Language Training in Leadership Development

A group of employees listening to their leader to illustrate the blog post Language Training in Leadership Development Plans

Language Training in Leadership Development Plans and Why HR Should Include it

Strong leadership is built on communication. HR professionals know that even the most talented employees can struggle to lead effectively without the right interpersonal and cultural skills.nnThat’s why more organizations are adding language training to their leadership development programs to help rising leaders connect, inspire, and lead across cultures.

Why Language Skills Are Core to Leadership

Leaders do more than manage: they motivate, negotiate, and communicate vision. For global or multilingual companies, that means language fluency is no longer optional, it’s strategic.

3 Key Benefits of Including Language Training in Leadership Development

1. Improves Executive Communication Skills

Whether it’s leading meetings, delivering presentations, or managing international teams, clear and confident communication sets great leaders apart.

2. Builds Cultural Intelligence

Language learning naturally improves cross-cultural understanding. Leaders who can adapt their communication style are better equipped to manage diverse teams.

3. Expands Global Opportunities

Fluent leaders can represent your organization on a global scale—opening the door for international collaborations, client relationships, and expansion.

How HR Can Integrate Language Training Seamlessly

  • Add language learning goals to leadership development frameworks
  • Offer flexible, virtual training to fit executives’ schedules
  • Use progress tracking to show measurable skill improvement

Investing in language training for leadership development doesn’t just improve communication: it builds globally competent, emotionally intelligent leaders.nnEmpower your next generation of leaders. Partner with Fluency Corp to design a custom program that strengthens communication from the top down.nn 

Employee Retention and Engagement: And How Language Training Boosts it

Friendly office showing employees engaging to illustrate the post: Employee Retention and Engagement: And How Language Training Boosts it

Employee Retention and Engagement: And How Language Training Boosts it

Employee retention is top of mind for every HR professional. In today’s competitive market, keeping top talent means offering more than a paycheck—it’s about offering growth, support, and belonging.nnThat’s where corporate language training comes in. It’s not just about improving communication: it’s about building confidence, inclusivity, and connection across teams.nnWhen employees feel understood, they stay longer. But for companies with multilingual teams, communication challenges can create frustration and isolation.nnLanguage training bridges those gaps, helping every employee feel heard, respected, and part of the conversation.

Ways Language Training Increases Employee Retention

1. It Builds Confidence and Belonging

Employees who speak the dominant language comfortably are more likely to contribute ideas, connect socially, and feel ownership in their role.

2. It Reduces Miscommunication and Frustration

Misunderstandings can lead to workplace tension and errors. Language training minimizes those issues, improving collaboration and team trust.

3. It Shows Investment in Employee Growth

When HR offers personalized development opportunities, employees see that their success matters. That creates loyalty and lowers turnover.nnCompanies that provide corporate language programs often report:

  • Improved engagement scores
  • Lower voluntary turnover
  • Stronger cross-department collaboration

HR leaders can track results through feedback surveys, performance reviews, and retention metrics.nn nnEmployee retention isn’t just about compensation, it’s about connection. By offering language training, HR professionals create workplaces where every team member feels valued, capable, and included.nnReady to boost retention and morale at your company? Contact Fluency Corp to learn how our corporate language training programs can help.

How to Practice Your Speaking Skills for Business by Yourself

Female professional using voice recorder on her phone, illustrating the blog topic How to Practice Your Speaking Skills for Business by Yourself

A huge part of mastering a new language is speaking it. It’s often one of the hardest things to do.

Many students conquer the different areas of their target language, like grammar, writing, vocabulary… But speaking is one skill they take the longest to achieve and have the toughest time with it.

Honestly, it’s not surprising. You need tons of practice to speak a new language with fluency. And many people either don’t get enough practice time in their classes or don’t have anyone at all to practice with.

On top of that, if you’re learning a language for business, it gets trickier. Because now you need to practice speaking for a specific industry and environment, more formal than normal.

What if none of your employees or coworkers speak your target language? What if you have no one around to practice business speaking in a second language with?

If this is your case, here are some tips on how to practice your speaking skills for business by yourself.

So nothing can stop you and you can become fluent!

Using Substack as a Language Learning Resource: A Powerful Tool for Professionals

Male professional in front of a computer smiling at the camera illustrating the blog topic Using Substack as a Language Learning Resource

In a world that increasingly prioritizes digital communication and remote learning, Substack has emerged as more than just a platform for newsletters. Today, it serves as a powerful educational tool, particularly for professionals striving to improve their language skills.

With its user-friendly format, consistent updates, and diverse contributor base, Substack is fast becoming an innovative supplement to traditional language learning resources.

This blog explores how professionals can use Substack as a dynamic resource to enhance their Business English and multilingual fluency. We’ll also integrate essential insights from Fluency Corp’s training philosophy and highlight how Substack complements the structured, corporate-focused training methods we offer.

Whether you’re an executive, entrepreneur, or international team member, understanding how to maximize this platform can elevate your communication, leadership, and professional presence.

What Is Substack and Why Is It Relevant for Language Learning?

Substack is a subscription-based publishing platform that allows writers to distribute newsletters directly to their audience. Unlike traditional media outlets, Substack prioritizes independent voices and niche expertise—making it the perfect arena for learners who want to dive deep into specific subjects, including language, business, culture, and international affairs.

