We to We features members who have built their companies on the WeWork platform.
In today’s competitive global market, it’s critical for professionals from various industries and backgrounds to be able to communicate effectively. When Jen Carmody moved to Miami, a city rich in professional and cultural diversity, she encountered many individuals who were struggling with English and felt self-conscious about it. “I kept meeting people who would say to me, ‘Oh, my English is so bad!’” she says.
Carmody, who has a background in education, realized that people might be missing out on opportunities purely because their English language skills weren’t strong enough to succeed in a business setting. To fill this gap, she launched her “business English” consulting service, JC Language Consulting.
Stationed in WeWork Brickell City Centre in Miami’s bustling downtown area, Carmody talks clients through everything from grammatical nuances to American pop-culture references. There’s a strong demand for Carmody’s expertise—and she doesn’t have to look far for clients. She uses the WeWork member app to find them.
“I find 100 percent of my new clients by posting advertisements and messaging individuals directly on the WeWork app, which is one of the reasons why I chose WeWork as my headquarters,” says Carmody. “The community is a wonderful perk of working in the space.”
Her company’s motto is “Individualized Attention,” she says. “The WeWork ecosystem includes a strong range of industries, and I serve all types of professionals, from realtors to CEOs.” Carmody works with clients to refine their written and verbal use of English, including on important emails, for presentations, meeting and sales preparation, social media profiles and posts, real estate listings, and other business documents. “It’s gratifying to see how people’s progress in the language boosts their careers and extends impact in different ways,” she says.
Carmody’s client Juan Yáñez, CEO of the Americas for NTT Data company Everis, originally asked her to proofread and translate his business documents. But she also took the time to learn about Everis’ business so that she could illuminate the various ways accurate English would improve Yáñez’s performance in his role.
English is the common language used at Yañez’s global meetings, so being more proficient amplifies his ability to conduct business effectively. “Jen has been a patient English consultant who hasn’t made me feel like our work together is simply a translation process,” says Yáñez. “She has been genuinely happy to learn about the types of conversations I have when I travel and the various types of presentations I give. This helps me feel more confident, and that is instrumental in my business interactions.”
For Andrew Stepanchuk, a member along with Carmody at WeWork Brickell City Centre, Carmody has been an ambassador to both the English language and to the WeWork community. Stepanchuk’s app, Bizlect, uses a QR code to connect consumers to a company’s promotions, coupons, products, and services. It also facilitates booking appointments, payment capabilities, and direct messaging. Stepanchuk, who moved to the U.S. from the Ukraine last year, recognized the opportunity to market and test his products at WeWork. But as his English isn’t perfect, he relied on Carmody to help him connect with others in the building.
“Jen has advised on and proofread all the text in the Bizlect app,” says Stepanchuk. “But perhaps more importantly, she has accompanied me to WeWork events and boosted my confidence and proficiency in using the English language for networking. She understands the value in connecting with the larger community.”
As a result of Stepanchuk’s efforts and Carmody’s support, members from WeWork Brickell City Centre use Bizlect to facilitate operations and improve the attendee experience of their promotional events. It’s that sort of synergy that energizes Carmody. “Through WeWork’s community, I’m able to help my clients not only navigate the English language but also the larger entrepreneurial ecosystem in general,” she says. “I feel a strong sense of purpose in empowering such creative professionals—and I learn from them as much as they learn from me.”
Carmody’s business has grown since she joined WeWork, and now she employs a team of 10 teachers who speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and French. As Miami’s business community continues to support a diversity of cultural and professional backgrounds, Carmody’s expertise will remain a key asset in her WeWork location’s ecosystem. “The more success stories I witness firsthand, the more I enjoy taking on new clients and understanding the ways I can support their growth,” she says.
Nate Howell is a global marketing manager at WeWork and writer for Ideas by We, focusing on entrepreneurship and the ways in which companies use WeWork’s platform to build their businesses.
