Is Your Spoken English Holding You Back? | Follow to Master It | Accent & Fluency Specialist | Executives, Founders & Teams Hire Me To Become Top Tier Communicators 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇬🇧 | Fluent in 5+ Languages

You’re brilliant in your native language.
You’re a confident and credible leader in your field.
But in English, it doesn’t 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 like it - and it’s costing you.

You might be competent at reading & writing in English,
But the moment you open your mouth, it's like you're not as sharp...
It's like they're working extra to understand you, and it's not getting better.

You feel it in meetings. In pitches. At events.
You know you’re not being seen as the expert you really are.

That’s what we fix.

I help international professionals speak English with 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑦, 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒, and 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦, without needing to sound 100% native or study for hours a day.

We get real-world results:
	•	Ismail tripled his US sales in 3 months.
	•	Louise now leads European teams with confidence.
	•	Serge grew his law firm internationally and speaks at global events.

Our method works fast, because it’s not generic.

We start by identifying your highest-impact pronunciation, fluency, and communication issues with a data-backed diagnostic.
Then we build a 𝑐𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑚 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑚𝑎𝑝 that targets the 20% of habits holding you back, and upgrades them step-by-step.

It’s called the EAR Method:
• Energy – Speak without strain or hesitation
• Accent – Sound clear and natural, not “foreign”
• Recognition – Be seen as the expert, not just “the person from ...”

We measure your progress.
We train with impact.
We make your English work 𝑓𝑜𝑟 you, not against you.

I’ve personally used this method to pass for a native in 6 languages, in under 3 months each time.
But this isn’t about me. It’s about your voice being heard, respected, and remembered.

If you’re not at a 9 or 10 on Energy, Accent, and Recognition…
It’s time to change that.

Book your consultation and get your custom roadmap:
www.latourlanguage.com

Ben Latour 🗣️

You can have perfect grammar and vocabulary,
but people still won't understand you correctly.
Why is that?

If people correct you when you speak English,
and all you can think is: 
"That's what I said!"

The issue probably isn't your sentence structure.
(Especially if this never happens when you write an email)

Instead, ask yourself what you actually sound like when you talk.

Are you accidentally saying something different?

Take this example:
My client used to always confuse the TH and F sounds, because the TH doesn't exist in his language (French).

So,
Whenever he wanted to say "three", he said "free".
If he wanted to say "thirst", he said "first"

You can see how that could get confusing.

So next time you think about improving your English with more vocabulary and grammar, ask yourself first:

𝐷𝑜 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑦 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼 𝑎𝑙𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑦 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤?

If not, studying more vocabulary and grammar will be a waste of time until you fix the real issue.

It doesn't take much to sound like a pro.
Just like it doesn't take much to make foolish mistakes.

It's time to rethink your approach.

Unlock Your Spoken English | Pronunciation & Fluency Specialist | Executives, Founders & Expats Hire Me To Become Top Tier Communicators 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇬🇧 | Fluent in 6+ Languages

No alternative text description for this image

❌ Tu veux passer le TOEIC? 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞.
✔️ Tu veux être clair et compétent à l'oral pour ton prochain panel/pitch/podcast en anglais? 𝐓𝐮 𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐮 𝐛𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐭.

🇺🇸 English Pronunciation Quiz
Select your response, then check the comments for the answer.

Not sure if you're clear when you speak English?
Do you often make embarrassing mistakes?
Do you feel less impactful in English?

Make sure your pronunciation is accurate first.

Take the first step by joining the Weekly Fluency Intelligence

Link in the first comment.

🇺🇸 In ONE of these words, the S sounds like a Z. Which one?

How I became fluent in Korean. Master English the same way.

When I finished my degree in linguistics, I had a theory:

That no matter your skin color, 
Anyone can pass for a native speaker of an other language.

So I went to a place I knew nothing about.
With a language completely different than anything I knew.

And I applied the exact method I teach today,
To see if I could pass for a native speaker
(over the phone 😉)

4 months later, I succeeded.
Starting from ZERO prior knowledge.

When I started teaching business English classes in Korea,
I decided to take a few of the lowest-level students aside,
To test the opposite methodology the school made me teach.

And to everyone's surprise, 
The worst students became the best.
Suddenly others were asking 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 for tips!

Eight years later, 
I teach executives & founders the same methodology 
that helped me become fluent & confident in 6 languages,

So that the English they already know actually reflects
the expertise and credibility they have in their native language.

Start with pronunciation.
Set a specific goal.
Lots of feedback.

The rest is all details.
Send me a message to find out more!

latour-language-coaching

li_at

JSESSIONID

Talks about #anglais, #english, #confidence, #communication, and #accentreduction

Shubham S.

Brand Manager at Dole Singapore-Malaysia | Consumer Goods Marketing | Helping new marketers grow in their careers

A believer in the power of brands to influence sustainable lifestyle choices, I love scaling brands from 1 to 10 rapidly. 

