Market size and attitude

Problem: English Speaking is very stressful (esp.) for non-native speakers 

Many non-native English speakers say they have lost overall confidence because of their lack of English skills. However, traditional methods of speech training mainly focus on rote memorization and the cost of a 1:1 human tutor is too expensive (= low accessibility).

TAM/SAM/SOM

Interviews

I conducted two interviews, one with a native English speaker and a non-native English speaker.

The main takeaway I got from these two interviews is that speech improvement goes beyond reducing filler words; it’s about improving clarity and conveying the most important points. It seems as though the needs of non-native speakers are different but it is still unclear whether those needs can be addressed.

Quotes from a native English speaker (graduate Med student):

• “I’m more focused on improving the content of my speech than the delivery of it”
• “I prefer to receive feedback from someone who is familiar with the content of my presentation. I once got feedback from someone who helped me focus on the points that were important…I then won an award for that presentation”
• “I don’t feel the need for someone to comment on my delivery. I feel like I can do that myself.”

Quotes from a non-native English speaker (MBA student):

• “I create talking points for my presentations. Rehearsing does not help me because I get too attached to the script.”
• “When it comes to speech improvement, I adopt a first principles approach (i.e., top-down communication).”
• “I’m not quite sure what my speech improvement needs are as a non-native English speaker.”
• “Language not only varies in vocabulary and grammar but also rhythm and tone.”
• “Humor is an effective tool but is difficult to translate.”