No matter whether you have started your language business recently or you’re ready to make your first hire, growth can feel extremely messy and confusing. Especially in the language world, where there is relatively little business support for big-hearted empaths like you.
If we’re not being bombarded with messages like ‘you can’t make much money in languages’, we’re being told that we need to find an entirely new niche, send cold messages and keep persisting with the same old strategies until they work. ????
Having built a six-figure business in this industry and helped over 800 people grow their own language businesses, I can tell you that all of this is total BS.
You don’t need to abandon your values, work with unaligned people or wait for months and months to move forwards. And FYI – you definitely CAN make good money in languages.
So, with that, I want to share the 4 biggest things that will accelerate your growth as a language leader (that don’t require you to enter your bro marketing era).
#1: Take bold, risky action – and take it FAST
Language business owners often assume that they need more knowledge to move forward. But let me tell you: more knowledge is ONLY helpful if it’s accompanied by action.
The most successful language business owners I know have tried (and failed) with different strategies more times than you would believe. You may not see the ugly side of things on their social media pages, but it’s the hard truth of growing your business. The only way to find out if that new social media strategy or new course idea will work is to try.
Scary? Yes. But the faster you take action, the less time you will have to dwell on things not panning out. You’re already making the next bold move. And who knows, that may be the move that changes everything.
#2: Invest in help at every stage of growth
Experimenting and taking bold, risky action isn’t the same as taking a throw-spaghetti-at-the-wall approach. You should be making decisions as strategically and logically as you can. And that may mean seeking support from experts.
I’m a big believer in investing at every stage of your business (even at the start) because every stage brings new challenges.
It’s true that you can probably figure out most of the answers on your own (or with the help of Google). But this ALWAYS takes longer than investing in support from someone who has walked that path before you.
The truth is: if you want to grow your language business quickly, investing is the only way.
What should you invest in? That totally depends on your stage of business. Download my free guide to assess exactly what steps you should take to next grow.
Friendly note! PLEASE be careful to do your research and choose someone that aligns with your values and approach. There are too many sharks out there these days.
⚡ Related: 5 Reasons Why General Business Courses Don’t Work
#3: Commit to doing the mindset work
This may sound a bit woo-woo, but hear me out.
Growing a language business is about so much more than strategy and numbers. It takes grit, determination and a certain amount of confidence to claim authority and leadership in the industry. And that has much more to do with your attitude than anything else.
If you are not careful, your mindset can very easily get in the way of growing your language business. So, as you upgrade your systems, your processes and your offers, make sure you’re also carving out time to upgrade your mindset too (that’s where coaching comes in).
If you don’t believe you can do it, it won’t happen.
#4: Trust your instinct and follow your heart
It doesn’t matter if you’re starting a teaching business from scratch or you’re hiring your first team member. Every stage of business can feel uncomfortable. When this happens, it’s normal to feel lost and confused and look to people you admire for inspiration.
But this may send you down the wrong path because what works for one business owner won’t necessarily work for another.
The single best way to grow your business quickly is to basically ignore what everyone else is doing. Trust YOUR instincts. Follow YOUR gut. Stop chasing trends, and be unapologetically yourself. This may feel risky, but believe me when I say that this is where the magic happens.
Ready to take the next step to grow your language business?
Download my FREE (unofficial) CEFR guide to find out what stage of business you’re currently at and the exact areas you should focus on to reach the next one.