Even as a teenager, I was fascinated by how things worked - especially when they consisted of circuit boards, cables and displays. At the age of 15, I got my first money for my confirmation and used it to buy a Commodore 128D. Shortly afterwards, I was sitting at home with a freshly bandaged leg and plaster cast due to a torn ligament - and instead of resting, I began to immerse myself in the technology of this computer.
A little later, I saw a classmate of the New Grammar School Oldenburg an Atari ST with the then legendary SM124 monitor. I was immediately thrilled. The Commodore was quickly sold and the Atari moved in. A phase of experimenting, tinkering and learning began for me: I rebuilt my Atari, upgraded it, soldered memory boards and put countless hours into getting the best out of the technology. Looking back, I can say that this is where it all began - this curiosity and the urge to understand and create things are still with me today.
From training to software development
After leaving school, I started a commercial apprenticeship at Creditreform. That was a time when I not only learned the basics of organization and business management, but also developed an eye for how to design processes efficiently.
After my apprenticeship, I joined the German Armed Forces, more specifically the Air Force. I worked in the IT department there and looked after the computers in the flight theory course. It was a formative experience for me because I was able to combine the technical side with the structured working methods of a large system.
Back at Creditreform, I finally began to put my passion for databases into practice. I developed my first sales management system based on FileMaker 5 and 6 and later completely reprogrammed it on FileMaker 8 and 9.
This work had a lasting impact on my thinking: I discovered how to translate complex processes into simple structures - an approach that is still the basis of my work today.
My software is still used and maintained by Creditreform in an internally developed state at some locations.
The path to self-employment
Over the years, I realized that I wanted to implement my own ideas. I first founded a company as a Apple dealer and then switched to software development. This phase gave rise to gofilemaker.de - and later my central project to this day: gFM-Business.
Apple Premium Reseller in Oldenburg - Technology, sales and service from a single source
Around 2008, I ran my own retail store in Oldenburg as a Apple Premium Reseller. Appliances were not only presented there, but also advised, sold and supported in the classic sense of a specialist retailer - as has always been the case with good technology stores. In addition to stationary sales, online sales ran in parallel, reaching customers both regionally and nationally.
Practical support was also a key component: setting up computers, analyzing errors, repairing hardware, saving data, clarifying questions in an understandable way. Anyone who came in was expected to leave with a working solution. This direct, down-to-earth contact with users has shaped my view of technology to this day.
The M. Schall publishing house and my books
Over the years, a new focus has been added: writing.
I have the M. Schall Verlag to publish my own books and address topics that move me personally: crisis management, personal development, digitalization, AI and health.
For me, writing is more than just content production - it is an opportunity to share knowledge and provide food for thought. My books are not intended to lecture, but to help people understand and open up new perspectives.
ERP software and merchandise management for macOS, Windows and iOS
With gFM-Business I have a ERP software which goes far beyond traditional systems. It combines ERP, CRM, merchandise management and individual customizations in a modular system. In contrast to many large providers, I do not rely on rigid structures, but on flexibility and individual solutions.
Freedom, data sovereignty and independence
One central value has accompanied me throughout my professional life: Freedom.
I realized early on how important it is to retain control over your own data. Today, data is at the heart of every company, and I believe it would be a strategic mistake to relinquish it lightly.
That's why I consciously rely on FileMakerIt enables me to develop databases that are always located on my customers' own servers. No dependence on external platforms, no hidden risks - instead maximum control and security. For me, this is not a small matter, but a fundamental attitude: if you have your data under control, you retain your freedom of action.
Today: An ecosystem of its own
Today, I combine all these areas into my own ecosystem:
- M. Schall-Verlag - my platform for knowledge, practice and new perspectives
- gFM-Business - my ERP software that supports companies individually
- AI integration - the next evolutionary stage for publishing and ERP
My goal is to connect these worlds. Whether it's software, books or AI - in the end, it's always about the same thing for me: making complexity understandable and giving people tools that help them to act independently.
Services - from publishing to process structure
In addition to my work as an author and publisher, I also provide companies with practical advice on how they can combine structure, visibility and clear processes. Over many years, this has resulted in services that can be used individually - but have a particularly strong effect when combined.
The focus is always on solutions that work in everyday life. No theory, no short-term trends, but tools and formats that last.
Magazine structure - your own digital medium
A own magazine is more than just a website. It is a place where expertise becomes visible, trust is created and competence remains comprehensible. Companies receive a ready-made, tried-and-tested structure with which content can be developed, organized and presented in multiple languages over the long term. The aim is not quick advertising, but a sustainable presence.
Article service, editing & PR
Many companies have excellent topics, but no time to work them out. This is exactly where I provide support with Article service & editing for your own websites or magazines. Whether specialist articles, background articles or complete press releases - content is professionally structured, clearly formulated and prepared for publication.
