From Sweden to Seoul to Austin…They built a school, built a family, and built a life most people only dream about.

Andy & Jenny Knopp join me to talk about love, leadership, culture, and what happens when you bet everything on each other.

–––––––––––––––––––––

What happens when your first date turns into a pitch deck—and then into a life in Seoul? In this episode of Coursen’s Corner, Spencer sits down with Andy and Jenny Knopp, the husband-and-wife team behind Gangnam English Academy, a wildly successful English-immersion preschool in the heart of Korea’s most competitive education district.

They unpack the stark differences between Korean and American education, why Korean parents push for fluent English by age five, and how their school grew from two students to a fleet of buses—almost entirely through word of mouth. Andy and Jenny share why speaking and confidence matter more than perfect grammar in the early years, how baking, music, and play become powerful language tools, and what they look for when hiring teachers who can actually connect with kids.

Their conversation also dives into the realities of running a business with your spouse: learning to step away, empowering staff, setting (and breaking) boundaries between home and work, and rediscovering individual passions while raising a family on two continents. If you’re a parent, educator, or entrepreneur—or you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to build a life and a company overseas—this episode is packed with insight, honesty, and heart.

🎧 Topics Include:

• Why Korean parents push for fluent English by age five—and how the system differs from U.S. education.
• How Andy and Jenny built Gangnam English Academy from two students to a full-scale immersion school.
• The real challenges of running a business as a married couple (and how they learned to fight fair).
• What makes great early-childhood teachers—and why kindness and energy matter more than credentials.
• How stepping back empowered their staff and gave them the freedom to build a healthier family life.

–––––––––––––––––––––

🔗 Connect with Andy & Jenny Knopp

📧 email: [email protected]
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/andyknopp
🌐 Website: gangnamenglishacademy.com 

🖇️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyknopp/?originalSubdomain=kr 

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seoulsistersblog/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andyknopp1/ 

–––––––––––––––––––––

🔗 Connect with Spencer Coursen 

🌐 Website: https://www.SpencerCoursen.com 

🎙️Podcast Guest Submission Form: https://www.spencercoursen.com/guest-submission-form-podcast 

📰 My Newsletter for Life-Saving Tips: https://spencer-coursen.beehiiv.com/

📸  Follow Spencer on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.coursen/?

📖 Purchase "The Safety Trap" by Spencer Coursen: https://a.co/d/3KXG4y2 

👨‍⚖️ Hire Spencer Coursen as your next keynote speaker: https://www.spencercoursen.com/public-speaking  

–––––––––––––––––––––

Special Thanks To:

⌨️ Podcast Recorded Studio: Record ATX 

https://www.recordatx.com/  

🎶 Theme Song: "Underground Moments" by Cushy: https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/bd4f94e1-a84b-4859-8eaf-09bab32426f0/ 

🎬 Ronin6 Media

https://www.Ronin6.com