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Teacher Talking Time is a podcast for language teachers who want more: more clarity, more autonomy, and more lasting impact, both inside and outside the classroom.
Hosted by Leo and Andrew, each episode features thoughtful, in-depth conversations with the educators, researchers, and teacherpreneurs shaping the future of language education. Guests have included Scott Thornbury, Bill VanPatten, David Little, Jennifer Jenkins, John Levis, Angelica Galante, Sarah Mercer, Enrica Piccardo, Claudia Fernández, Shawn Loewen, Paul Nation, Sheila Thorn, and many more.
From the latest in second language acquisition research to honest stories of teachers building lives and businesses on their own terms, every conversation invites you to think deeper, teach more intentionally, and take charge of your professional path.
We release two episodes each month - with full video versions on YouTube - to help you reflect, stay inspired, and grow as a teacher and changemaker.
Subscribe, listen, and join a global community of educators leading with intention.
Episodes
Tuesday Jun 30, 2026
Tuesday Jun 30, 2026
"When you are constantly thinking in scarcity because you're broke... you don't put enough value on yourself, on your time. You will undercharge, you will always look for ways to stretch yourself too thin. And you can also say yes to the wrong customers, too."
We sit down with entrepreneur and BE School founder Zoe Smith.
Zoe Smith is the founder of BE School, a specialized Business English institution that scales corporate communication via an international team of over 50 educators.
A veteran language coach who designs high-touch corporate environments and personally guides Fortune 500 executives, she recently launched The BE Hub: an interactive sister platform providing editable, real-world target curricula directly to language teachers worldwide
In this episode, we discuss:
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How helping build a 50-location Canadian childcare ecosystem proved that corporate clients will gladly pay premium fees for high-value operations.
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Why failing to separate your personal pockets from business capital keeps you acting like an employee.
- How having a newborn and a new business fueled a "failure is not an option" mentality
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How eliminating regular month-to-month invoicing in favour of non-refundable upfront class packages entirely deletes the administrative stress of chasing money.
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What managing C-suite executives reveals about regulating your own internal nervous system against minor operational fires.
- The necessity of duplicating yourself for your business to really take off
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The braveness required to shut down classes with CEOs when invoices weren't getting paid.
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Launching a sister company - BE Hub - without sinking tens of thousands of dollars into technical development overhead.
*Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube.
FOR MORE FROM ZOE SMITH:
OUR PARTNER: E-Solutions for ELT
E-solutions for ELT helps teachers build an online system that works for them by building practical websites, course platforms, landing pages and automations designed around the real needs of their ELT businesses.
You tailor your teaching to your students. Your tech should be tailored to you.
Explore E-solutions for ELT here.
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THE THRIVING TEACHERPRENEUR
Get inspired to start and grow your own education business. Weekly insights, stories, and reflections on education entrepreneurship.
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