On request, placement is also included, for example via OpenPR. This gives companies an editorial team on call without having to build up internal resources. You provide the direction, I take care of the implementation.
Strategy consulting based on experience and foresight
Over the years, I have learned not only to observe developments, but also to read their deeper patterns. Many of the challenges that companies, administrations or political players have to overcome today do not arise overnight - they are the result of long-term dynamics that need to be recognized before they become visible.
This is exactly where I come in. I combine decades of practical experience, a keen sense of context and a calm, unagitated analytical approach. My Strategy consulting is aimed at people and institutions looking for clarity: clear decisions, clear priorities, clear ways forward. Without ideology, without buzzwords - but with a down-to-earth approach, foresight and the tradition of a craft that relies on reflection rather than volume.
ERP software based on Claris FileMaker Pro
In the background of many companies are processes that have grown historically and generate a lot of friction. With gFM-Business, a Flexible ERP solution which is based on Claris FileMaker and can be adapted to real requirements.
The goal is clarity: clean data, traceable processes and a basis on which companies can work and grow reliably.
Management consultancy
Not every challenge is immediately a software issue. The first step is often to identify bottlenecks, set priorities and choose measures that suit the organization. Consulting here means, above all, looking at structures from the outside with experience and developing practicable approaches that are sustainable in everyday life.
With systemic management consulting I can help to find and optimize gaps in processes or visibility.
All areas are interlinked: good processes generate reliable information, information creates content, content creates visibility - and visibility strengthens the company as a whole.
What drives me
I have never taken the easy route in my life. Instead of relying on standard solutions, I wanted to understand things, improve them and design them myself. This applies equally to technology, business models and knowledge transfer.
Today, I use this attitude to provide companies, readers and customers with clear structures and genuine independence - with software, books and content that is authentic and based on my own experience.
My credo
"Freedom means understanding the things that surround you - and retaining control over your own data, tools and decisions."
Frequently asked questions
- Who are you actually - and why do you write about such different topics?
I am an entrepreneur, software developer, author and publisher. Above all, however, I am someone who wants to understand things - not just technically, but also socially. The topics seem different at first glance, but they are more closely connected than you might think: technology, business, health and social developments influence each other. - What is your professional background?
I have been working independently for many years, mainly in the field of software development and process thinking. This has resulted in my own solutions, books and finally a publishing house. My path was not a straightforward career plan, but a learning process - with detours, breaks and conscious decisions. - Why do you run your own online magazine?
Because many topics today are either presented in a highly abbreviated, emotionalized or ideologically filtered way. The magazine is my attempt to present content in a calmer, more structured way and with more depth - without daily outrage, but also without looking away. - What is the attitude behind your texts?
I try to write respectfully without being conformist. Skeptical without being cynical. My aim is not to give you an opinion, but to offer models of thought that you can use to form your own opinion. - Why do you also write about political and social issues?
Because technical, economic and political decisions have a direct impact on our daily lives. Those who only look at specialist topics in isolation often overlook the actual connections. - What distinguishes your books from traditional guidebooks?
I don't write from the top down or with patent solutions. My books are based on my own experience and observations. They are intended to be thought-provoking, not instructive - and leave the reader room to draw their own conclusions. - What role does AI play in your work?
For me, AI is a tool, not a substitute for thinking or responsibility. I use it where it provides useful support - for example in structuring, formulating, translating or analyzing - but not to produce content at will. - Why is independence so important to you?
Because dependencies - technical, economic or intellectual - always have their price in the long term. Many of my decisions, whether in software, infrastructure or publishing, follow precisely this principle. - Who is your content aimed at?
To people who prefer to think for themselves rather than being driven. Entrepreneurs, the self-employed, readers with an interest in interrelationships - but also ordinary people who sense that many things are more complex than they are often made out to be. - Do you deliberately write without extreme exaggerations?
Yes, volume is no substitute for substance. Especially with sensitive topics, I think a calm tone is more effective than provocation for its own sake. - Can people work with you or write for you?
Yes, basically with pleasure. Especially in the publishing environment, I find people with their own thoughts and a clear attitude interesting and don't go for perfect CVs or marketing texts. - How do you deal with criticism?
Objective criticism is welcome. I usually leave polemics or personal attacks alone. Not every reaction deserves a response. - Why do you write so much yourself instead of delegating?
Because for me, texts are not an interchangeable product. Language conveys attitude - and you can't outsource that completely. - And to be honest: do you ever take a break?
Yes, not always enough, but more and more consciously. Sometimes it helps to take a step back, clear your head - and then think more clearly again. I even have a Article written...