What makes Substack particularly useful for language learners—especially those in professional settings—is how it supports immersive, real-time learning. Regular posts from expert writers provide consistent exposure to natural and industry-relevant English, allowing learners to experience vocabulary and grammar in authentic contexts.

Comment sections and community threads offer learners an opportunity to practice comprehension and written interaction. In fact, Harvard Business Review has highlighted the importance of continuous reading habits as a key to staying sharp and competitive in today’s global job market, particularly when reading content that aligns with one’s career field.

Moreover, the Yale Center for Language Study emphasizes that immersive reading—especially in specialized domains such as leadership, marketing, or global affairs—dramatically enhances vocabulary retention, reading fluency, and contextual language understanding.

Professionals learning English through Substack not only improve their linguistic skills but also stay informed on global trends, workplace strategies, and cutting-edge leadership practices. This dual advantage makes Substack an ideal tool for holistic language development and professional growth.

How Substack Supports Fluency Development in Business English

For learners aiming to master Business English, Substack can serve as a practical daily touchpoint. By subscribing to curated newsletters, professionals can:

  • Expand business vocabulary
  • Analyze tone, formality, and structure in corporate writing
  • Observe persuasive language strategies used in sales, branding, and negotiation

Recommended Substack Categories for ESL Learners:

Integrating Substack With Your Fluency Corp Training Plan

Substack doesn’t replace structured learning—but it does complement it brilliantly. At Fluency Corp, we focus on developing real-world communication fluency by combining language coaching with content immersion. Substack adds an on-demand, personalized layer of exposure between sessions.

Here’s how our methodology aligns with your Substack usage:

Examples of Substack Newsletters for Language Learners

Below are examples of real Substack newsletters that offer valuable content for English learners, especially those focused on professional growth:

  • The Profile by Polina Pompliano – Profiles on successful leaders with well-written content to learn business idioms and success vocabulary.
  • Culture Study by Anne Helen Petersen – Sociolinguistic insights, perfect for understanding modern American English and workplace communication styles.
  • Not Boring by Packy McCormick – Deep dives into startup strategy, tech, and business models using smart and casual business English.
  • Every.to – A bundle of newsletters covering productivity, leadership, communication, and startup growth.
  • Charter – Visual and written data storytelling—ideal for professionals looking to understand and communicate business data in English.

These newsletters not only expand vocabulary but also model persuasive and professional writing.

How Professionals Can Maximize Substack for Language Growth

1. Set Reading Goals

Create a weekly reading schedule with 3–5 newsletters, and dedicate 15–20 minutes per day to reading. Use vocabulary apps like Anki or Notion to track new words.

2. Engage With the Community

Comment on posts, reply to discussion threads, and interact with writers to practice your writing and comprehension.

3. Shadow Read Aloud

Read a newsletter aloud once per week, mimicking tone and pronunciation. This is especially useful for business presentations and improving confidence.

4. Use Newsletters in Your Coaching Sessions

Bring a paragraph or phrase from a newsletter to your Fluency Corp coach and practice using it in a dialogue or presentation simulation.

5. Create Your Own Mini Newsletter

Try writing a short Substack-style entry each week summarizing what you’ve learned. This reflective practice supports vocabulary retention and writing fluency.

Combining Tech, Strategy, and Substack: The Future of Language Training

The rise of AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly (explored in our post on AI-Powered Language Tools) shows that tech-enhanced learning is here to stay. Substack fits beautifully into this landscape as a human-curated, thought-provoking counterpart to machine-driven solutions.

Together with Fluency Corp’s structured Corporate Language Training, you get the best of both worlds: precision and practice.

A Strategic Resource in Your Fluency Toolkit

Using Substack isn’t just about reading more—it’s about reading smarter. For the busy executive, the expat manager, or the global marketing team, platforms like Substack offer highly relevant, digestible, and interactive content that reflects how language is actually used in the business world.

Whether you’re preparing for a leadership role, enhancing your business writing, or sharpening your negotiation skills, combining curated content with Fluency Corp’s coaching can accelerate your path to fluency.

Ready to Take Action?

If you’re looking to enhance your business English in a strategic, real-world way, Fluency Corp offers personal coaching tailored to your industry and goals. Let us help you integrate tools like Substack into a holistic language training program that drives results.

Book your free consultation today and let’s build your path to confidence, clarity, and international communication excellence!

YouTube Channels to Learn Spanish for Business

Young professional watching YouTube channels on her laptop to learn Spanish for business

Are you ready to conquer the world of business and reach new international markets, get business partners and connect with more clients? Great! We’re ready to help you, then! How?

First off by telling you that you should learn another language, and Spanish is a great one! Spanish it’s one of the most spoken languages in the world! And more people keep learning it every day.

There are also many countries that have it as an official language. So it’s a great option for business growth and to connect with other markets.

Second, by showing you some YouTube channels to learn Spanish for business. We’re sure you’ll soon be ready to take the business world by storm with your bilingual business skills!

1. Spanish with Vicente

Spanish with Vicente – Vicente is a Spanish teacher. He also helps people prepare for the DELE (Diploma Oficial de Español como Lengua Extranjera), which means “official diploma of Spanish as a foreign language”. These exams are applied by the Instituto Cervantes, a very well acclaimed institute.

So, this is a very important exam that says that you master the Spanish language. If Vicente helps people prepare for it, it means he’s an expert of the Spanish language. You’ll truly learn from him!

