The Language Leaders Podcast

What happens when one of the world’s largest education providers looks hard at the future of English language learning? What does that future look like from the inside? Sharon Hague, President of Pearson’s English Language Learning division, reveals the shifts already reshaping the industry and the ones most leaders are not yet prepared for. In this conversation, you’ll explore: • What the real ba...

What’s the secret to scaling a language company without losing its soul — or its standards? In this episode of the Language Leaders Podcast, Mickey Soto Firrell, founder and CEO of Teachify, shares his remarkable journey from mechanic to teacher to founder — and how he built something increasingly rare: a dedicated team of language trainers connected by community. You’ll learn: Why teacher culture...

Is your AI tutor solving the right problem or just adding noise? In this special Language Leaders episode, four innovators share how they’re building AI tutors that don’t just talk, but teach. They support real pedagogy, personalisation and progress at scale. From B2C apps to corporate training and blended classrooms, this episode explores what makes an AI tutor effective and where it really adds...

What does it take to grow a solo startup into a leading consumer language brand, all without outside funding? François Fourmentin, CEO and co-founder of Cercle des Langues, shares how he scaled from tutoring teens to building a tech-enabled company now serving thousands of adult learners across France. You’ll learn how he: Bootstrapped the business from day one, pivoting fast and staying lean; Use...

How is AI reshaping the future of language learning? Join top language education leaders as they reveal insights into the most important trends of 2025, including AI. What do these trends mean for learners, educators, and language businesses? Our expert guests share their insights on: AI’s Impact on Language Education – How AI-driven tools are being integrated into learning while still preserving...

In this episode, we sit down with Gio Giovannelli, President of Pearson’s English Language Learning division, to tackle one of the most important questions in language education today: does it still make sense to learn a language in the age of AI? AI may offer seamless translation, but as Gio explains, “Language is something much deeper than that.” This thought-provoking conversation explores: AI’...

In this unusual episode of the Language Leaders Podcast, we dive into the key insights from Alex Asher’s latest white paper, “LangTech in the AI Era.” Just like in the written paper, we tackle key questions shaping the future of language education including: - Will generative AI replace teachers? - Will generative AI make learning a language obsolete? - How are language businesses using generative...

In this episode, we dive deep into this year's Language Leaders Content Generation Summit 2024 to uncover how AI is reshaping workflows and enhancing the quality of lesson materials and language curricula. Our panellists include: Federico Espinosa (VP of Learning at Lingoda) discusses the pedagogical opportunities and challenges of integrating generative AI into the process of curriculum developme...

In this episode, we sit down with Jack Marmorstein, Chief Learning Officer at Global LT, as he shares insights from his three-decade journey in the language education industry. Discover the pivotal moments that shaped Jack’s career, from his early days as a PhD candidate to becoming one of the first employees at Rosetta Stone. Hear Jack’s reflections on navigating multiple tech revolutions, includ...

In this episode, we sit down with Santiago Ruiz de Velasco, Managing Director of Oxford University Press's English Language Teaching division, as he shares his remarkable journey through the world of education and publishing. Discover the pivotal moments that shaped Santiago’s career, including: From Dining Room to Boardroom: Learn how Santiago’s move from Spain to the UK led him to a lifelong car...

Ever wondered how industry leaders achieve such high retention rates? This episode reveals insider strategies and real-world success stories from three expert panelists at the Language Leaders Student Retention Summit 2024. This includes three proven strategies: Targeting Learner Groups: Anja Spilker (Founder and CEO) shares how Zaloa Languages transformed retention rates by understanding and targ...

Discover how Matthew Radich turned his passion for teaching into a thriving, bootstrapped online language school. In this inspiring episode, we uncover the journey behind The English Farm and explore: Winning One Niche at a Time: Uncover the surprising market gap Matthew identified and how he leveraged it to catapult The English Farm to success in Japan's competitive language learning landscape. B...

How did Gaku Nakamura build the biggest online English tutorial company in Japan and the Philippines? In this rare interview, Gaku and I explore: The Founding of RareJob: Trace Gaku's journey from a bold startup in 2007 to a global leader in online English education. Thriving in the Competitive Japanese Market: Gain insights and practical advice on succeeding in Japan's unique business landscape....

How did Sana Ronda transform a struggling 20th-century brand into a thriving 21st-century corporate language training empire, now serving over 13,000 learners annually? Discover the secrets of B2B success in the latest episode of the Language Leaders Podcast. Sana is one of the most resilient and charismatic language leaders I've interviewed. In our conversation, we explore: The founding of Lingua...

Discover the unique journey of a family-owned business that has emerged as the leading language training provider for the Canadian government.   In this episode, Jeremy Frohlich, COO of LRDG, offers an insider's look into blending family values with the aspirations of building a globally recognised language training service.   In our conversation, we delve into: The origins of LRDG, highlighting J...

The U.S. presents unique challenges and opportunities for ESL education, catering to a diverse population of immigrants, refugees, and speakers of other languages. In this episode with Katie Brown, founder and Chief Education Officer at EnGen, we delve into: The founding journey of EnGen, aimed at empowering non-native speakers with essential English skills for inclusion and economic mobility. A d...

Japan is one of the largest markets of language education in the world but is a challenging market to enter. In this episode with Tyson Batino, the visionary behind two successful English language schools in Japan, we discuss: How Tyson founded and scaled his language businesses, One Coin English and Japan Switch Explains the language education ecosystem in Japan including Eikaiwa, Gakudo and afte...

Want to learn from an entrepreneur who completed the language entrepreneur journey from founding to selling? If so, then you won't want to miss this episode featuring Ray Blakney. Ray is the mastermind behind Live Lingua, an online language school that he co-founded in 2008 and sold in 2023. In this episode, Ray shares his remarkable journey and discusses a variety of topics related to entrepreneu...

In this episode, we talk with Michal Kelles-Krauz, the co-founder of Angloville and Tutlo, about his entrepreneurial journey, the challenges he faced, and the unique concepts behind each of them. If you’re interested in startups and the power of pursuing one’s dreams, this conversation is definitely worth a listen.   Note: If you prefer to read the transcript of this episode, please visit https://...

How do you lead product at a top-tier corporate language training company?  In this episode with Natalia Jaszczuk, Head of Product at Learnlight, we dive deep into the crossroads of pedagogy and product development to answer: - What's the right balance (or "tension") between pedagogy and product? - How do we overcome the common challenges for product teams in language businesses? - What is the rol...

In this episode, I sit down with Giacomo Moiso, the co-founder of Fluentify.  Together, we dive into Fluentify's impressive transformation: from a budding B2C startup to a key player in the B2B corporate language training sector in Europe. We'll follow Giacomo's inspiring story, the key strategies to sell successfully to large organisations and get a sense of where the market is going. If you want...

Welcome to the Language Leaders Podcast! I'm your host, Alex Asher. The aim of this podcast is to provide insights, inspiration, and foresight into emerging trends for leaders in language education. I started this podcast because I felt there was no one else, and nowhere else, where these important conversations were happening around to grow a successful, scalable language business. In each episod...