While I cherished my academic journey, I soon realized that the most invaluable lessons in life do not solely derive from textbooks but rather from embracing life's experiences and venturing down unconventional paths. Learning various languages has broadened my perspective and equipped me with the adaptability to thrive in diverse circumstances.

Could you share highlights from your career in languages and startups, and discuss some key moments that have significantly shaped your professional path?

Learning a foreign language and growing a business have a lot in common. Neither can be achieved without resilience! Both require learning from mistakes and seeking advice and feedback from others. Having learned multiple languages has greatly developed the skills I needed for the business.

To master languages, I immersed myself in local cultures to learn from native speakers. Similarly, for business and personal development, I established my personal advisory board. This way, I gain insights from industry experts and seek guidance from those who have overcome challenges I face at different stages. My international network is a key element in my professional path: Through this network, which I foster in different languages, I gain valuable market insights, enhance access to resources and collaboration opportunities, and build credibility and reputation. Most importantly, I receive feedback and support from mentors from all over the world.

What inspired you to create Zaloa Languages? Please share the core concept of the business and its main areas of focus.

I grew up in a very monolingual environment. Learning multiple languages has opened every possible door in my life, from job opportunities to gaining new perspectives through the eyes of other cultures and establishing deeper connections with people. On the other hand, language creates barriers when it's not learned. I wanted to show the world that truly everyone can break those barriers!

Our approach at Zaloa differs from typical gamified language platforms that focus on having fun. We offer strong motivation to achieve fluency by connecting our language learners with job opportunities. Our effective proprietary method helps learners progress from beginners to fluent speakers. We understand that learning a language is not the final goal for our customers but rather the key to breaking barriers and achieving their life goals!

A business leader's path is often filled with obstacles. Can you discuss some of the significant challenges you face as an entrepreneur? How do you address these challenges?

When I started my company, I thought the most difficult part would be taxes and laws or having enough clients. Little did I know about the most unpredictable challenge: managing people! Every stage of the company requires a new skillset of people, and your team has to evolve and grow with the company. Managing this, especially in a cross-cultural context, is a very complex part of business management. Another significant challenge is the sheer volume of daily issues, which can be overwhelming and often obscure the positives of running a business. This burden is a common reason why many startups fail—not from workload but from the weight of responsibilities. Addressing these challenges requires focusing on personal growth and well-being. As a Founder, maintaining and enhancing your well-being toolbox is crucial, using these tools effectively to manage entrepreneurship pressures and support both personal and business growth.

You also provide strategic guidance to startups. Could you elaborate on the different areas you focus on as a startup advisor?

I primarily mentor early-stage startups and venture programs, initiating with a status quo analysis to pinpoint areas such as product-market fit and refine business models. However, my advisory work goes beyond business analytics as I believe it is necessary to see the bigger picture, including the founders' personal barriers. Products and strategies can be changed; almost every startup undergoes at least one pivot. The founders' resilience and how they react to challenges are the true game-changers and significantly impact business success. Every founder should develop a toolbox for those situations. As a society, we need to learn to be more authentic; we’ve all dealt with challenges at some point. Why not encourage each other to talk about those and share the tools that have helped us?

Anja Spilker, Founder & CEO, Zaloa Languages

Anja Spilker is a polyglot entrepreneur and lifelong learner with a passion for startups and connecting people across different countries. Born and raised in Germany, she has lived in France, Switzerland, Canada, and Mexico. Currently, she splits her time between Mexico, the US and Europe.