¡°Fortune favors the brave.¡±
¡°A man¡¯s life is what his thoughts make of it.¡±

I am inspired by these mottos because I believe that tenacity, guts and brainwork bring worthwhile achievement.

After completing my first master's degree, I turned down Boeing to launch an EdTech company producing interactive multimedia courses for engineering students, which ultimately got my name on planet Mars (no kidding¡ªask me about it!). That company was sold, though it was far from a home run.

I headed to China after completing my MBA in search of investment opportunities and a new challenge. The experience has helped me to better understand the world¡¯s second-biggest economy and oldest living culture. I subsequently learned to speak the language and established a base of relationships¡ªwhat the Chinese call ¹Øϵ, or ¡®guan xi¡¯¡ªwhich have been tremendously helpful both personally and professionally.

Interestingly, I noticed while I was struggling to master their language, so were they eagerly studying English. But they are challenged by the fact that there are but a handful of native-English speaking teachers in China serving more than 300 million students. The serial entrepreneur I will always be, I was inspired to integrate technology with learning, which was how ILE was founded. At ILE we do not only teach English, but also how to use English in global business situations, especially for white-collared Chinese professionals. Our programs are customized, and taught live online.

Experience has been a great teacher, and probably has more in store for me. While I¡¯m confident of my ability to solve problems with cutting-edge technology, it is my persistence, ability to get results and my honesty that keep me ahead in the game. As Winston Churchill said, ¡°Never, never, never give up!¡±

Seriousness aside, I love making new acquaintances. So please do not hesitate to reach out if you would like to talk about EdTech, life in China, or World War II history. Drop me a message on LinkedIn!

A senior executive having worked in the cable TV, internet and media industries, John has extensive experience building organizations in Asia.

John was one of the original team hired by Ted Turner in 1978 to launch the world¡¯s first commercial satellite network and later CNN. He eventually rose to President of Turner Broadcasting Sales, growing revenues from USD 6 million in sales to USD 1 billion, with oversight for a global operation of 550 employees in nine offices worldwide. John had responsibility for CNN, Headline News, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network and CNN International.

In 1994, John formed his own consulting firm. John was hired by Xinhua Finance Limited and asked to move to Shanghai to build an integrated multi-media platform company through acquisitions of China based media companies. He built a portfolio consisting of a market research company, an outdoor billboard company, an advertising agency, a movie & broadcast production company, a newspaper and business magazine and a financial television production group. Later John helped to build a green-themed multi-media company, Alam Bali TV in Indonesia.

Since 2010, John resides in San Francisco where he advises on several Boards and in his spare time enjoys outdoor activities.

John has enjoyed a diverse career in senior operating roles developing international trade, export markets, financing and business relationships in over 50 countries. He has brought his experience, energy and enthusiasm for global education and understanding to his current work in international administration, programs and instruction.

He served as Purchasing Director for capital equipment in the oil field sector, and was the regional coordinator for Spend Management with The CGI Group, a major IT services provider, where he translated data into purchasing opportunities. He also managed sales operations, market analysis, risk management and financial reporting at CGI.

John is a graduate of Tufts and Brown Universities where he earned a BA magna cum laude and MA in Slavic Languages & Linguistics.

If he can find enough hours in the day, he¡¯ll spend as much time as possible enjoying the mountains, lakes and seacoast of New England. He is also a dedicated fan of world music, jazz, photography and all cuisines.

Susan combines 10 years of teaching with 15 years of business experience in corporations, start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures. This broad background allows Susan to share her insights into both the theory and practice of business.

Susan¡¯s experience includes sales, marketing, product development and project management, and she has been an executive level manager. She is an award-winning publishing consultant, having produced over 20 best sellers on computer technology. After her publishing career, Susan started Solomon Communications to train business people on writing, presenting, leading, managing, coaching, negotiating, resolving conflict and other skills. During this time, she also taught these subjects in university schools of business, such as San Francisco State, Western New England and Hartford Universities. Finally, she had a successful political career as Mayor of Sedona, Arizona.

Susan has a BA in English magna cum laude Phi Beta Kappa from Wells College. She earned a Masters and PhD in English from The University of Birmingham, England. She is CELTA certified by Cambridge University to teach English to speakers of other languages. In addition Susan is a Certified Professional Co-active Coach and has coached numerous American business executives.

