Your Business in English with Ryan L. Sink

Tanja Pislar Your Business English Friday Podcast.   Tanja Pislar changed her life in 100 days and, on this week’s podcast, she shares her story about how she transitioned into a new career as a copywriter in such a short period of time. Also, how she developed her English skills to the point where she can earn a living writing in the language, and what her next 100 day challenges are likely to look like. A 100 days is substantial period of time, but not too long a time to experiment with something entirely new. Tanja gave herself 100 days to switch entirely from her well established career as a freelance software developer, to making her living entirely as a copywriter. Despite her self-doubts, the project worked and she has been pursuing this line of work every since. Tanja believes in the power of the e-mail and her marketing projects often focus on developing mailing lists (‘the money is always in your mailing list’). Her latest initiative focuses on helping self-publishing authors to better market themselves and their creations. www.smartselfpublishingbiz.com asks you for your email address right off the bat in return for a guide she has written to self-publishing. One day soon (perhaps her next 100 day challenge?), Tanja would like to put her ideas into practise and write her own fictional work. She loves to read horror, fantasy and magical realism and now feels that she would like to contribute something herself – “by the end of the year” Tanja was born on the coast of Slovenia in a small town called Koper, but she always dreamed of living in London. It was perhaps this that drove her to be such an excellent speaker and writer of the English language. She now says that she even thinks in the language, though she still counts in Slovenian. As a computer scientist, English was always the primary language of her working life and, once she had left Slovenia to study and work in Denmark and London, this quickly became her language of daily social communication as well. However, she chose an unusual, but, according to her, effective method of taking her English language to the next level: by taking classes in stand up comedy. This scary move was invaluable to her, and she highly recommends it to other learners. Tanja has a substantial online presence, but perhaps the best place to go to find out a bit more about her is her copywriting blog, www.thecopyhero.com. Thanks for stopping by Tanja and inspiring with your impressive examples of how dreams can be turned into reality, if you have a deadline and stick to it. "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address. Download Now Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again. Full Transcript:   *Welcome to Your Business in English,

Olga Mecking Your Business English Friday Podcast   Olga Mecking is a linguist, cook, blogger and mum. Living in the Hague, Holland, she shares her experiences and recipes in regular posts about expat motherhood. She shared some of these experiences on this week’s Friday podcast as well, and told us what it was that prompted her to start blogging about her life as a expat mum. Adversity often has a silver lining, or forces us into positive actions that we would not otherwise take. So it was for Olga Mecking who started her blog about life as an expat Mum following a very traumatic incident with her first child. Spotted restraining her daughter, who was having a fit, Olga was confronted by the police and accused of child abuse. The experience left her feeling so alone and misunderstood that she felt she needed to express herself and her experiences somewhere. So it was that www.europeanmama.com was born. Olga has been blogging since 2011 about a variety of subjects including the travels she has made around Europe, language learning, and cooking. She also talks about the business of raising children to be tri-lingual. Something she has experience of from both ends; having been raised multi-lingual herself, as well as teaching her children. In fact Olga can speak 5 languages in total. Much of this comes from her upbringing in Poland, where her father spoke French, her mother was practically native English and German was taught to her at school. She now has added Dutch to the list, which she says is relatively easy to learn for a German speaker. Such a pro herself, Olga has plenty of tips for language learners. Most of all she recommends reading a lot in the language you are trying to learn. Reading aloud and reading on a Kindle (so that you can easily check words you need to know – in just one touch!). This improves your vocabulary and writing skills. When it comes to speaking, she cautions against perfectionism. Never prepare the perfect sentence in your head, just speak, make mistakes and welcome corrections from your listeners. It’s also interesting to hear Olga’s take on the differences in healthcare between the two places she has lived most of her adult life: Germany and Holland. She reports that the approaches are quite different, especially in the provision of care to pregnant women and new mothers. On the one hand it appears that it’s much harder to get specialist treatment in Holland and to get prescribed medication. Natural home births are encouraged for instance. On the other, there is a fantastic post-natal service where a midwife/nurse comes over to your house and does all the domestic chores, 5 hours a day, for your first eight days of motherhood. What a system. Thanks for all the stories Olga. For many more stories and reports from the front line of Dutch-style motherhood, check out Olga’s blog: http://www.europeanmama.com/ "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address. Download Now

