The Adventures of LOLA BADIOLA

For technical reasons we had to re-upload this episode. Apologies for any inconvenience.  In this chapter I'm joined by Marina, my partner,  to explain the making of the podcast, and the plans for the future. We hope you enjoy the diverse and relevant content in this chapter. When you are ready for more, please sign up to live and interactive classes with Marina and me, right here: www.gratto...

Lola and her colleagues walk away from the headquarters of TechSpania with a deal in their hands, and as one adventure ends another one begins.  In the final chapter of our story, we discuss a lot of relevant vocabulary. In the world of geopolitics, we explain the term ROGUE NATION. And we review the purpose of a COVER STORY. We add another four relevant phrasal verbs to your vocabulary, namely -...

Lola and her companions enter the boardroom of TechSpania as the deal to buy JBlock is being finalised. In this chapter we have some interesting vocabulary related to DRESS CODE in an office. Is it important to be IMPECCABLY DRESSED? Have you ever bought a TAILOR-MADE SUIT? Do you know how to create a WINDSOR KNOTTED TIE?  We also explain some relevant terms in dealmaking. Do you know how to keep...

Lola makes an audacious attempt to prevent TechSpania from buying JBlock. This chapter is full of interesting vocabulary. Has anybody ever treated you with DISDAIN, have they PATRONIZED you, have they tried to MANSPLAIN something to you? How does a company get a FOOTHOLD in the market? And how does it create SYNERGIES when acquiring another company? There are also a couple of relevant expressions....

Mario Ruiz de Velasco and the team from TechSpania are enraged by Lola’s last-minute intervention in their negotiations.  In this chapter we explain some really cool verbs related to physical reactions in stressful situations, they include TO FLINCH, TO SQUIRM,  and TO DRUM YOUR FINGERS. We discuss a couple of important business terms. What is PROOF OF CONCEPT and why is it so important in the tec...

The deal between TechSpaina and JBlock is finally signed, but it is not the agreement that anyone expected.  We discuss two advanced grammatical structures that are used in this chapter. The first is called an INVERSION, the second it’s called a QUESTION TAG.  We continue to enrich your use of adjectives with words such as MALICIOUS and SLANDEROUS. And we explain the concept of SARCASM and how it...

Lola and her team arrive at the headquarters of TechSpania, but they still need to pass the security guards to reach the boardroom on the 51st floor. There are a couple of interesting common expressions in this chapter. Why do people make LAST-MINUTE CHANGES to agreements? And what does it mean to be in the EYE OF THE STORM? We discuss the role of a company’s BOARD OF DIRECTORS. We consider the ph...

Lola has a plan to stop JJ selling the company to TechSpania, but she needs to act fast! Let’s examine the advanced grammatical structure of QUESTION TAGS. You know what they are, don’t you? In the vocabulary section we explain the verbs TO REBOOT, TO PATCH and TO GATECRASH. We also illustrate what a BINDING CONTRACT is. We focus on a very common mistake in Business English ,  the confusion over B...

Park reveals his true identity to the secret agent and his wife, causing confusion and conflict. There are plenty of colorful expressions and idioms in this chapter. What makes the HAIRS ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK STAND ON END? Have you ever STROKED THE EGO of your boss? And is it best to do a sales pitch via webinar or IN THE FLESH? We do some pronunciation work using the VOICED “S” CONSONANT. Make...

The secret agent brings Park to his home in Madrid and introduces him to his suspicious wife.  In this chapter we give examples of words that differ depending on whether you are using BRITISH ENGLISH or AMERICAN ENGLISH for example, apartment vs. flat, and elevator vs. lift. We cover several everyday expressions. Do you have to WEAR DIFFERENT HATS at work? What MAKES YOUR HEAD SPIN? And what kind...

The secret agent delivers Park to the headquarters of Interpol and receives an unexpected reaction from the agency.  There are loads of interesting everyday expressions in this chapter. Do you know what a DESK JOCKEY is? Do you expect other people to DO YOUR DIRTY WORK? When was the last time you were IN A DAZE? We explain the word DUMBFOUNDED and discuss the meaning of IRONY - why do some people...

With the help of the secret agent, Park completes his journey to the West, unsure of what awaits him there.  In this chapter we explain three phrasal verbs, TO TOUCH DOWN, TO SETTLE DOWN and TO BREEZE THROUGH. We also make sure you understand some advanced vocabulary. What is a PAYDAY? When do you need a COVER STORY? And what is your BACKSTORY? We discuss three useful expressions. Have you ever ex...

