Before your trial session
Good. You've booked — there's nothing else you need to do to prepare. This page tells you what to expect when we meet, and gives you a sense of what I do and whether it's the right fit for you.
One quick question before we get started — helps me orient the session toward what actually matters for you.
Helps me prepare the right material for you.
What you're here for
Most of my students already speak English well. The issue is what happens under pressure. In a boardroom, on a client call, in an interview — the ideas don't come out the way they should. The words are there. The structure and confidence aren't.
Talk Business is built to fix that. It's a structured, repeatable methodology for professional communication — not vocabulary lists or grammar drills, but a system for how you think, organise, and deliver ideas in English in situations that actually matter.
Each session uses a real business video — WSJ, the Economist, Bloomberg — as raw material. You summarise it, analyse its arguments, debate the data, and deliver a formal opinion. A 9-step workflow moves you from casual warm-up to boardroom-level speaking in a single session. 75% of the time you're talking, not listening. Feedback is specific and immediate — not "good job", but exactly where you lost the room and why.
Read more about the methodology →What the 25 minutes looks like
This isn't a get-to-know-you chat. I'll put you through a real sample of the methodology so you can judge for yourself whether it's the right fit.
No preparation needed — show up and we'll work from there. If you have a specific work situation in mind, have it ready to mention.
Want to make more of the session?
A full session is 50 minutes. The trial gives you 25 — enough to get a real feel for the methodology, but we'll usually be mid-exercise when the time runs out. That's not enough time to finish the work properly or give you a full picture of where you are.
If you want to extend to 50 minutes, I'll add the extra time at the same rate you paid for the trial. You get a complete session, a full analysis of your speaking, and a clear plan for what to work on. Just message me before we start.
Each session is built around a real business video
Below are a few examples from the library. You don't need to choose anything for the trial — I'll pick something appropriate.
If you extend to 50 minutes, you can pick a topic or bring your own video or article.
Submit a YouTube link or article and I'll build the session around it. Send it at least a few hours before we meet.
What you're here for
Most preparation focuses on general skills. This doesn't. When you have something specific coming up, the most useful thing is to work directly on that thing.
Bring your actual material — your presentation deck, your meeting brief, your pitch outline — and we work on the language, structure, and delivery for that exact moment. Your words, your context, your audience.
Most teachers can't do this well. They don't have the business background to understand what you're actually saying. I do.
What the 25 minutes looks like
The trial isn't a get-to-know-you chat. We focus entirely on the material you've brought from minute one.
- · Have whatever you are preparing ready to share — a deck, a document, a brief, even rough notes. The more specific the better.
- · Know your audience — who are you presenting to, and what do they care about?
- · Know your goal — what do you need them to think, feel, or do after?
Want to make more of the session?
A full session is 50 minutes. The trial gives you 25 — enough to get a real feel for the methodology, but we'll usually be mid-exercise when the time runs out. That's not enough time to finish the work properly or give you a full picture of where you are.
If you want to extend to 50 minutes, I'll add the extra time at the same rate you paid for the trial. You get a complete session, a full analysis of your speaking, and a clear plan for what to work on. Just message me before we start.
What you're here for
Most candidates prepare answers. The ones who perform well under interview conditions have practised something different — thinking clearly and speaking confidently when the question catches them off guard.
We run mock interviews from the first session. I ask the questions your interviewer will ask, including the ones you're not ready for. You answer under real conditions. Feedback covers structure, delivery, and how you're coming across — not just what you said.
The goal is to sound clear and composed when the pressure is on.
What the 25 minutes looks like
The trial isn't a warm-up. From the first minute, we treat it like a real interview situation.
- · Know the role and company name — I'll use it to tailor the questions
- · Have the job description open if you can — even a rough idea of what they're looking for helps
- · Think of one question that's been tripping you up — we can work on it in the debrief
- · Be ready to answer cold — that's the point of a mock interview
Want to make more of the session?
A full session is 50 minutes. The trial gives you 25 — enough to get a real feel for the methodology, but we'll usually be mid-exercise when the time runs out. That's not enough time to finish the work properly or give you a full picture of where you are.
If you want to extend to 50 minutes, I'll add the extra time at the same rate you paid for the trial. You get a complete session, a full analysis of your speaking, and a clear plan for what to work on. Just message me before we start.
What you're here for
Most students underestimate the speaking component. It has specific scoring criteria, and examiners are looking for specific things — things that aren't obvious unless you know the rubric.
Every exercise we do maps directly to the band descriptors or scoring criteria for your exam. You'll know exactly what the examiner is looking for and how to deliver it.
Targeted preparation for the test you're sitting, nothing else.
What the 25 minutes looks like
The trial simulates real exam conditions from the start — timed tasks, specific feedback on the criteria that determine your score.
- · Know which test you're preparing for — IELTS or TOEFL
- · Know your target band or score
- · If you've sat the test before, have your previous score ready
- · Be ready to speak under timed conditions — that's what the session simulates
Want to make more of the session?
A full session is 50 minutes. The trial gives you 25 — enough to get a real feel for the methodology, but we'll usually be mid-exercise when the time runs out. That's not enough time to finish the work properly or give you a full picture of where you are.
If you want to extend to 50 minutes, I'll add the extra time at the same rate you paid for the trial. You get a complete session, a full analysis of your speaking, and a clear plan for what to work on. Just message me before we start.