Buy one, get one free? Introduce your friends and get a free toaster? Sell your own grandmother (on the value of English) and get a free bag of irregular verbs? Doesn’t really make me want to pay for English lessons. So what does? I offer a few thoughts among the cherry blossoms above.

My book, The Tower English Way, has more details, available here: https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

I’ve been busy completing my latest textbook for adults, Free Talk Conversation 4. I talk about it above, but you can download the Kindle version for free and the paperback version for the lowest price I can set it for the next few days (until the price reverts to ¥6,000 for the paperback and ¥999 for the Kindle). So hurry up and download for free or purchase the paperback for super cheap while you can from https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0GTSPYF7J or any Amazon site, but the three most common are below:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

It’s the best of numbers and the worst of numbers when it comes to business.

More thoughts in my book, available at https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

How you can do something nice for your students today that will pay off in the long run, though you can just do it to be nice.

More thoughts, in my book available at https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

While I wait for the English muffin shop to open, I fill you in on the three biggest dangers for self-employed English teachers in Japan and what to do about them. More details, of course, in my book available at https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

The number of students you need to have a viable teaching business in Japan is a lot lower than you might think*.

More details at https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

* TL:DR… 40 students paying ¥8,000 a month (for four lessons a month) should be your first target. I said ¥8,000 per lesson in the video, I meant ¥8,000 per month!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

Hey, ever feel like you don’t belong? Or don’t want to belong? Join the club… or not, as the case may be.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

I thought I’d try making a video short that might serve some purpose, so here’s 10 pieces of wisdom in 60 seconds from 20 years of teaching English in Japan. My book, The Tower English Way, has more details, available here: https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

A few thoughts (sparked by listening to New Yorkers arguing about money) that might help you on your journey to self-employment.

The episode where I talked about what kind of money you might expect to earn as a self-employed English teacher in Japan is here:

The painting at the start of the video is one of mine. Details at https://artbypatricksherriff.substack.com/p/teganuma-rainy-evening

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

Do you have what it takes mentally to teach English in Japan? I can’t speak for you, but I can tell you how I approach teaching, which has served me well for 20 years. What about you? Do you have the mindset to thrive as a self-employed teacher?

The sketch at the beginning of the video is one of mine, details at https://artbypatricksherriff.substack.com/p/newsprint-nude

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com