He has many different kinds of videos. Such as vocabulary for artificial intelligence, Spanish idioms, Spanish for the elections, everyday expressions, explaining how to use some verbs, prepositions, verb tenses… He even has a whole playlist for the subjunctive mood!

He also has some videos with topics you probably hadn’t thought about learning but are very important too. Like how to give an opinion in Spanish as a native speaker or how to dribble in Spanish.

If you’re looking for videos more focused on Spanish for business, don’t worry. You can also find those in the “Spanish with Vicente” YouTube channel. He has made videos for vocabulary for business, Spanish for finance, vocabulary for a contract…

Nonetheless, don’t disregard the other videos, because they’re still important for business. You need good grammar to impress your boss and clients and communicate properly. And you need to know idioms, expressions and cultural facts to get along with your coworkers.

Some videos are of him explaining a lesson and dividing the topic in small parts for you to understand it. These are especially the grammar ones.
For the vocabulary videos he tends to write on the screen the words he teaches. So you’ll learn the pronunciation, the meaning and also the written form.

Other videos are in a vlog format. So it’s like you’re following through his day or while he’s doing something, like showing you the food he bought. In those kinds of videos, you’ll also learn a lot of Spanish, especially vocabulary about the things he’s doing.

These are actually great for immersion, because it’s a very casual and natural way of learning. It doesn’t feel like studying.

Oh and he speaks 100% of the time in Spanish.

We recommend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MKslpvYYQM

2. Butterfly Spanish

Butterfly Spanish – Welcome to a bilingual YouTube channel! Yes, you read correctly, this is a bilingual channel. Ana is the teacher, and she speaks in every video using both Spanish and English.

Sometimes she starts talking in English and suddenly changes to Spanish. Some other times, she says a phrase or word in Spanish and translates it to English right after. This method will help you connect the Spanish sound of some words to the English words, so you know the meaning.

With a bilingual channel like this one you start learning Spanish but have the help of the English language as well. Just in case you’re not fluent yet. This is great!

This makes it a great channel for beginners and intermediate. But she does have some videos that work for advanced learners as well.

You’ll learn grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, conversation, and practice your listening. There are videos about Spanish for the dinner table and Spanish for other places and situations.

As well as how to use certain verbs, verb tenses, adverbs, time markers in Spanish. And idioms and everyday expressions, how to use some tricky words, among others.

All of these things are important for working for business even if they’re not targeted just for employees, CEOs, and companies. Nonetheless, she still has some videos related to work.

Like the “learn how to talk about your job in Spanish” video and the “working in a touristy beach town” listening comprehension video.

We think her strong suit is the grammar videos, which she has a lot of. She dissects everything, so you understand clearly.

The way she teaches is with a whiteboard behind her, where she writes everything to properly explain the topic. It’s almost like a class at your school.

Oh, and she’s not boring at all, she uses a lot of examples, which is amazing because it’s easier to understand that way.

We recommend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0nBKj7gWJ8

3. IPP Emprendedores

IPP Emprendedores – Sergio Fernández is an entrepreneur and author. He founded “IPP formación para la vida real”, where you can find different courses about different things. Some courses are very related to business and entrepreneurship, like finance and selling.

On his YouTube channel, “IPP Emprendedores”, he teaches you many things about entrepreneurship and business. It’s especially good for those who want to be entrepreneurs.

No, this is not a channel specifically for language learning, but it is in Spanish and tackles business topics. So, you’ll learn tons of vocabulary in Spanish for business. You’ll also practice your Spanish listening and pronunciation by watching the videos.

It’s great for Spanish immersion. Why? Because the videos don’t really teach you the language like in a typical school, but rather by talking casually in Spanish. This is great, because immersion is one of the best ways to acquire a second language.

If you think about it, this is how we learned our mother tongue, by being surrounded by people speaking in our first language about anything. This will make you naturally pick up some business words and phrases in Spanish.

There are videos about how to get financial freedom, tips to choose business partners, common mistakes entrepreneurs make, marketing to get more clients, and many more. So you’ll learn more about how to be a better entrepreneur and do better business, while acquiring business Spanish vocabulary!

The people that appear in the videos don’t speak incredibly fast, but since they’re not teaching you a language, they also don’t speak slowly. They’re not worried about you missing something, because they don’t know you’re just learning the language.

So they speak like the native Spanish speakers that they are, at their normal pace. But don’t worry, this will fully train your ear to understand natives. It’s great practice, honestly.

We recommend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDspjVJ3FXo

4. Learn Spanish with SpanishPod101

“Learn Spanish with SpanishPod101” is a website about learning Spanish and they have their own YouTube channel. There, they constantly upload many different videos about the Spanish language.

You’ll improve different areas of the language, like pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, listening, and writing. There are videos like a grammar guide, how to express your emotions in Spanish, and how to introduce yourself. As well as art vocabulary, explaining the past tense, and many more.

They have a highly useful series of videos where they share common words in Spanish you’ll use every day. That’s great to acquire vocabulary that’ll make you sound more like a local and help your conversations flow more naturally.

This can be super helpful for talking with your boss and with your Hispanic coworkers, and to connect with Hispanic clients!

They also have a series of listening practice videos. In those they’ll play a dialogue or conversation. After the conversation is done, they’ll ask you a question about it to see if your Spanish listening comprehension was on point. Then, they’ll make you listen to another conversation and so on.

