv family, she had just come from teaching her Trilogy class at Equinox here in LA, and she was still riding the spirit wave. To say that she was radiant would be the understatement of the decade. I mean, the girl gives good energy

And there’s a reason why.

She explained to me the importance of movement and connecting with your body for self-discovery and self-expression in order to get into that groove of positive energy. It’s about connecting with yourself and tapping into your own rhythm, all while raising your heart-rate and toning your muscles.

I know it sounds a bit California granola, but it’s hard to argue the results. Not only do you see it in her smile and hear it in her voice, but as a Nike Elite Instructor, she has built a career by helping thousands of people get their groove back (Stella could take a few notes from Misty).

She certainly helped me get back into the flow.

I hope you will discover your own rhythm in her Spirit Groove, Pilates Groove, Latin Groove or Ab Groove to start to feel like your old self again.

Thanks. And remember, Be You – Everyday

Bob

As you may have noticed, we try to keep a theme when writing our Friday Favorites. Your Top 5, Eye on the Core and Letting Go have all been previous themes. This week I’m breaking the mold! Today I feature two unrelated videos, just because I like them. Take that conformity!

Body Groove - Ab Groove

Ab Groove is one of our newest videos and one of my favorites. Since working at beYOU.tv, I’ve learned a lot about Pilates and core training. I really like this video because it’s to-the-point; an 8 minute video focused on abs! It’s a great video for the end of your exercise routine, or if you have 8 spare minutes.

Natural Meditation

New York is an obviously busy and that can take a toll on you. In particular, I find the Hell’s Angles (blazing down my street all night) and the mass mobs on the other streets to be the most stressful. What do I do when I need a break? I find some time and relax in the great outdoors (my roof) and take a breath. Meditation can be as formal or informal as you want. Simply relaxing and allowing your mind to be calm is good enough. Natural Meditation is a great video to get you started and introduces you to meditation.

My neighbor! (maybe)

This weekend, be random, spice-it-up and break a mold, as I did today!

Greg

Back when I was young (far far away, and many galaxies ago), I remember chairing my first AIDS fund raiser. It was a pretty spectacular event really. But, I digress.

A dear friend of mine at the time was getting sicker by the day. Cocktail therapy was not readily available yet and many assistance programs were still in their infancy. I felt I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. I had to do what I could.

I never imagined that 13 years later I’d be in the same situation. But complacency will do that I suppose.

So after discovering recently that another friend has been touched by this pandemic, I decided it was time to do something again for the people I love.

That’s why I’ll be walking on Sunday, October 21 in The L.A. AIDS Walk and why I am asking you now for your support.

I could go on and on, but everyone is very busy, I know. So I’ll simply ask this, please don’t be complacent. As far as we’ve come, there is still so much further to go in making AIDS history.

You can make a difference by just clicking here and making a donation. Big or small, every dollar helps change the course of history!

All my love and gratitude,
Bob

A new prototype mobile phone wants to be your personal trainer, wellness coach and secretary!

NTT DoCoMo and Mitsubish are working together to develop the Wellness Phone! This phone will be able to check your pulse, body fat and breath (for freshness). The phone’s built-in sensor tacks movement. From this, it can tell if you are running, walking or resting and calculate how many calories you are burning.

Users will be able to blow into a tiny hole to get a stress-level reading, in conjunction with a series of questions. Depending on your stress, you will receive motivation messages such as "Don’t Worry, tomorrow’s a fresh new day" or "Keep your chin up!".

This is an interesting new development. The companies haven’t stated how much the phone would cost and it will be a long time before any are sold in the US. Keep an eye on this new wellness-cell-technology!

Greg

I may be dating myself a bit here, but I remember way back when in 1990 when GM launched the Saturn. They billed themselves as “A different kind of car. A different kind of car company.”

It’s the same conversation we had during a meeting last week when we were trying to figure out the Beta promotion for today’s release — a 7-Day Free Trial Membership. True, a standard offer, but I wanted to execute it differently. I knew how other companies handled these “Free” offers and the strings that were usually attached, but I didn’t want to be like “those other companies” or follow the “industry standard.” I mean, we’re so not standard!

I kept hearing arguments for why we had to get a credit card number first in order to give You 7-days free, and why we had to bill You immediately for a Monthly Pass and then give you five weeks; “everybody else does it,” or “this way we can roll them right into membership.” To me, it all just felt so used car salesman or foreign diplomat email scam. Besides, that’s not a Free Trial. That’s five weeks for the price of four.

The truth, as it was pointed out to me, is that we need a card number to prevent fraud. Not that any of You would do this, but without a card number, there is no way of preventing a user from continuing to register under different names to string together a on-going free membership. So I challenged the team to come up with some other options to prevent this, and without getting all Big Brother or too techie on You, there was no way around it.

OK, I get that now, and hopefully You do too.

At the very least, I wanted to make the process less, ummm, slimy and be upfront with You, a sort of full disclosure.

So we decided two things. One, we won’t bill your credit card until the 7-day trial is completed, and not a moment before. So You really are getting a week free.

Two, we’ll send you an email before, not after, we bill your card to let You know your 7 days are just about up. This way, you have the chance to cancel before any charges hit your account (of course, we know You won’t want to, but just in case).

Sure, we could make more money the other way, but that’s just bad Karma. And who needs that?

The one thing I can always offer You is honesty and my word. So while we still need a card number, I at least feel like we’re being on the up and up with You.

Now, as if that weren’t enough, we have a new killer video player launching in this release as well. It has easy to use and clearly labeled buttons, a real scroll bar to fast-forward or go back, and even better video quality. In fact, if you have a monthly pass, you get to choose lower or higher quality viewing by selecting L or H button to manage your bandwidth while streaming.

So as we keep striving to Be Us and deliver the best possible user experience, remember, Be You – Everyday!

Bob