Susan has lived in 4 countries and visited over 25. She speaks Italian and reads about Renaissance.

Andr¨¦¡¯s professional background spans over several industries, including education, financial services, hi-tech and consumer goods. He has over 18 years of working experience in Asia, Europe and the Americas, bridging business practices across continents.

Andr¨¦ previously was Head of New Platform Development and Member Life at EF (Education First). At EF he developed a new series of products for Career Services and EF¡¯s Alumni Club.

Prior to joining EF, Andr¨¦ was the Managing Director at HCD Global in Shanghai, a consulting firm focusing on strategic marketing and HR management learning & development for MNCs and leading local companies. Andr¨¦ was also a manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers in San Francisco and also held positions with McKinsey & Co. and American International Group.

Andr¨¦ is an avid wine connoisseur and occasionally runs wine tastings to share his passion with others.

Andr¨¦ speaks five languages. He holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BS in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley.

Terry is a former Shell executive with 30 years of experience in Canada, the US and China. At Shell Canada he handled operations and strategy for a enterprise with CAD 9 billion turn over and over 600 staff. In 2004, he took up the challenge to head Shell¡¯s downstream business in China and the retail businesses in Hong Kong and the Philippines. This experience ignited his passion to live and work in Asia. Terry¡¯s achievements included creating stronger businesses in Asia, mapping out organic growth strategy for China while also getting a major new JV with Sinopec off the ground. His team¡¯s growth efforts in China netted a Shell global award in 2006.

Since 2007, Terry is an independent consultant. In addition to providing expert consulting services about energy industry players and the investment banking community, Terry has devoted a significant amount of his time to developing global leaders in Asia. Terry works as a consultant and coach to executives and executive teams across a wide array of industries. He brings his experience to help today's leaders become more effective in addressing opportunities and challenges, and better preparing them to achieve their future potential.

When not working, Terry enjoys hiking, climbing and cycling in rugged locales as well as learning new cultures and languages.

Jeoff is a graduate of Capella University where he earned a Ph.D. in Organization and Management with a specialization in Leadership. He also has an MBA from Lindenwood University, and a BS in Aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

Jeoff has enjoyed a career in the aerospace industry for over 30 years and led engineering teams in Supplier Management, Robotic Systems Development and Test, Production Engineering, Logistics Engineering, and Depot Operations.

He recently served as Manager of a Supplier Management team with responsibility for ensuring that suppliers meet production requirements while minimizing costs. He implemented proactive processes to address supplier issues before they actually occur in order to optimize the quality of suppliers¡¯ products and their ability to meet delivery commitments.

Jeoff enjoys hiking when he gets the opportunity to do so and is an avid fisherman. He is also a big jazz and gospel music fan.

Julie has an extensive career coaching business professionals to bridge cultural gaps and improve communications for career success. She is particularly accomplished at helping Chinese business professionals understand, adapt and succeed in US and Western business environments.

In addition to her role as an online business coach at ILE, Julie has taught at school districts in Massachusetts, Washington and Colorado, where she focused on helping students overcome language and cultural barriers, as well as successfully learn and understand English. She has also worked as a manager and coordinator for a variety of school programs and Chinese cultural events.

She is fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, and Shanghainese. She also has 13 years of teaching experience with ESL, Chinese Bilingual, and gifted programs.

Julie is a graduate of Boston University with a Master¡¯s in Education. She is a master swimmer and tennis player, and enjoys photography, dance, art and films.

Kristian¡¯s professional background has been in the insurance and financial services sector serving individual and business clients for the past 15 years. He has also been adjunct faculty member teaching university students in this capacity for the past 7 years.

As a financial consultant, Kristian has found satisfaction helping clients secure their future by offering solutions for their insurance and retirement needs. He currently teaches in the fields of international business, economics, organizational behavior, and cultural diversity.

Kristian is a graduate of Baker Center for Graduate Studies and Taylor University where he earned an MBA with an International Business concentration and a BA/Environmental Science in International Studies with a Spanish Language and Literature concentration.

During Kristian¡¯s free time, he likes to relax while fishing, hiking, and playing the piano. He also enjoys volunteering for a community ESL program that reaches out to visiting scholars at the local university.