Don’t worry, they also have videos focusing on the business side of the Spanish language. Like expressions for business presentations, or how’s the business culture in Mexico.

As you can see, they have different types of videos, but their strong suit are vocabulary videos. They have tons of them. So if you’re looking for a channel to increase your vocabulary, this is it.

Some videos are like a quiz, where they give you a word in Spanish and some options for their meaning in English. So you have to choose the option you think it’s the meaning of the Spanish word they showed you.

After a bit of time, they’ll give you the right answer. These kinds of videos are great to see how much vocabulary you know or how much you’ve learned.

In some other videos they’ll show you the word in Spanish and its pronunciation then they’ll give you a sentence using that word. Thanks to the examples you’ll learn how and when to use that word.

The coaches are from different countries and, therefore, have different accents. This is great to train your ear by listening to different voices and accents. You’ll keep your ears and listening skills sharp!

We recommend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sM3LoC2cU8

5. Emprende Aprendiendo

Last but not least: “Emprende Aprendiendo”. This is the perfect channel for entrepreneurs. It’s about business and marketing. So whether you want to start a business or already have one, there’s something you can learn. After all, as founders, CEOs, bosses, and employees we’re always learning and improving.

You’ll find videos analyzing and explaining to you different business aspects of famous companies. As well as videos with strategies and other things that will help your business.

There are videos like business trends, IKEA’s sales strategies, and how to create short content to go viral. As well as business ideas, Shakira’s businesses, and even the business of Paw Patrol!

It’s a very interesting channel that will not only help you learn Spanish, but also learn about business. So you’ll kill two birds with one stone.

Also, by watching a business channel in Spanish, you’ll very naturally acquire tons of Spanish words and phrases that are truly used in business. The best thing is that you won’t memorize a sheet of vocabulary.

Rather, you’ll learn when and how to properly apply that vocabulary in a real-life situation. This will help you impress foreign clients and Spanish speaking business partners. How great!

All videos are very well explained and structured. So you’ll really learn a lot.

We recommend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th2u4QF-A78

Tips to Learn Spanish for Business with YouTube

Change the speed of the video

If you’re a beginner, you might feel lost at the start of your language journey, especially when hearing natives talk. This can make understanding teachers that are native Spanish speakers a bit difficult, even on videos.

If this is happening to you while watching Spanish learning YouTube channels, don’t be ashamed. It’s normal not to understand everything or feel like they speak too fast. You’re not used to the language and its sounds, and a native accent makes it harder.

So don’t be afraid of slowing down the speed of the video as much as you need. This will help train your ear and get accustomed to the sounds and the speed of a native voice.

It’ll also help you understand the words and phrases more easily, as you won’t feel super lost in the speed. You’ll have more time to process what the person in the video is saying.

As you get accustomed to the speed, you might even feel like it’s too slow now for you. In that case, change the speed again until you go back to normal speed.

The same applies in case you feel like the person on the video speaks too slowly. Maybe you’re an advanced learner now and want a challenge. Then, speed up the video.

 

Lose the subtitles gradually

If you’re using YouTube subtitles, keep doing it as long as you’re a beginner. We understand it can be difficult to get a grasp of what the person is saying and all the vocabulary you’re hearing. So, it’s okay to use the subtitles as a crutch.

But you have to slowly start getting rid of them. At some point you have to walk by yourself, right? It doesn’t have to be from one day to the next. For example: Let’s say the grammar videos are easier for you but the “vlogs” are harder for you to understand.

Then, first lose the subtitles on the grammar videos, so on those that are easier for you. And keep the subtitles on the vlogs, because they’re harder for you to comprehend. After a while, you must also turn off the subtitles on the “vlogs” or any other videos that are hard for you. Don’t be afraid.

It’s okay if you still don’t understand every single word on the videos or feel a bit lost at parts. You can go back to the part where you got lost. Gradually, you’ll start to comprehend more and more.

If you’re an advanced learner, absolutely do not use subtitles on any video.

 

Watch YouTube videos everyday

You can’t expect to acquire a lot of vocabulary and improve your listening if you only get immersed in the language for a little bit. Watching videos once a week or once every two weeks won’t have the effect that you want on your language skills.

You need to watch videos every single day for a better outcome. Even more than 1 video a day if you can. That would be amazing! The more practice and immersion you get, the better.

This way your ear will train every day, and you won’t forget the vocabulary you learned on day 1, because you’ll keep reinforcing it.
Even if you take Spanish lessons, complement those with a YouTube video in Spanish every day.

 

Watch more than 1 channel

You may have a favorite YouTube channel to learn Spanish and that’s great. Keep watching it. But you must also watch another one. We gave you above a list with different YouTube channels to learn Spanish, pick more than 1.

This way, you’ll get to hear different people speak in Spanish; they might even have different accents. You’ll also get to learn different vocabulary. Maybe the person on one channel speaks more formally and the person from the other channel is more informal and uses tons of slang.

You’ll also find different ways of teaching, which is great because nobody learns the same way. Plus, you might like to learn through different methods.

It would be even better if you could pick more than 2 channels. But at least make sure you’re watching more than 1. A great idea is to watch one channel focused on learning Spanish, and another one that’s in Spanish but is focused on learning about businesses.

Will YouTube Make Me a Professional of the Spanish Language?

Sadly, no. YouTube will not make you a professional of the Spanish Language. It will not make you fluent. This, of course, doesn’t mean you can’t learn from it.

