In the globalized ecosystem that we live in, language has become a very significant bridge that connects people, irrespective of their region, culture, and various other identities. Language, being the primary mode of expression, is directly connected to the social well-being of any individual, ultimately impacting mental health due to the alienation caused in a multicultural setting.
Imagine you are in a professional space where the majority speaks English and they find it hard to comprehend regional or other national languages. Where would this lead a non-English-speaking individual? How would that individual manage the professional and casual interaction? It is obvious that social isolation caused due to language barrier will take a deep toll on one’s health.
This was realized by Bryce Purnell (an English Teacher) when he was hospitalized for three weeks and observed that many doctors lacked English comprehension and speech fluency, causing inconvenience to many patients.
Upon inquiry, Bryce found that non-native speakers find discomfort in the language, which becomes a roadblock for them to learn.
Mitigating this fear and empowering non-native speakers to express themselves efficiently, Learn Laugh Speak—an English learning platform, took an intuitive approach to teach its students through structured learning. Under the standout leadership of Bryce Purnell, the Founder, Director, and Teacher of Learn Laugh Speak, this online academic school delivers its program to large-scale companies, ensuring that each person acquires a unique experience and English proficiency tailored to their current knowledge and needs.
Let’s dive in and learn what Learn Laugh Speak has to offer.
Bryce, kindly brief us about the Learn Laugh Speak company and the ideas that led to its inception.
Learn Laugh Speak was created from the idea of how difficult it is for adults to make progress when learning English in companies. As I set out to find something new, I moved to Mexico because of my love for the country.
I moved there and started teaching English, realizing that there was a massive disconnect between companies wanting their employees to learn English and students needing to learn English. Without any way to track real progress and no systematic way to learn such a complex topic, I knew there was something we could do to change this.
What are the key operations run by the company to serve their needs in acquiring the skill necessary for the English language?
We use advanced voice recognition to provide 33,000 lessons that cover reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The key benefit for students is that every student learns on their own custom journey specific to their level. We target adult English learners who are too busy to get to class one-on-one with a teacher. Group lessons for adult students just do not work. So we ensure that every student can learn when they want, where they want, and as much or as little as they want per day.
What are the unique qualities of Learn Laugh Speak that have distinguished your services from others?
We are the only application for learning English that is fully aligned with all the international testing parameters set by the Common EU framework of reference for testing. Our English program covers reading, writing, speaking, and listening and is recognized for learning by 44 countries and can be used by students looking to pass immigration tests in Australia, Canada, the USA, etc.
I might add that Learn Laugh Speak is the only company founded, created, operated, and directed by native English teachers. We are based in Sydney, Australia, while most of our competitors are not from native English-speaking countries.
Bringing a unique approach from a business perspective and as a native English teacher is what I believe sets us apart from other companies in the world.
Please brief us about how the company has managed to attain a global reach of clients today.
We have managed to climb to 4,000 users in the last few months. We are doing well with our students. I have no intention of pushing this company before the end of the year. Next year, we have some plans on the horizon with a couple of large international companies. I have made a point to my small team that we need to ensure that we have our students’ journeys smooth and correct. We are already working with over ten international companies that have multiple teams using our applications. I often get referrals from these companies as our applications do work. Students do learn. We do not need to have a strategy or plan for global domination when I know what we are doing works.
How are you making an impact in the lives of learners?
Last night I told my girlfriend that my mission here was always to help people who could not learn English due to many factors better their lives. From companies providing my applications to people currently living in small villages in Mexico, to them speaking English.
Some of these students never went to school. They did not have the opportunity to learn English. This is what I do this for. I believe people in the world should have access to English, and if they want to better their lives through English, they should be able to. This is no longer about whether people went to university. I want to help those who want to learn.
How can Learn Laugh Speak’s software help to improve Digital Therapeutics for the treatment of medical disorders or diseases?
A year ago, I was ill with something that nearly took my life. As a result, I spent around three weeks in a hospital, fighting for my life. Not all the doctors could speak English, which worried me.
At present, some of these doctors are now using my application. I think all medical journals in the world are printed in English, and the need for English in this sphere is massive. To increase their knowledge, and like I said, adults need to learn. They have the chance to learn now with us. They do not need to attend embarrassing classes that take a great deal of time.
As an experienced leader, what advice would you like to give to enthusiasts who are aiming to transform the healthcare industry through language training?
I encourage them to give our applications a go. We do not provide anything but simple progress in one of the spheres needed.
I urge them to reach out to me directly, give our application two weeks of learning, about three hours per week, or 20-30 minutes per day, and see the progress they make. Not only will they find their confidence level go up, but our software will also encourage them to make mistakes.
What are the future goals of the company? How do you envision upscaling its operations and reach in 2022 and beyond?
I soon plan to finish setting up our Latin American office. In the near future, we plan to open our business development office in New York by early next year. Although my heart lives in Mexico, and my love for this country is so strong with my partner and her family here. I will venture back to Sydney in the coming months to see my family for Christmas. The next year, in January, we will have our office open in the big apple.
