When I left school, with few qualifications, little did I know how my life would pan out.  I went to live with my aunt & uncle just outside Paris for a year, looking after my cousins.  This opened my eyes to France and although I’d holidayed here, I truly fell in love with all things French.

I then moved to Germany as an au pair and weirdly, all my friends were French!  Only speaking French and German, meant that I (apparently) spoke German with a French accent!

I went back to education and did a degree in French & IT (bit of an odd choice, but I was thinking about technology and maybe moving to France again.)  The French part of the degree meant I had to spend another year in France, darn it!  I moved to Lyon and shared an apartment right in the very centre – lucky me!  I worked as an administrator at a company that managed randomised clinical trials.  Incredibly interesting and my French went from strength to strength.  I loved the ethos of everybody taking lunch together at a nearby restaurant every day!  Completely different to the UK where most people eat at their desks …

Fast forward to now - +20 years in the corporate world, using French with my European counterparts alongside a smattering of Spanish and German, I truly loved my job and I got to eat lots of fried chicken!

I remember visiting a food warehouse with a Spaniard, a German, a Frenchman and a Dutchman – the warehouse was in the UK and therefore it was my supplier.  It was grubby and really needed a clean and to be honest, I was embarrassed.  The Dutch are known for their straightforward talking, sometimes too straightforward.  Instead of enquiring ‘when is the next clean scheduled for?’ he went straight in with ‘Its ******* dirty in here!’  (Its easier to swear in a foreign language as the words do not quite mean the same when translated.)

My supplier was offended and I could see them switching off from the visit and not wanting to show anymore of the warehouse.  This was a classic case of understanding how to communicate more effectively and to use better language.

I find language fascinating – not just the nuts and bolts of technical grammar, but the language used in everyday business to get the best results.  From the restaurant teams to the board room, in supplier negotiations and making small talk at conferences, using the correct language is intrinsic to getting the most from people – and good people are what makes a business successful.

So, using my knowledge and experience, I’ve now trained to teach Business English to help people learn to make the most of themselves and to get the best results.  Along with all the corporate training I’ve received along the way, including HeartstylesTM for many years (google it – it’s amazing at coaching you to be your best self), I really can lead and support you through learning Business English.

(I can also teach you French!)