As you just saw in the channels above, there’s a lot of Spanish you can learn from YouTube! From vocabulary to listening to even some pronunciation hacks.

But if you want to truly master the Spanish language, you still need classes. Don’t worry. That’s what we’re here for!

Fluency Corp offers corporate language classes. We have many different languages, one of them is Spanish.

Every lesson is customized to your job and needs. So just tell us what you want, and we’ll create a plan accordingly. Must you improve your accent? Do you need more Spanish vocabulary for marketing, medicine, or any other industry in particular?

Or is it that you need to learn how to write a business email in Spanish? We’ll work with you to help you achieve your goals!

The best of all is that we base all classes on our Bellieu Method, created by our founder and CEO, Micah Bellieu. This method consists of encouraging students to speak in their target language. It’s the best way to achieve Spanish fluency. Soo, you’ll be discussing business in an international meeting!

Are you ready to start your language journey towards fluency? All you have to do is choose between our online or onsite classes. Then contact us for a free consultation. See you soon!

YouTube Channels to Learn Business English

Woman learning business English by watching YouTube on her tablet

Are you a professional looking to improve your English for business? That’s an amazing idea! English is one of the most spoken languages in the world, which means it’s also highly important for business. It’ll help you whether you want to get a new job, a raise, or start your own company.

But wait! Do you get distracted from achieving your language goals quite easily by YouTube? We can’t blame you. Technology and social media can be huge distractions sometimes. But they can also be a useful language learning tool.

Yes, it’s true that you can learn English and improve the skills you already have by watching online videos. This way you keep having fun scrolling and spending time on the Internet but use it to give your career a boost.

Check out these YouTube channels to learn business English. There’s nothing to lose and a lot to win! We already saw you achieving your dream job in English!

1. Business English Channel

The Business English Channel is mostly a listening channel. That means you’ll listen to a conversation where people talk with words and phrases commonly used in business. This way you’ll start to pick up vocabulary for business and learn when and how to properly use it.

They have videos for daily conversations in the workplace, the best phrasal verbs for work, English for sales, customer service, cost reduction in business and more. They also have some videos showing more than 100 different sentences for different business situations!

In the videos, you’ll see the dialogues play on the screen. So if you’re a beginner you can follow the text while listening to the audio. That way you don’t get lost, understand more, and start associating the pronunciation and sound of the words to their written form.

Some videos have a vocabulary definition part at the end, where they give you the meaning of some words used during the video.

The videos are 100% in English. This is great for immersion, because you won’t listen to any other language but English. Your ear will train to its fullest.

As you can see, you’ll not only learn vocabulary and improve your listening, but you’ll also learn spelling. And if you listen carefully and then pause the video and try to repeat the words and phrases shown there, you’ll practice your pronunciation.

We recommend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQpoelRjitQ

2. English with Jennifer

English with Jennifer – Jennifer has many years of experience as an English teacher and has translated that knowledge and background to the Internet. So you can be sure you’ll learn from a highly capable professional.

Her videos teach many different important topics for the English language. Like how to sound more natural in English, differences between similar words, phrasal verbs, infinitives, idioms, and even vocabulary for Christmas! She goes from fun topics, like tongue twisters, to more formal ones, like perfect modals.

Believe it or not, all these things are important for your job. For example: Imagine you’re going to the Christmas party your English company is organizing… Now you know the vocabulary to talk with others.

Or what if you’re talking with your boss or a client and they use some idioms to express themselves. Because even though they’re in a work environment, idioms are commonly used. You must know what they mean not to be confused and make it awkward, right?

She even has some video tests! With them you can see how much you’ve improved and how much you know about a certain topic. Don’t feel too stressed, though. These are just made to help you see how far you’ve come and what you need to work more on.

What you learn the most with her videos is grammar. This is because she has many videos explaining different grammar topics. Thank god for this! Grammar is highly important for any area of business.

To write a proper email, to impress the recruiters, to communicate your message without confusing others… Good grammar and spelling is a sign of commitment, preparation, and formality.

All of these will help you for your career, but if you’re still looking for videos with even more focus on English business, don’t worry. Jennifer has various English business videos. She specifically has many videos on how to write emails in English.

From greetings and closings to requesting a reply to your email. These will come in handy when having to communicate with your boss or colleagues.

She speaks 100% in English, so you’ll really practice and improve your listening. This also means you’ll be fully immersed in the English language.

That’ll bring many benefits to you! At first, you might feel like you don’t understand everything, but you’ll get better.

Her voice is very soft and doesn’t speak fast at all. So it’s easy to understand her and perfect for beginners.

We recommend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooLI3aock5Q

3. Derek Callan – English for Professionals

English for Professionals – Derek Callan is an English coach that has 20 years of experience! Thank goodness he’s sharing his knowledge online, right? You’ll learn tons with him.

He has videos about business presentations in English, small talk at work, vocabulary for conference calls, salary, writing emails, and even how to interrupt someone politely! The topics he explains and teaches about are incredibly helpful and varied.

There are some classic topics. Then, there are some things you probably wouldn’t have thought of learning for business but that make total sense! For example: How to encourage your work colleagues.

He also has videos to teach you pronunciation of different important business words.

If you’re looking for videos on a particular business topic, take a look at his YouTube playlists. As he has many and they’re very well organized. He has playlists for negotiating, job interviews, tips, and more.

