E24: Quit His Job, Moved to Costa Rica & Built a Spanish School

Chris Reidy, founder of Tico Lingo in Costa Rica, shares how he built a Spanish immersion school from scratch and the transformative power of language learning through real-world practice.Guest Bio: Chris Reidy is the founder and program director of Tico Lingo, a Spanish immersion school based in Heredia, Costa Rica. Originally from Chicago, Chris moved to Costa Rica in 2015 and turned his own struggles with language learning into a thriving business that now serves students from around the world.Topics Discussed:How to reach Spanish fluency through immersionWhy U.S. schools fail at language educationStarting a business abroad as an AmericanLegal and tax challenges in Costa RicaWord-of-mouth and organic marketing strategiesCultural nuances of Costa Rican Spanish and hospitalityOvercoming betrayal and burnout as an entrepreneurThe role of homestays and real-life practice in language learningTop 3 Quotes:"Language is best learned with human connection—apps can’t replicate the spark you get from real conversation.""If you want to build something meaningful, be prepared to sleep on a yoga mat and eat rice and beans for months.""We don't do much marketing—we just exist, and people talk about us because the experience speaks for itself."📺Watch the full podcast on YouTube➡️https://youtu.be/Ax4co0z3A2k?si=f6kYkGL0B4BaIxnt 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!