One Year of 'English with Annie' - Highlights and Challenges
“One person told me that they discovered my details through a local WhatsApp group in a tiny town on the Dutch border – so I was very pleased to hear that news of my business was travelling fast! ”
Starting Out
One year ago, I took the leap and officially launched English with Annie, my independent language teaching business. It’s been a year filled with growth, learning, and memorable moments, and I want to take a moment to share some of the highlights and challenges.
I hope that anyone reading this will either get some inspiration for starting out in the self-employment world – or just enjoy reading about what goes on behind the scenes at English with Annie!
Setting Up My Own Business
Starting your own business is certainly not a “walk in the park” (although I do offer this as an English package!).
At the very beginning, I had to consider so many aspects of my business: What do I want to offer? In what format? What should my clients achieve? How do I start with marketing? How on earth do I design a website?
I started by making a mindmap of potential names – but as soon as I wrote ‘English with Annie’, I knew it was the one! I then began writing the text for my website. Although I initially tried WordPress, I quickly found Squarespace to be a more user-friendly version for a beginner, even if a little pricier. I really enjoyed choosing a design style that reflected not only my English teaching offer, but also my personality.
It certainly helped having a brother that works in marketing, to kindly offer feedback on some of my early design choices and wording!
Once the website was up and running, I began building my client base by exploring different marketing channels. I created profiles on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, and shared my ad on platforms like eBay Kleinanzeigen and Nebenan.de.
I also believe that print still has its place - so I created posters summarising my offer and set off around Cologne with a rucksack full of them, leaving them in cafés, shop windows, and on community billboards.
I was keen to get business cards made and this is where my “old person” flip phone case has finally come in handy. The business cards are tucked inside it and are ready to be distributed at every opportunity!
When clients contact me, I always find it fascinating to find out how they first came across English with Annie. One person told me that they discovered my details through a local WhatsApp group in a tiny town on the Dutch border – so I was very pleased to hear that news of my business was travelling fast!
Marketing
On the digital marketing side, I’ve really enjoyed designing creative posts to showcase ‘English with Annie’ – from special offers like Black Friday discounts to my gift vouchers.
The graphic design tool Canva has been extremely useful for designing these kinds of posts and I would recommend it to anybody starting out in this field.
I also attended a brilliant workshop by Caro Gattermann (Bekannt ohne Budget) at a Cologne startup event, where she emphasised the importance of regular social media updates and clearly communicating what makes your business stand out.
Tailored Teaching - Standing Out From the Rest
In a vibrant city like Cologne, there’s no shortage of English courses. Many of them take place in large group settings – and having attended courses like this myself, I can honestly say – there are some real positives. You meet a diverse mix of people, you get to practise speaking in a social and relaxed atmosphere, and often, it’s more affordable.
But I also remember feeling frustrated.
Time and time again, the lesson would slow down to answer questions I already knew the answers to. While it was lovely to chat and connect with others, my main goal was to actually learn the language – and like many adults juggling work, family, and social life, I didn’t have time to waste.
That’s why I shape my teaching differently and make sure that the lessons are completely created around the pace, goals and questions of each person. With fewer distractions and more personalised support, I am able to help my clients achieve their language-learning goals a lot more efficiently – whilst still maintaining the relaxed and social atmosphere of the group settings in light-hearted exchanges.
Unlike traditional courses, my lessons are not part of a fixed curriculum or a coursebook selected by an institution. This means I can respond flexibly to changing needs, current challenges, and real-life situations as they arise – making each session relevant.
During the 15-minute Icebreaker session, I can really hone in on what kind of lesson setup my clients want to pursue. By finding out someone's background in English, their strengths, and what they feel less confident about, I can create lessons that really suit their needs.
Whether helping a professional prepare for a job interview, guiding a new resident through their first conversations in German, or boosting a student’s confidence in English, every lesson is designed around individual goals.
This flexibility is something that larger institutions often struggle to provide, and it’s what makes English with Annie stand out from the rest.
Memorable Moments
Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of working with some wonderful clients. From deep discussions about cultural differences to lighthearted grammar games, no two lessons are ever the same. I’ve seen students go from hesitant speakers to confident communicators, and that transformation is what motivates me every day.
I enjoy creating interactive lessons, using Google Slides to provide a logical structure to my lessons, record useful vocabulary as it comes up in the session (that clients can revisit), as well as provide useful links for further learning between sessions.
One particularly effective session involved a business-focused role play with a client in marketing who wanted to improve their communication with English-speaking partners. I played the role of an unhappy associate, frustrated that an advertising campaign had been delivered late and failed to meet expectations. My client had to stay composed, de-escalate the situation and offer constructive solutions – all in English. It was a challenging and realistic exercise that really helped build confidence in high-stakes communication.
At the other end of the spectrum, I helped another client to write a personal letter to their English-speaking granddaughter – helping them strengthen their relationship through language and build confidence in expressing themselves across generations.
Looking Ahead
As I move into my second year, I’m excited to keep growing and refining my approach. I plan to expand my online presence, offer new learning formats (such as ‘Walk & Talk’ lessons), and continue helping my students reach their language goals in an engaging and supportive way.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far.
If you’re looking for a personalised, flexible approach to learning English or German, or know anybody that does, I’d love to hear from you.
+49 1516 5476303