On the “community” part of his YouTube channel, he creates many small quizzes for you to answer. The quiz always shows you if you were right or wrong and which one was the right answer. It also gives a small explanation of the answer.

Plus, it shows you a link to one of Derek’s videos related to the topic of the quiz, so you learn more. This is a great way for you to get an idea of what you know or have learned and keep preparing more.

Most of his videos are very short, around 10 minutes. So they’re great to see between tasks. There are some longer ones for you to watch once you’re calmer and have nothing on your agenda.

As you can see, his YouTube English language channel is very complete. From vocabulary to grammar to pronunciation, you’ll learn all of these things on his channel!

We recommend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di7PjIa0qNg

4. Learn English with Harry

Learn English with Harry – Harry is an online English teacher with more than 10 years of experience. So he’s more than prepared to help you improve. The best of all is that he used to work in business, so he’s very familiar with the jargon that’s spoken in that world.

This means, you’ll be especially benefited from his videos about English business; he knows firsthand what he’s talking about.

He has videos about phrasal verbs, prepositions, mood expressions, and different grammar explanations. There’s even a playlist for videos about grammar rules. He also has videos teaching things that not all schools teach, like everyday expressions, phrases for emotional conversations, polite complaints, and vocabulary for small talk.

Yes, he also has videos for business and work. From phrases for effective communication in business to phrases for online meetings and for job interviews.

As you can see his videos are also very specific towards one topic, like the one about idioms for decisions. They are not general idioms, they’re targeted specifically for when you’re deciding something.

Sometimes, it can be hard for advanced learners to find lessons or videos about language learning for them. They might feel stuck in what all schools or videos often teach and might feel like they already know that. They need something new to upgrade their level even more.

Well, don’t worry. Harry has a vocabulary playlist with many videos for advanced learners. There’s always something new you can learn!

If you want to learn British English, this is the channel for you. Harry’s accent is British, so you’ll train your ear for it.

Oh, and as if that weren’t enough, he also has a podcast for English learning!

We recommend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSzeu2_jXQc

5. UpFlip

UpFlip – Are you ready to step into a more advanced level? Well, in that case you’ve arrived at the right place. “UpFlip” is the perfect channel for aspiring business owners or those who already have a business of any type. Yes, it’s not targeted toward just one job industry and no, it’s also not a language learning channel.

But why is it advanced? Exactly because of what we just told you. They’re not trying to teach you a language nor English vocabulary for business. They’re not language coaches. This is a channel in English about business.

So the people in the videos speak without explaining verb tenses, sentence structures, linguistic things and without trying to teach you words and phrases. They also speak at their own normal speed; they won’t speak slower just so you can adapt your ear and understand them better. No, no. They simply speak.

But they speak about business. They show the behind the scenes of different businesses and interview the owners, founders and CEOs. So that’s what will help you acquire business vocabulary in English. And it’ll be words for all kinds of industries! There’s a lot that you can learn from this channel, business and language wise.

And don’t worry about them speaking as they normally do at a faster speed that maybe a teacher would. That will actually help you tons! It’ll be like an intensive listening course.

No more robotic voices like in the listening exercises at school; these are native speakers. Your listening, pronunciation and accent will be highly benefited from it. At first it’ll be hard, but you’ll be thankful later.

“UpFlip” has videos about a side hustle that turned into a business gaining 1.5 million dollars per year. As well as people going from broke to millionaires, young people that created successful businesses, secrets of 7-figure businesses and of successful business owners… And this is just a bit of all you can see there.

They also show a wide variety of businesses. They go from candles, coffee, and farm to real estate, and cleaning, and many more industries.

How to Learn Business English with YouTube

Subtitles

If you’re a complete beginner, we recommend you add subtitles, so you understand what they’re saying more easily. Especially because this is not a matter of entertainment; it’s a matter of learning a new language. So you need to understand what the teacher is explaining to you.

But, at the same time, part of learning a language also comes with training your ear. And that’s even better when you don’t have subtitles. You’ll force yourself to pay full attention and truly train your listening to understand English. That’s why subtitles are only for beginners.

Once you know a bit more vocabulary and have trained your ear with subtitles on, it’s time to turn them off. You’re ready to take on the challenge. It’s a no subtitles for intermediate or advanced levels.

 

Slow down or speed the video

If you feel like the way the teacher talks is too fast or difficult for you to understand, it’s okay. Don’t feel bad. You’re just learning and listening to a native English speaker can be hard if you’re not used to it. Just slow down the video as much as you need. So you can fully pay attention.

Otherwise, trying to catch up to the speed they talk can get you distracted from the learning topic.

On the other hand, if you feel like they’re going to slow, congrats! You’ve probably reached a new language level and have advanced quite a bit from when you started your language journey.

Some teachers speak slower when teaching a language, because they want the students to fully understand. But now, you need to hear someone talking at a normal speed or even faster. You’re ready to hear a native English speaker at their normal pace.

What you can do to fix this is speed the video a little bit. If it’s challenging again, it’ll make you train your ear even more, so that’s great! Get out of your comfort zone.

 

Read the comments under the video

Some people tend to ask questions in the comment section of a YouTube video, especially if the video is about learning. Of course, a teacher can’t answer every single comment there, but sometimes they do answer a few ones.

So, it’s important that you read the comments, at least some, to see if the teacher answered any important questions. Maybe you’ll learn something there that wasn’t explained in the video. Or what if somebody asked a doubt that you had as well? If the teacher answered it, you’ll have your answer right there.