Fabian Dittrich Your Business English Friday Podcast   Fabian Dittrich is a roamer, a vagabond, a digital nomad. He works as he travels and sees the world from inside his mobile office. In this podcast he tells just how it feels to have that level of freedom and describes his journey to achieving it. Alex Garland’s novel ‘The Beach’ has inspired many a young reader to pack their bags and head for adventure. Fabian Dittrich was one. His very first escapade followed in the protagonists footsteps out to Thailand. But for Fabian, this was only the first of many, many adventures that have seen him make his way through much of Asia, Africa and Southern America. This podcast came live from Rio de Janeiro, but he was just as likely to have been pretty much anywhere else on the planet. Fabian spends the majority of time on the road, staying in a flat he has in Berlin only three or four months of the year. But don’t call Fabian a perpetual tourist. He would not be happy with this description. For one thing he is not strictly on holiday for all this time. Rather he is working while on the road. Either from his trusty Defender Land Rover, or from Airbnb lodgings or shared workspaces. Secondly, he would not be happy with being described as a tourist. He sees tourists as people who rely on tour guides and books to navigate new countries. What he would rather be called is a vagabond. In his own definition of the word a vagabond is someone who travels without planning or guides. Someone who just goes to a place, sits on a bench or starts walking and lets the adventure come to them. A life on the road is all about embracing uncertainty and going with the flow. “I love uncertainty and the unknown” says Fabian. “I make decisions based on how much anecdotal value comes out of the plan.” What will lead to an interesting story? What will keep life interesting? These are the questions the guide him. It was these considerations that led him to quit his London based job, start his own company and run the enterprise out of the back of a Land Rover. With a team of two others he criss-crossed South America, delivering an online service from his mobile office and interviewing people about alternative ways of working as he went. The results can be seen on the site www.startupdiaries.org. Serendipity is a word that Fabian mentions three times in this interview, and, to some extent, it sums up his approach and goals. Serendipity means something like ‘happy surprises’ or just ‘good luck’ and it is this that Fabian hopes will occur if he is open and adventurous. But is he tiring of a life on the road? Towards the end of our podcast he mentions that he is no longer prepared to slum it totally and relies on Airbnb accommodation these days. He also says that he feels that travelling is a education from which he has graduated and even expresses a desire to experience a Berlin winter again – this must be a sign of homesickness! With such a litany of adventures behind him, he surely has earned the right to a bit of domesticity if he wants it. What a truly and impressively experience-hungry soul! You can find out more about Fabian and his inspiring stories on his personal blog: http://fabiandittrich.com/ "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now:

