8. Why you need to get your accent right to scale your startup

In this conversation, Andrea Vaugan interviews Ben Latour, an accent and fluency coach, about the importance of accent and fluency in English for professionals and executives. They discuss the impact of accent on credibility, competence, and self-confidence, as well as the need for professionals to improve their accent and pronunciation to effectively communicate in an international business context. Ben provides tips and strategies for self-evaluation, improvement, and practice, including recording oneself, imitating native speakers, and engaging in low-stakes conversations to exercise English skills. The conversation emphasizes that accent and fluency are skills that can be learned and improved with practice and guidance.TakeawaysAccent and fluency in English are important for professionals and executives in international business contexts.The way you deliver your message, including accent and pronunciation, is just as important as the content itself.Improving accent and fluency is a skill that can be learned and developed with practice and guidance.Self-evaluation, recording oneself, imitating native speakers, and engaging in low-stakes conversations are effective strategies for improving accent and fluency.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background03:00 The Importance of Accent and Fluency07:18 Improving Accent and Pronunciation09:38 Strategies for Self-Evaluation and Improvement13:06 Exercising English Skills in Conversations17:19 Accent and Fluency: Enhancing Credibility and Competence23:23 Identifying and Addressing Language Blockages28:00 Accent and Fluency: A Matter of Skill and Control31:15 Conclusion and Next StepsHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.