Meet Kiyomi Aupri And Shane Friedrich

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kiyomi Aupri And Shane Friedrich a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kiyomi Aupri and Shane, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I got my resilience from a difficult childhood. From early childhood it was a struggle to feel good enough. They say it takes three generations too overcome and I truly believe that is true. I struggled to get approval from my father and one day I realized that it would never happen and my self approval had to be enough. At that moment I began to discover the true meaning of freedom and self discovery. It was a wonderful turning point in my life.

It didn’t matter what anyone thought of me and nay sayers weren’t important. In fact the more people told me I couldn’t the more I knew I could. If a lot of people told me that what I was doing would never work…. that’s when I knew I was on to something…:). in the end they always said that they had misjudged me.

I realized that no matter what happened to me that it didn’t define me….I defined me… No one has that control over me but me.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Kiyomi: Artist inside and out.

Having a wanderer’s heart from the time I could walk and eager to experience life beyond school walls I left High School three months before graduation and took to the road, traveling all over the US and the World.

Through my travels I began to develop a great fascination with the arts. Eventually I met some amazing mentors who helped me develop skills that I continue to use and develop today. I have had three stages of art the first Professional Storytelling in California Schools, the second Construction Art where I developed Dream Catcher Ranch in California and Created the entire ranch into art and we did Wedding Venues, photo shoots and Resort rental, present we have taken all those past skills and have developed a way to continue to tell stories through unique and one of a kind 3D glass sculptures. Our company is called Sculpting Living Spaces, We create 3D art for Resorts, Hotels, Businesses, Yachts and Homes, all one of a kind and unique. We work hard at making sure that the art represents the look and feel that our clients are looking for along with bringing in a warm and welcoming sense.

Recently we opened a private Show room with samples of our art so the potential clients can visit and see the quality of our art. It is located in the sailing capital of N. Carolina in a quaint village called Oriental.

Shane: A Modern Renaissance Man

My journey began at the age of five, when I started mastering judo, spending seven summers in training in Japan. By 18, I had earned my 2nd Dan. I hold two master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and during my career, I soared through the ranks of the German Air Force as a Tornado pilot, eventually retiring as a Colonel.

parallel to my military career, I ventured into modeling, acting, and working as a Hollywood stuntman. My achievements extend to winning fourth place in the 1992 World Cup for bodybuilding, opening five successful gyms in Germany, and founding an award-winning HarleyDavidson chopper business, earning top prize at Sturgis.

Today, I continue to fly as a Helicopter Air Ambulance (HAA) pilot. Alongside my wife, Kiyomi, we now channel our creativity and experience into Sculpting and Designing Artistic Living Spaces for both Residential and Commercial properties. I feel that our extraordinary life journey is just the beginning and there’s so much more ahead for us.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Positive outlook: Always think of ways you can instead of you “Can’t”. It’s extremely important to tackle your job with a positive outlook, that will carry on to your attitude and those around you, it also shows up in your work. The brain is that muscle that we can develop anyway we choose and it is important how we develop it to not only succeed in life but to overcome and be happy.

Listen: Take the time to Really listen to your clients and hear what they have to say and what their needs are and sometimes what they are not saying can be just as important. Ask questions so there is a clear understanding. Always let them know that you are here for them and take what they say to heart and will do your absolute best.

Give more than is expected: Go that extra mile… People develop great reputations not because they just did what they said but rather they went that extra mile and gave them more than they expected. They will tell all their clients and friends how you exceeded what was agreed upon and that word of mouth is invaluable…

How would you describe your ideal client?

Our ideal client is someone who wants and embraces being different. Who isn’t afraid to stand out. Who is willing to trust in the artist visual and talents and watch the magic happen. Who absolutely loves art. A client who likes to work as a team and have fun while doing so.

We love to travel so anywhere in the world would just be an added delight…

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Micheal Hubble Ariel Solutions

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