*This is episode two of our series highlighting education entrepreneurs. New episodes every first of the month.

Want to chat with us about your business? Book a free meeting here.

 "If it doesn't go according to plan, what is the worst thing that could happen that is the minimum I can be satisfied with?" We sit down with entrepreneur Jessica Dias to discuss growing a business.

Jessica is an English teacher and founder of Jessy Academy — an online school that helps Brazilian learners break free from the intermediate plateau and develop real communication skills in English. She started her teaching business in 2020 and has since helped more than 2,000 learners speak with more clarity, confidence, and naturalness. After years of working in traditional schools, Jessica decided to ride solo and build a business that truly reflects her teaching philosophy: practical, human, and focused on real communication.

In this episode, Jessica discusses:

• Overcoming Failure and Setting Realistic Goals
• The Genesis of the Itch: From School to Side Hustle
• Turning Passion into a Full-Time Business
• Embracing Change and Growth
• Building a Sustainable Business Model
• Challenges of Running a Business
• Balancing Client Work and Business Operations
• Delegation and Use of AI Tools
• Scaling While Maintaining Quality
• Advice for Handling Business Slumps

FOR MORE FROM JESSICA DIAS:

1. Follow her on Instagram: @msjessydays

2. Jessy Academy

3. Her Clear Pronunciation Program

Thank you for listening. Your support has been overwhelming and we couldn't do what we do without you. We hope this podcast serves as an effective CPD tool for you.

If you have a comment or question about today's show, we'd love to hear from you: info@learnyourenglish.com

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU:

1. Book a free 1:1 chat with us to strategize your teaching business.

2. Follow the LYE YouTube Channel

3. Learn how to monetize your teaching skills with TAP

4. Download our free guides for teacherpreneurs.

5. Connect with us on our Substack.

Want to move away from 1:1 and build your teaching business? Book a free 1:1 with us to see if we can help.

From beginner to intermediate in 9 months: yes, it's possible and Claudia Fernandez tells us how.

Claudia runs her Spanish program at the University of Illinois-Chicago using a task-based curriculum. One result was bringing fifteen A1 students to intermediate over 9 months. She shares her story and how others can do the same.

At the University of Illinois-Chicago, Claudia is a Clinical Associate Professor, where she directs the Spanish Basic Language Program using a task-based curriculum. Her research and teaching focus on task-based language teaching, materials development, and classroom-based language acquisition. She is an award-winning educator, published author, and active contributor to both national and international professional organizations in the field of language education.

In this episode, we dive into:

• Implementing task-based language teaching from scratch

• Why there is still pushback against TBLT

• Mindset shifts every institution needs

• Aligning tasks with assessments

• Claudia’s experience of helping students go from absolute beginner to intermediate in 9 months

• Effective task design

• How learners acquire grammar through input-based approaches

• Instruction habits that get in the way of learning

• How to create needs analyses in task-based learning

FOR MORE FROM CLAUDIA FERNANDEZ:

1. Connect on LinkedIn

2. Her university page

3. Her publication on moving from grammar to proficiency-driven programs

Support the show:

Do you help students prepare for the TOEFL test? Check out My Speaking Score - an AI platform with data-driven feedback to help students get 26 on TOEFL speaking. Trusted by over 100,000 TOEFL test takers.

My Speaking Score: https://www.myspeakingscore.com/

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU:

1. Book a free 1:1 chat with us to strategize your teaching business.

2. Subscribe to the LYE YouTube Channel

3. Learn how to monetize your teaching skills with TAP

4. Download our free guides for teacherpreneurs.

5. Connect with us on our Substack.

*This launches the beginning of a new series of our show: education entrepreneurship. We'll release an additional episode monthly, highlighting entrepreneurial voices in our industry doing great things.

Want to chat with us? Book a free meeting here.

In this episode, we introduce the series and discuss what it takes to start and run your own business. Specifically, we explore the transition from traditional teaching roles to entrepreneurial ventures.

We chat about:

• Why waiting until you're uncomfortable might be too late to start your business
• The real difference between commitment and consistency and why one matters more
• How teachers can build businesses without a one-size-fits-all model
• What Andrew's beach business (and Bob the Book) taught him about resourcefulness, scrappiness, and getting started
• Why belief in yourself is the most underrated strategy in entrepreneurship
• Who this series is for and who it’s not for

Thank you for listening. Your support has been overwhelming and we couldn't do what we do without you. We hope this podcast serves as an effective CPD tool for you.

If you have a comment or question about today's show, we'd love to hear from you: info@learnyourenglish.com

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU:

1. Book a free 1:1 chat with us to strategize your teaching business.

2. Follow the LYE YouTube Channel

3. Learn how to monetize your teaching skills with TAP

4. Download our free guides for teacherpreneurs.

5. Connect with us on our Substack.