-------- Current Role:----------

At Grab, to grow key QSR brands’ reach and revenue in SEA. I am handling end to end enterprise services on Grab for them. 

-------- Past Roles:----------


I was building Kind Kones, a plant based ice cream brand with no palm oil or negative additives. 

Whether it's door to door selling to presenting in board rooms, I donned every hat with humility. 

I helped a team of 40+ people to expand the business in SG/MY/Middle East. 

Before that,  I expanded Dole's business through in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Mongolia and Brunei. 

I also led Dole juices launch in Jollibee, Fairprice and 2600 7-Eleven stores, apart from regular retail listings and marketing.

Previously, I was leading marketing and BD for India business where I helped Dole reach $1M + revenue in Year 1, including co-branded partnership with McDonald’s in 150 stores.
 
I also love to distill interesting marketing and startup concepts to help young folks grow.  

Hence, I write on LinkedIn. 

-------- Japan experience:----------

Previously, I was the youngest Project Lead in Japan in Energy sector but soon realised my heart was in marketing. 

To confirm that my heart's voice isn't a quarter life crisis, I conducted food tours in Tokyo, dabbled in own sandwich business and consulted in food industry. 

The love for marketing was confirmed!  

The issue of sustainability is also close to my heart. 

-------- Student life:----------

So, prior to FMCG life, I published research papers in the field of Sustainable resources and technologies like Bio-fuels, Bio-Lubricants, Gas Emission control and also filed a patent related to Fuel Oil Storage. 

I have also developed a sub-$100 Solar Dryer for rural community which can work beyond sunset.

My outdoor interests range from Copy Writing, Geo-politics, Snowboarding, Mountain Trekking.  Food-trotting in groups and other times I can be found writing and creating food recipes.

Chief Operating Officer

2016. Japan. Age 23.

Got a call from my manager:  

“Fly to Malaysia. The boiler we shipped to a power plant site is leaking.”

🍍A leaking boiler is a potential blast hazard.

I had zero experience fixing one.  

Never been to Malaysia.  

Never seen a construction site.

Yet I packed my bags and flew out — no plan, no backup.

Day 1 — 9 AM.  

🍍The site manager looks at me, goes hysterical, and throws a pen in frustration.  

Not because I was late or rude but because my manager had sent a rookie.

Stunned but focused, I rushed to inspect the damage.  

By end of the day, I had a 15-day plan to fix the mess — weekends and nights included.

We worked quietly, keeping it off the client’s radar.  

Formed a team, found local fabricators, poached workers, and used Google Translate to communicate.  

It was messy, scrappy, and relentless.

16–17 hours a day.  

40°C heat.  

Rain, mud, and welding sparks.

🍍We finished the job in 13 days. 

I stayed another 18 months.  

The “rookie” who showed up clueless earned respect through hustle, despite abuse. 


Get your hands dirty when you’re young.  

Future corporate struggles will aww cute! 


#shubhamspeaks

Shubham Sharma 🍍

Grab | ex-COO Kind Kones | Bain Advisory | P&L Management | QSR

Boomerang! 

A few years ago I was working on scaling Dole banana plantations in Vietnam, 

Away from the Philippines as climate change was bringing plant diseases rampaging miles and miles of plantations. 

Today, the alternative Dole Vietnam farms are up and running and supplying my current office at Grab. 

That’s what I love about tangible consumer businesses, 

you can see sustained visible impact. 

Banana Boomerang! 


#shubhamspeaks

I was the only judge with no banking-lending background 

in a shark-tank like pitch sessions by Grab’s fin-tech folks. 

I felt a little out of place initially but soon caught up. Thanks to my struggles being an SME operator previously. 

And boy! the passion to serve the underserved individual businesses such as a food stall owner was palpable. 

🍍The aggregators with who the small operators interact daily do have a better chance of serving the short term cash or even cheaper ingredient needs. 

Using the whole Grab ecosystem of mart, mobility, payments gives us a better chance to help than traditional ways. 

Kudos to the winners for creating a win-win product for food stall guys and us. 

Thanks for organizing Yesh Gunewardena. 


#shubhamspeaks

Few books leave you with an impression, 

Rare are those which are implementable. 

Ikigai 365 is one of those. 

Congrats Shivendu Nadkarni for co-authoring this gem. 

The book is set is Japan and takes you through 4 seasons of life (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) as a metaphor. 

Each chapter talks about a normal person finding reasons to feel fulfilled. 

Whether it is caring for someone, watering plans, serving that ramen everyday, it’s the small pleasures that give meaning to life. 

🍍I anxiously think about my purpose when I will grow older. 