Lola has a conversation with a mysterious man in a bar that makes her reconsider events in the past. In this chapter we explain three everyday expressions. When do you need to be ON YOUR GUARD at work? What activities are your BREAD AND BUTTER? And do you expect to get a promotion SOONER RATHER THAN LATER? We discuss an appropriate idiom for international professionals - WHEN IN ROME DO AS THE ROM...

Lola meets JJ Thompson for dinner and receives some shocking news. This chapter is full of interesting and relevant business expressions and idioms. Let’s go through them one by one. Is there somebody in your company who you consider to be a BAD APPLE? Have you recently received a COLD CALL from a mobile telephone salesman?  What would be the best-case scenario for your career at the moment? And w...

Lola confronts Cayetano at the offices of JBlock in front of all the programmers. There are several common expressions that we need to explain in this chapter. What happens when you PULL THE TRIGGER on a deal? When do you need to CALL IN FAVOURS from your colleagues? And have you ever been LOST FOR WORDS in a discussion. In the vocabulary section, we discuss legal words such as LAWSUIT and TO SUE....

Park reaches the Chinese border, but how will he cross the freezing cold waters of the Yalu River, and what will be waiting for him on the other side? This chapter is full of fascinating vocabulary, interesting expressions and colourful metaphors. Let’s start off with some of the advanced vocabulary. Are you familiar with the verbs TO GRUNT, TO WRITHE AROUND and TO PERISH? These are all appropriat...

Park meets the Old Grey Man and discovers the terrible truth about Dead Man’s Highway. Let’s do some pronunciation work focusing on words that have fewer syllables than most non-native speakers think, for example, COMFORTABLE, VEGETABLE, CHOCOLATE, RESTAURANT, INTEREST RATES. We review some fascinating vocabulary to test your WITS. If you’ve watched the Netflix series squid games, you’ll know what...

Park evades the authorities on his journey to Banshori station until he reaches a police checkpoint.  As advanced speakers you know all the basic vocabulary related to the family but are you familiar with STEPMOTHERS and STEPFATHERS, are you familiar with the WIDOWS and WIDOWERS and, most interestingly, do you know what a SUGAR DADDY and a MILF are? There are many words that the English language b...

Back in North Korea, Park is on the run from the secret police. His first stop is the Tomb of the Glorious Farmer to pay his respects to his dead relatives. In this chapter there is an explosion of adjectives. As an advanced speaker you should be challenging yourself to choose colorful interesting and precise adjectives to communicate your ideas more effectively. Here are some alternatives to the...

Lola goes out for dinner with her best friend Concha to distract herself from the crises in her life and receives some wonderful news! This chapter is packed with phrasal verbs and expressions. We are going to focus on five of each. Let’s start with the phrasal verbs. If you need to motivate and encourage your team, how do you FIRE them UP, how do you SPUR them ON? At the end of a long intensive w...

Cayetano Tolosa secretly listens to a private conversation between JJ and Diego as they contemplate the company’s future. We continue to discuss fundamental business concepts. We look at a company’s different INCOME STREAMS. We explain the process of CASH BURN and why it is so significant for start-up companies. We include another three phrasal verbs, more specifically TO RUN OUT, TO SELL OUT and...

Back in Madrid, Lola visits the law offices of Gonzalo Garrido and receives some disturbing news.  In this chapter we cover a lot of fundamental financial concepts and vocabulary. We start off by defining what ASSETS and LIABILITIES are. Then we explain what OPERATING PROFITS are and how they are used to calculate the ENTERPRISE VALUE of a company. And finally, we talk about SILENT PARTNERS and ST...

Park reveals how he feels to the Girl with The Almond Eyes and nothing will ever be the same. We introduce three new phrasal verbs - TO LEAN FORWARDS, TO SNATCH BACK and TO DUCK DOWN, referencing the book “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg We cover three colourful expressions. What makes your BLOOD RUN COLD? How do you keep your EYE ON THE BALL at work? How much is of your business is generated through...

In a state of paranoia, Park meets The Girl with the Almond Eyes and receives some exciting news from her. We return to some French words that are borrowed by the English language - RENDEZ-VOUS, CROISSANT, RÉSUMÉ. We also explain the proper use of the words CV and CURRICULUM VITAE. We cover three important phrasal verbs, namely TO DAWN ON, TO POP OUT and TO CALM DOWN. And finally, we have an inter...

Park suspects that there are intruders in his apartment and decides that attack is the best form of defence. We start this class with three common expressions. We explain what it means when something DOES THE TRICK. We illustrate the use of the idiom TO PUT BREAD ON THE TABLE. And we consider what it’s like to be ON A ROLLERCOASTER. In the vocabulary section we focus on the word RESOURCEFULNESS. W...