Topics Discussed

In the interview, Jan and I discuss:

• Why most people need more motivation, not information.

• The many similarities between learning a language and launching a business (e.g. the importance of doing the uncomfortable few tasks that truly matter instead of sticking inside one’s comfort zone).

• Why Jan and Olly rebranded “Language Influencer” to “Langpreneur.”

• How to transform one’s passion for foreign languages into a profitable online business.

• How to scale and automate a language business, and go past trading hours for income.

• An overview of Langpreneur’s workshops and masterminds.

• Jan’s language learning journey, polyglot “origin story,” and international travel adventures.

• The importance of having a strong enough “WHY” to learn a language.

• Why languages are means to communicate and connect with humans, not an academic subject.

• Why he co-founded the LanguageBoost blog, YouTube channel, etc.

• The power of reading what you listen to (e.g. using an app like LingQ).

• What a typical day of language learning looked like for Jan in his 20s, and how he maintains languages now in his 30s amid having a new child, another on the way, building a house, and running a business full-time.

• What language adventures are next for Jan.

• Why apps like Duolingo can be a useful augment in language learning, but why there is no replacement for directly practicing the skills that matter (listening and speaking).

• What Jan has changed his mind about in the world of language learning and language entrepreneurship.

• Jan’s top tips to get started in “langpreneurship” right away, and the importance of defining a specific enough niche (ideally a “niche within a niche”).

Concepts, Events, People & Resources Mentioned

• Olly Richards (Polyglot & Founder of StoryLearning)

• Richard Simcott (Polyglot)

• The Polyglot Conference

• The Polyglot Gathering

• Langpreneur Podcast (Rebranded as CreatorSmarts)

• Lingoda

• Gabriel Gelman (Polyglot & Founder of Sprachheld)

• Johan Tekfak (Founder of Français Authentique)

• Luca Lampariello (Polyglot & Founder of Smart Language Academy)

• Steve Kaufmann (Polyglot & LingQ Cofounder)

• Anki (Spaced Repetition Flashcards)

• Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

• Duolingo