Recording Yourself and Listening Later! Join the online conversation: http://bit.ly/YBiE-onFacebook More information and resources at http://www.yourbusinessinenglish.com "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address. Download Now Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Shadowing! Join the online conversation: http://bit.ly/YBiE-onFacebook More information and resources at http://www.yourbusinessinenglish.com "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address. Download Now Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Moacir Sena Your Business English Friday Podcast   This week we talked to São Paulo resident, Moacir Sena, about his work as an interpreter, his English teaching and his international experiences. Moacir is a fluent speaker of English, Spanish and Portuguese. As well as teaching English, he does a lot of work as an interpreter between all three of his languages. This gives him a unique insight into how these languages differ, how they are translated and how they function in general. Many of these are shared in the recording along with his reflections on his time spent in America and the changing shape of modern São Paulo. Moacir paints a picture of a bustling and friendly, but sometimes overwhelming, São Paulo. He is clearly grateful for any let up in the traffic of the city, and talks about it being a grey and crowded place at times. However, it’s clear that things are improving. The city is getting greener, and – most recently – there has been a re-unveiling of some of the cities finest buildings as a campaign of billboard removal has come to fruition. Advertising banners everywhere have been taken down, or cut down to size and, in many cases, the city has re-emerged from behind them. It’s hard to imagine a city where buildings have been so completely obscured by hoardings, and Moacir is clearly very happy about this new de-cluttering. So what about languages? Well he had some interesting insights about the art of interpretation. Moacir reveals that, in the industry, someone who translates 70% of what they hear is considered excellent. Often the remaining 30% is skipped. This is especially true with culturally specific jokes that can be very tough to quickly explain. Sometimes he tells his listeners just to clap and laugh! Moacir has some interesting insights about the nature of the various languages he speaks and states convincingly what we all really know: that learning a language is a never-ending process. That, even if a language is our mother tongue we still have a lot to learn! “live and learn that’s my philosophy” says Moacir. This is ever-more true of English, where the ownership of the language is increasingly being wrested from native speakers and being adapted and used in so many different ways around the world. He’s certainly learnt a lot about his three languages. He talks about the difference in pronunciations between English and the Latin tongues. How meanings in English are much more frequently expressed in groups of words or phrases, often that run into each other: “How d’you do?”, where as with Spanish and Portuguese the individual word is much more crucial and, as such, needs to be pronounced more clearly. Outside of his interpreting work, Moacir still finds time to teach the bible in English every Saturday using prayer and song (the latter, a great way to improve your pronunciation): www.believes.com.br. He also blogs about his English teaching at www.americanoidblog.com Thanks for your thought provoking insights into the way we speak and use languages, Moacir! "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name.

First Impressions in Business Meetings! Join the online conversation: http://bit.ly/YBiE-onFacebook More information and resources at http://www.yourbusinessinenglish.com "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address. Download Now Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Your Next Business Interview in English! Get my video course 'Your Next Business Interview in English': http://bit.ly/YNBIiE Join the online conversation: http://bit.ly/YBiE-onFacebook More information and resources at http://www.yourbusinessinenglish.com "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address. Download Now Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Wouter Lincklaen Arriëns Your Business English Friday Podcast   This week, Wouter Lincklaen Arriëns or ‘Coach Wouter’ for short. Wouter is a resources specialist and leadership coach. Wouter has been living in Asia, mainly in the Philippines, since 1985 and is widely travelled around the continent. He clearly relishes the culture of the region and, in this recording, talks to us all about its diverse offerings and challenges. He also annunciates his belief in the importance of learning good English as the doorway to opportunity and shares his views on what makes for successful leadership in the modern business environment. A Dutch national, Wouter has spent most of his professional life as a water resources specialist, dealing with the management of all water issues from fresh supply to flood management, and in many different countries. His experiences have led him to the conclusion that, above all, it is the communication between people and organizations that is crucial to the successful management of the world’s resources. Now he has developed a new career in leadership coaching, working often - though not exclusively - with other water managers or sustainability professionals. You can find out more at www.transformationfirst.asia Wouter dreams in English these days, but it wasn’t always so. As a non-native - though highly proficient - speaker of English, Wouter recognizes the importance of accepting that different people use the language differently. In Asia, even inter-country business is routinely conducted in non-native languages. He talks of how meanings change across different cultures and the importance of listening as well as observing hard: “behind what they say is what they mean”. Understanding cultural context, body language and the differing meanings of ‘maybe’, all play a vital role. Good listening, understanding and communication are also at the heart of Wouter’s advice on becoming a successful leader. Today, leading is as much, or more, about persuading as it is about direct management. To do this effectively you have to know yourself, explore your boundaries and build your self-confidence. Next you need to really understand the context you are working in and the people around you (including cultural awareness of course), then finally you need to deliver the right message effectively, finding your niche and unique way to contribute as you do so. Being concise is an art many of us lack and our messages can get jumbled and lose any impact. For Wouter, three is the magic number. He limits himself to making three points and delivering them effectively. Focus as well as clear and simple communication, are especially important when dealing with people whose English language skills are not perfect; something Wouter has had to do most of his working life. Thanks for visiting Wouter, and thanks for the great tips on how to develop the leadership skills we all need to achieve our goals. "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address.