It will definitely be around mentoring and serving people (not gadgets, expensive toys) 

🍍So , The one that most resonated with me was the story of Masako san, who even at 83, after death of her husband, runs a Ramen shop with just 2 items and practices dance to feel alive. 

It’s not about survival, everytime she finds hard to go, the look on a satisfied customer keeps her going. 

I lived through the same feelings during my life running an ice cream chain. It’s funny despite our differences, I can relate. 

That’s the beauty of this book. 

You can relate to and reflect on any phase of life. 

Well done, Shiv and team! 


PS: I am gifting 3 copies of this. Comment below if you would love to have one. Amazon link in the comments. 


#shubhamspeaks

Hilarious consumer insight from my Vietnam trip,

'We don't want to smell like fried chicken in the day', 

So, we order delivery. 

Certain fried chicken brands have really old stores with limited seating and bad ventilation. 

It has repulsed the consumers, especially women, from dining in and opting for delivery instead. 

Hence, the lunch segment is very strong in Vietnam.

The future is delivery-focused, sleeker & cleaner stores in VN. 

HVAC guys? that's your cue. 

#shubhamspeaks

As I wrap up my trip to Jakarta, I’m leaving with 2 powerful takeaways that speak volumes about Indonesia’s dynamic trajectory.


🇮🇩 The Rise of Homegrown Champions

I couldn't help but notice the palpable sense of national pride in domestic food and beverage brands.

From the iconic flavors of Pagi Sore and Sari Ratu to the modern coffee culture of Fore Coffee and Kopi Kenangan, my Indonesian friends vehemently insisted I try them all.

This push signifies more than just great taste; it reflects a nation's growing economic self-esteem and the success of local entrepreneurs. 



🍍Leading with Heart

The team, particularly under the leadership of Roy Nugroho, is one of the best I have encountered in the region. 

Their true north star is fostering genuine relationships and authentic care for our clients. 


Especially amid the intense platform and merchants competition, it is hard for brands to tread solo and this team becomes their partner towards growth. 


A huge thank you to the team for the valuable insights and partnership this week. 


Sampai jumpa lagi, Jakarta!

Everyone's raging over fried chicken. 

Yet the QSR industry is ignoring a monumental, profitable opportunity: 

🍍 Sauce forward-Healthier Chicken (rotisserie/grilled).

This is a massive strategic error because it misses the fastest-growing consumer segments:

The Health-Conscious Mover (40% are looking to cut fried)

The Gen-Z protein person (75% are looking for natural proteins)

People who are purchasing from non-QSR local brands. 

These are customers willing to pay a premium for quality.

🍍Here's something I would love to see: 

🍍 Introduce a high-margin Rotisserie/Grilled Protein Bowl or "Guilt-Free Wrap." 

This uses the new protein as a premium add-on to existing menus, appealing to the customization trend.

🍍 Operations: Zero cooking oil, Batch cooking , combi-oven and high humidity heaters to keep the chicken moist. 

🍍 Flavor & Transparency: Use bold, global sauces (Soy Garlic, Chili-Lime) to make the roasted chicken exciting. Market it based on wellness attributes like "Lean Protein" and "Clean Prep."

The first major QSR brand to successfully scale a premium, non-fried chicken menu will win future consumers. 

What do you think? 


#shubhamspeaks

Unpopular opinion: 

Brands who let Marketing lead the relationship with food aggregators win long term, 

Brands that let operation/delivery folks run the show find it hard to grow the user base and overindulge in promos. 

This is very true for franchisees who see food aggregators as solely a delivery channel 

and not as a marketing channel. 

I have seen QSR/Coffee/dessert brands triple their business in 18-21 months once they switch to marketing happens. 

If you are a franchisor or franchisee, time to audit this relationship. 



#shubhamspeaks

The narrative that QSRs thrive just because consumers are broke is fundamentally flawed. 

In 2025, flat pricing guarantees margin compression.

The winning strategy is the Barbell Playbook:

🍍 The Barbell Menu: Drive essential traffic with low-margin value items, but secure profitability with high-margin LTOs (the 'heavy' end). This is crucial for boosting the average check size.

🍍Margin Amplification: Integrate cultural merchandise or character collaborations (like Labubu) with premium LTOs. This delivers vastly superior margins beyond food cost alone.

🍍Digital Segmentation: Use food aggregators (30-50% of sales) strategically. Push high-margin LTOs through these channels to reach the ready-to-spend customer, while handling low-margin volume in-store.

This strategy executed by leaders optimizes for both traffic and profit across the polarized income spectrum.

What's your observation on this? 

#shubhamspeaks

taplio

The Battle

Ben Latour 🗣️

Shubham S.

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreBen Latour 🗣️'s LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreShubham S.'s LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Ben Latour 🗣️

Shubham S.

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Ben Latour 🗣️'s LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreShubham S.'s LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreBen Latour 🗣️'s LinkedIn Performance