The InFluency Podcast

In this interview, I'm bringing Jelena to the stage! Jelena is one of my New Sound and Beyond students from Serbia, who now lives in the US.

When she arrived, she could barely leave her apartment. She avoided grocery stores, doctor's appointments, and meetings with her supervisor. Today? She's a research fellow, teaches salsa in English, and has a thriving social life she once thought to be impossible.

In this conversation, she shares:

What it really felt like to be isolated and dependent on her husband's English
The turning point that proved she could communicate outside a "safe environment"
Why pronunciation work was the key that unlocked her confidence
How mindset shifts that changed everything
What she'd recommend to anyone stuck in the same loop she was in

This is the kind of conversation I love having: a public catch-up with a former student who is living proof that English doesn't have to be an obstacle to the life you want.

👉 Learn more about New Sound: https://bit.ly/4uqgMuD 

👉 Practice with my Sprints for free: https://bit.ly/43pCotf 

Jelena's story is not unique, it's what's possible. If you've ever avoided a doctor's appointment, stayed silent in a meeting, or felt like a different person in English, this one's for you. ❤️

Are you actually learning vocabulary the right way? Most English learners aren't, and it's holding them back from real fluency!

In this episode, I break down the vocabulary groups every English learner has, why your passive vocabulary is secretly your biggest asset, and the #1 mistake people make when trying to memorize new words (hint: it's all about quantity vs. quality)!

If you've ever felt like you know a word but can't find it when you're speaking… this episode is for you! ♥️

Download my FREE vocabulary planner: https://bit.ly/3XiF0qv 

Join Beyond: https://bit.ly/4nrfM5N

Take the quiz and find out your stage: https://bit.ly/3PbGOl0

Want to move up and need a boost to make it happen? Join Beyond Community? https://bit.ly/4nrfM5N

For years, we've been told that fluency is measured from A1 to C2.

But those levels measure grammar and comprehension.
They don't measure how you show up when you speak.

You can be "B2" and still avoid conversations.
You can understand everything… and still feel anxious when it's your turn to talk.

So what if fluency isn't about levels…
but about stages of speaking confidence?

In this video, I introduce a different way to think about fluency! With the 5 Speaking Stages. 

1️⃣ The Avoider
2️⃣ The Anxious Speaker
3️⃣ The Brave Speaker
4️⃣ The Challenger
5️⃣ The Influencer

✨ Want to find out YOUR stage?

Take the Speaking Stage Quiz here! https://bit.ly/3PbGOl0

Get ready to practice with me!

In this lesson, we're going to train our pronunciation and vocabulary by shadowing an iconic scene from The Matrix.

Shadowing is one of the most effective ways to improve rhythm, stress, intonation, and connected speech. Instead of just listening, we repeat with the speaker in real time. We copy the melody, the reductions, and the flow.

In this episode, we will:

Break down key pronunciation challenges
Practice connected speech and reductions
Learn natural vocabulary from the scene
Repeat together step by step

And more! 

Download the Matrix PDF here: https://bit.ly/3MMXI8L

Have you seen that trend going around on social media where native speakers share a word they mispronounced once… and it still haunts them years later? Today we're turning those viral confessions into a pronunciation lesson 🙈

You'll learn how to pronounce Hepatitis, chihuahua, paradigm, fatigue, stomachaches, Yosemite, Arkansas, Connecticut, chaos, elbow, and manslaughter. 

I'll explain where the primary stress goes, why some letters are silent, how American pronunciation changes certain sounds, why English spelling can be so confusing and why even native speakers get it wrong!

Here's the truth: English is not a phonetic language. You cannot always guess the pronunciation from the spelling. That is exactly why mispronunciations happen. And not just to non-native speakers.

If you want more lessons on pronunciation, fluency, and building confidence in English, make sure to subscribe to my FREE Accent Crash Course! https://bit.ly/3BnPC0S