Comments also work to learn from other native English speakers. Though you’ll find many other learners like you in the comments, sometimes native speakers also like to leave a comment. They like to share things related to the topic of the video.

For example: If the video was about English idioms, they might share an idiom that they also commonly use and wasn’t mentioned in the video. They’ll complement the lesson.

Can I Become Truly Fluent with YouTube?

Sorry to break it to you, but no, you can’t become truly fluent by watching YouTube. This doesn’t mean you’re not going to learn anything from it nor improve the skills you already have. YouTube is an amazing job to do all these things.

Through videos from language professionals, you can enhance your speaking, listening, writing, spelling, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary abilities. But if you want to really master the English language and especially become fluent in it, you’ll still need classes.

That’s where we step in. Fluency Corp is truly committed to your English business learning journey. That’s why we offer corporate language classes with native teachers! What does this mean?

Well, you’ll learn English for your job and needs, so you can tackle the business world. And you’ll do it guided by people that know the language inside out with all its nuances. From formal aspects, like grammar, to the most common everyday things, like idioms.

Since our classes are customized to you, just tell us what you need and want. Do you need to learn how to write a business email? Do you need accent training? Or maybe you need to learn English vocabulary related to marketing. Whatever it is, we can help you!

Oh, and all lessons are based on the Bellieu Method. It consists of encouraging you to speak in your target language in every single lesson! This way you’ll practice your conversation skills, so much needed for the business world, and become fluent in English.

All you must do is choose between our online or onsite classes. Then contact us for a free consultation.

How to Learn Business English Using Netflix

Learning Business English while watching Netflix - blurred TV with Netflix menu in background, foreground hand with remote control in focus while sitting on couch

Business English can feel like its own language sometimes. Even if you have a solid educational background in English and you’ve had a lot of practice in it, speaking English exclusively in a professional setting could introduce you to many unfamiliar words and phrases.

If it makes you feel better, your colleagues who are native English speakers say business jargon drives them a little crazy sometimes, too. However, that doesn’t change the fact that we all need to know at least a little business English in order to perform our jobs and build our careers.

But what if we told you that there’s a simple tip that makes learning business English easier — and it’s even kind of fun? So what is this magic tool? Binging on Netflix or another streaming service. Seriously! Today we’ll share with you some of our favorite shows for learning business English, plus some strategies to speed up your learning.

Why Does Watching TV Help with Learning English?

You may be curious about why shows and movies are such a powerful tool for mastering English. First, they tell stories — and we humans are wired to love stories.

Think about it: Kids get fluent when we read them stories and tell them stories about things like family memories. TV is like storytime for adults. Bonus: When a show or movie tells an unforgettable story, you are also more likely to remember the English vocabulary used in the podcast.

Shows and movies are also conversational. In fact, they’re built on dialogue — and can give you knowledge you can apply to your conversations at work. Watching a popular show can even be a great conversation starter with your English-speaking co-workers. You can all compare notes about the plot twists in each week’s episode.

Stream Your Way to Business English Fluency

If you’re at a B2 level of fluency or higher, you should be able to follow movies and shows like these that take place in a business environment:

  • “The Office.” There’s no better show to start our list with. Yes, a lot of silly situations happen on “The Office.” But many of those situations are grounded in real-life business situations.
  • “Silicon Valley.” If you work in technology, this comedy uses the lexicon of startups. (Just don’t follow the characters’ lead on how to run a business.)
  • “Succession.” Business intrigue is the heart of this much-lauded drama. Since there’s a lot of jargony dialogue and it moves pretty quickly, this show is a good choice if you have a higher level of English fluency
  • “Shark Tank.” This long-running competition show features real-life business titans and aspiring entrepreneurs.
  • “WeWork, or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn.” A great business documentary can be every bit as riveting – and as handy for learning business – as a series.
  • “The Big Short.” Understanding all of the English-language dialogue in this movie about the 2008 financial crisis is basically like earning a business degree.

One more quick note on these recommendations: We made this list based on what was available on streaming services at the time we wrote this article. As you know, services frequently change what shows or movies they have available. So be sure to check for update information if you’re having trouble finding something you want to watch.

English Exercises Using Shows and Movies

So many of the professionals we’ve worked with have successfully used streaming programs like the ones above to dramatically improve their business English skills. Simply watching shows in English is beneficial in itself: The more time you spend with English, the faster you will gain fluency. But there are a few ways you can accelerate your learning even more:

As you’re watching, use an app like Otter.ai to create a transcript of the dialogue. Print the transcript, and then spend five minutes reading it. Highlight words and phrases that are new to you or that you’ve heard at work but aren’t sure how to use in conversation.

Once you’re finished highlighting, take a little time to investigate what those words and phrases mean. If you are working with an English instructor, bring your highlighted transcript to your next class. You could also ask a friend at work.

Either way, be sure to show the native speaker the full transcript so that they understand the context of the word or phrase you’re asking about.

You might be wondering why you can’t just Google this information. Well, you could, but you might get a secondary or outdated definition or explanation. That’s why we always suggest taking your questions to native English speakers. If you do need to use an online resource, we recommend wordreference.com instead of Google or another online dictionary. This site is made by real people who understand context.

After you learn the meaning of the word or phrase, try to use it at least 10 times this week, even if it’s only when you’re talking to yourself.