Your Next Business Interview in English! Get my video course 'Your Next Business Interview in English': http://bit.ly/YNBIiE Join the online conversation: http://bit.ly/YBiE-onFacebook More information and resources at http://www.yourbusinessinenglish.com "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address. Download Now Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Expanding Your Vocabulary! My #1 most-recommended app for remembering information: https://www.memrise.com/ Read interesting articles with interactive words: https://lingua.ly/ Get my free report 'The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English': http://bit.ly/YBiE-Best-Resources Join the online conversation: http://bit.ly/YBiE-onFacebook More information and resources at http://www.yourbusinessinenglish.com "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address. Download Now Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Using interactive apps! The world's #1 app for language learning: https://www.duolingo.com/ Read interesting articles with interactive words: https://lingua.ly/ Get my free report 'The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English': http://bit.ly/YBiE-Best-Resources Join the online conversation: http://bit.ly/YBiE-onFacebook More information and resources at http://www.yourbusinessinenglish.com "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address. Download Now Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Meeting with people in-person! Find a Meetup near you: http://www.meetup.com/ Get my free report 'The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English': http://bit.ly/YBiE-Best-Resources Join the online conversation: http://bit.ly/YBiE-onFacebook More information and resources at http://www.yourbusinessinenglish.com "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address. Download Now Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Pernille Norregaard Your Business in English Friday podcast.   Today we meet another successful expat, living and working in EnglishPernille Norregaard is a Danish screen writer, ghost-writer, blogger, teacher and marketer. Wishing for a change of career-direction and scene, she made the decision to move to London from Copenhagen. A big step and a long journey. In fact, she needed a whole year to complete a trip you can do in less than 2 hours; stopping in Costa Rica, South America and Bali along the way. She took the time to tell us about her experiences in all these places, her language learning and her writing tips, as well as her experiences with many different types of working environment and styles. A speaker of 6 languages! Pernille could practise several of them as she made her way across continents. Despite this, she spent much of her time working with English speakers, most notably in a co-working space in the middle of Bali (an experience she clearly relished) and, now London based, much of her current written work is in English. Imagine being a creative writer in a non-native tongue! Pernille is busy. She told us all about her various types of writing work, starting with ghostwriting which she called “translating for the experts”: turning their expertise into easily understandable prose. She also blogs about writing. She gets up at 7am every morning and works for two hours on her latest screenplay and, as if that wasn’t enough, has a part time job at the local Hair Salon! – No, not cutting and styling, still marketing. Whatever the subject, Pernille believes in the importance of keeping the message simple and relating what you’re saying to what people understand. For example, big numbers mean more when you relate them to something your audience gets (e.g. 7 million Africans with Aids = more than the population of Denmark). Also, personal stories always resonate better: she reports that articles and stories from her own life have received the most attention and feedback. But above all, be likeable! Knowing what you’re talking about is not enough. This is our seasoned guest’s top tip. Whether you are looking for work or trying to attract an audience, being likeable is a key skill. As she puts it, “We buy from people that we like, and we choose to work with people that we like…. but I think that sometimes people forget that and just focus on showing their skills.” Much of what Pernille says focuses around the importance of gaining inspiration and of inspiring others. As a script writer, she needs to escape the confines of her own limited experiences and learn about different kinds of people and worlds. She talks about how much material she gets from observing people in her beloved London, from the Hair Salon and from hanging around airports. “I don’t mind when my plane is delayed for a couple of hours because I get to watch people.” It was great to hear about Pernille’s varied and interesting working career and get a slice of her positive approach. "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address.

Listen first and then speak! Get one free hour on iTalki for improving your spoken Business English: http://bit.ly/YBiE-iTalki Get my free report 'The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English': http://bit.ly/YBiE-Best-Resources Join the online conversation: http://bit.ly/YBiE-onFacebook More information and resources at http://www.yourbusinessinenglish.com "The BEST Resources for Speaking Business English" Download this FREE Report now: Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address. Download Now Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.