"One of the mindsets that I really like is that I want to earn more so that I can sometimes offer more to those who can't afford it. It's like a cycle."

We sit down with teacher and creator Jennifer Lebedev.

Jennifer is the creator of English with Jennifer. Launched in 2007, her YouTube channel has over 1M subscribers and 100M views to date. She is also a published author with Pearson, an award-winning blogger, and a speaker on building a healthy learner mindset.

In this episode, we chat about:

• 18 years on YouTube: starting in 2007 with a digital camera and no tripod.
• The "teacher creative" to business owner shift: moving from "doing it for free" to being a responsible entrepreneur.
• Overcoming teacher guilt: learning to set boundaries and stop apologizing for charging for value.
• The "Happy Money" mindset: seeing money as an exchange of energy rather than a source of stress.
• Why 1.5 million subscribers isn't a "get rich quick" scheme: the reality of YouTube revenue and sustaining a business.
• Identity-based habits: using sleep and mindfulness to fuel professional performance.
• Why one-on-one teaching still matters: using real student interaction to drive content and stay grounded

*Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube.

FOR MORE FROM JENNIFER LEBEDEV:

1. Connect on LinkedIn

2. Visit her website

3. Follow her YouTube channel

OUR PARTNER: COMMUNICATING FOR IMPACT

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Amplify your work with high-end video and podcasts that get results. Create impactful videos and podcasts with their programmes and done-for-you production services.

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SUPPORT US:

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⭐ Leave a review where you listen.

WORK WITH US:

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

2. Learn how to monetize your teaching skills with TAP

3. Download our free guides for teacherpreneurs.

THE THRIVING TEACHERPRENEUR

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"We’ve got to have a very hard look at ourselves and stop calling ourselves experts just because we have a Master's from 10 or 15 years ago. Those times are over, and we’ve really got to focus on what added value we can bring that AI can’t."

We sit down with BELF trainer Evan Frendo.

Evan Frendo is a freelance trainer and consultant based in Berlin, Germany. He has been active in corporate language and communications training since 1993, and specializes in the fields of ESP and business English. A frequent speaker at conferences, he also travels regularly in Europe and Asia to run courses or to work as a consultant.

In this episode, we chat about:

• Why sticking to the syllabus is the fastest way to become irrelevant in the corporate world
• Why we need to stop teaching "English" and start teaching English as a Business Lingua Franca (BELF)
• Why finding your specialty is 90% luck and 10% being the only person in the room who can stand up in front of a PowerPoint
• How AI is killing traditional needs analysis and why your learners are now their own content creators
• Why the best "business English" happens the moment the teacher leaves the room
• Why being "safe in the harbour" is the most dangerous place for your ELT career right now

*Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube.

FOR MORE FROM EVAN FRENDO:

1. Visit his website

2. Connect on LinkedIn

OUR PARTNER: WE ARE ENGLISH TEACHERS

Are you struggling to find students as a teacher entrepreneur? Join the Elevate community via the We Are English Teachers community and gain visibility through their network of learners looking for a teacher.

We Are English Teachers: https://weareenglishteachers.com/

SUPPORT US:

🫶 Integrate your brand with our podcast in an effort to improve language education.

⭐ Leave a review where you listen.

WORK WITH US:

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

2. Learn how to monetize your teaching skills with TAP

3. Download our free guides for teacherpreneurs.

THE THRIVING TEACHERPRENEUR

Get inspired to start and grow your own education business. Weekly insights, stories, and reflections on education entrepreneurship.

Subscribe on Substack here.

"You have to get beyond the 'it’s all about me' and get over that 'non-profit mindset' to realize you have a skillset worth an investment. Don't compromise on your value." - Catherine Angus

We sit down with Catherine Angus, founder of the Hear You Go podcast, to talk about self-worth, education businesses, and standing firm on value.

In addition to the Hear You Go podcast, Catherine is an English language mentor, specializing in helping advanced speakers and teachers maintain fluency while silencing their inner critics. Through her 1:1 coaching and WILDE: The Listening Festival, she uses authentic global conversations to help learners build confidence and rediscover their love for the language.

In this episode, we chat about:

• starting a podcast: confidence, doubt, and the unknown
• overcoming the 7-episode dropoff [where most podcasters quit]
• what perfectionism actually means
• why you want to be the tortoise, not the hare
• social media toxicity and discovering what clients really want
• why passive income is like buying a lottery ticket
• using podcasts as a lead magnet, not a product
• how to pivot without abandoning your mission

*Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube.

FOR MORE FROM CATHERINE ANGUS:

1. Follow on Instagram

2. Her website

3. Her podcast, Hear You Go

SUPPORT US:

🫶 Integrate your brand with our podcast in an effort to improve language education.

⭐ Leave a review where you listen.

WORK WITH US:

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

2. Learn how to monetize your teaching skills with TAP

3. Download our free guides for teacherpreneurs.

THE THRIVING TEACHERPRENEUR

Get inspired to start and grow your own education business. Weekly insights, stories, and reflections on education entrepreneurship.

Subscribe on Substack here.