As you watch a streaming program, pause periodically to repeat what the speaker is saying. Try to capture their pronunciation, tone and intonation. Do this for five minutes. If you hear something interesting or different, bring it to your private English lesson to discuss.

Want to Improve Your Business English? We Can Help!

If you are looking for more ways to improve your business English, we invite you to learn more about Fluency Corp by reading our client testimonials and case studies, or exploring what makes our proprietary Bellieu Method unique and effective.

We’d also love to talk with you about how English language training can support your unique goals. To open the conversation, get in touch with us now.

The Best Podcasts to Help Learn Business English

A man host streaming his audio podcast using microphone and laptop at his small broadcast studio, close-up

There’s English, and then there’s business English. Even if you studied English extensively in school and have a good level of fluency, using English in the workplace could introduce you to many words and phrases you’ve never heard before. If it makes you feel better, your colleagues who are native English speakers probably aren’t fans of business jargon, either.

However, that doesn’t change the fact that we all need to know at least a little business English in order to perform our jobs. But what if we told you that there’s a simple tip that makes learning business English easier — and it’s even kind of fun?

So what is this magic tool? Podcasts! Today we’ll share with you some of our favorite podcasts for learning business English, plus some strategies to speed up your learning.

Why Do Podcasts Help with Learning English?

You may be wondering why podcasts are so effective as a tool for language learning. First, many podcasts tell stories — and we humans love stories. Think about it: Kids become fluent in their first language when we read them stories, tell them stories about family, and watch stories on TV with them.

Podcasts are like storytime for adults. Bonus: When a podcast tells a memorable story, you are also more likely to remember the English vocabulary used in the podcast.

Podcasts are also conversational. When you listen to native English speakers ask and answer questions on a podcast, you’re learning more about conversations in English work — knowledge you can apply to your conversations at work.

Podcasts can even be great conversation starters with your English-speaking co-workers — especially if you can share something you heard on a podcast that’s relevant to your jobs.

Great Podcasts for Business Professionals

If you’re just beginning to learn English, stick with podcasts that are specifically geared toward language learning. But if you’re at a B2 level of fluency or higher, you should be able to follow engaging business podcasts like these:

  • “How I Built This with Guy Raz” As you’re improving your business English skills with the podcast, you might also get inspired to start your own company. “How I Built This” has profiled business leaders like Whitney Wolfe of Bumble.
  • “Planet Money” By using conversational language and fascinating stories, this podcast actually makes it interesting to learn more about the economy.
  • “HBR Ideacast” What are the latest big ideas in business? This podcast will keep you up to date through interviews with top thought leaders.
  • “WorkLife with Adam Grant” Grant is an organizational psychologist and bestselling author who shared innovative thinking about how to make work better.
  • “The Tim Ferriss Show” You might remember Ferriss’ bestseller “The 4-Hour Workweek.” On his podcast, top performers across a variety of fields share their wisdom with Ferriss.
  • “Your Next Move With Kimberly Brown” If you have your eye on a leadership role, be sure to check out this podcast from a leading career expert.
  • “Akimbo: A Podcast from Seth Godin” Godin has long been revered as one of the most creative thinkers in business.

One more note about choosing podcasts that will help you learn business English: Try to find shows where the hosts and guests speak with the same accent that your English-speaking colleagues have.

Quick story: One of our Korean clients had been working in the U.S. for about five years when a British colleague came to visit. He called us laughing after his first meeting: “I didn’t understand anything he said!” He was very surprised at how different British English sounded.

Luckily, the colleague was only there for a day, but we encouraged our client to start listening to some British podcasts if he thought he would be working more with this gentleman.

English Exercises Using Podcasts

So many of the professionals we’ve worked with have successfully used podcasts like the ones above to dramatically improve their business English skills. Simply listening to podcasts is beneficial in itself: The more time you spend with English, the faster you will gain fluency. But there are a few ways you can speed up your learning even more:

  • Print out the transcript of a podcast episode you’ve listened to. (The transcript can usually be found on the episode page of the podcast’s official site or on the podcast platform you’re using.) Next, read the transcript for five minutes and highlight words and phrases that are new to you or that you’ve heard at work but aren’t sure how to use in conversation.
  • Once you’re finished highlighting, investigate what those words and phrases mean. If you have an English instructor, bring your highlighted transcript to your next class. You could also ask a friend at work. Either way, be sure to show the native speaker the full transcript so that they understand the context of the word or phrase you’re asking about. You might be wondering why you can’t just Google this information. Well, you could, but you might get a secondary or outdated definition or explanation. That’s why we always suggest taking your questions to native English speakers. If you do need to use an online resource, we recommend wordreference.com instead of Google or another online dictionary. This site is made by real people who understand context.
  • After you learn the meaning of the word or phrase, try to use it at least 10 times this week, even if it’s only when you’re talking to yourself.
  • As you listen to a podcast, pause periodically to repeat what the speaker is saying. Try to capture their pronunciation, tone and intonation. Do this for five minutes. If you hear something interesting or different, bring it to your private English lesson to discuss.

Want to Improve Your Business English? We Can Help!

If you are looking for more ways to improve your business English, we invite you to learn more about Fluency Corp by reading our client testimonials and case studies, or exploring what makes our proprietary Bellieu Method unique and effective.

We’d also love to talk with you about how English language training can support your unique goals. To open the conversation, get in touch with us now.