I’m Kirsty Wolf and since 2012 I’ve been helping multilingual professionals to find their voice in English.
Why do I do it? Because I know how it feels to be in a meeting or social event, wishing I had the confidence to speak. Speaking isn’t usually a problem for me. I love to get to know others, share ideas, and learn new things. But when it comes to speaking in my additional languages (German, Romanian, and European Portuguese, in that order of fluency), I also know how it feels to overthink things, to plan the perfect sentence and then miss the opportunity to say it, or to really wish that others could get to know who I really am. Not the version who reduces what she wants to say because she can’t find all the words or doesn’t have the courage to take some language risks!
Languages have fascinated me since my school days and whilst I love my work supporting people with their English, my day is boring if I don’t have input in my other languages too! Whilst growing in fluency and confidence makes communication easier, there’s always something new to discover. Language learning is an adventure, not a mountain to climb.
I enjoy working with people
I enjoy working with people and empowering them to grow in confidence and fluency when speaking or writing English. Seeing people using their new skills in their every day lives gives me a great sense of job satisfaction!
I think this is also why I enjoy working with translators – they are people who are as passionate about languages as I am!
Most of my work tends to be with clients from Europe, but in total I’ve worked with multilingual professionals in over 22 countries. I love the way in which I can travel round the world and learn about other cultures without leaving my desk!
I know how it feels to use my languages professionally
I’m a life-long language learner as well as a trainer. I am confident using my German skills now, but I remember times when I wrote lengthy emails so that I didn’t have to pick up the telephone! I know how difficult it can be to feel confident about using another language, but my personal experience also shows that it is possible.
Now, although most of my content is in English because this works best for my international audience, I also create content and attend events in my other languages. This is great for brand visibility, but I know first-hand that it’s much harder for me to explain the next year’s social media strategy in Romanian than it would have been in English!
Using my other languages, especially German, is great to get to know potential or new clients, to figure out their challenges and be curious about what they need. But I also know how it feels to prepare for a sales call that will only be in German – something I’d find much easier in English!
It’s as though there are four versions of me, one for English and one for each of the other languages. Getting to know them is fascinating and a daily adventure in self-discovery, but I’m also trying to bring each of them closer to the real me so that people can get to know who I really am. I also help others to do the same.
I am adaptive and creative
My programmes are designed to bring practical results. We all learn in different ways and need different things. My mentoring programme, for example, follows a structure and I’m transparent about what that is. But each time I run it, it’s completely different … because each participant is different. I like to take the time to get to know each of my clients individually … because a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t help anyone!
I have first-hand experience in a role where effective language is essential
Before working as an English teacher, I was a Communications Manager within central government. Although this was not a teaching role, the effective use of language was central to my work and I often worked with others to help them to convey their messages clearly and succinctly. This work and my previous positions gave me experience of working in an English-speaking business environment. I know what people actually say and which textbook phrases are no longer used!
Let’s start a conversation!
Katharina said: “I took part in Kirsty‘s “Speaking skills for freelance translators” course and found a very supportive and judgment-free zone where I could practice my professional speaking skills. While I already had a solid command of conversational English, I tended to stumble over my own words when I had to spontaneously react in English – something I did not want to happen when talking to potential clients. The group consisted of three participants which turned out to be the perfect size for each of us to get enough opportunities to speak during each lesson. The sessions focused on different topics surrounding our freelance business and while Kirsty would lead us through the conversation, she also didn’t stop the natural flow of the conversation which I found very enjoyable. When one of us made a mistake, she corrected us on the spot and gave more background info if necessary. This was a very positive and enjoyable experience and I definitely feel more comfortable now speaking English in a professional setting. So, if you want to brush up on your English speaking skills, I highly recommend giving Kirsty’s courses a”” try!”
If you have any questions or you want to talk about working with me, send me a message (in English, German or Romanian) using my contact form. We can arrange a 30-minute introduction call to find out more about what you need and how I can help. No pushy sales tactics – just a genuine conversation to see whether any of my programmes or events will help you to move forward to both discover and use your voice in English. It’s important to me to offer programmes at different price points – ranging from a monthly conversation club membership to the one-to-one mentoring programme, with a number of services in between.
English with Kirsty News contains articles and other information for learners of English as well as the latest news from English with Kirsty.
My short video introduction
And when I’m not working?
- I love talking with people and discovering their stories.
- I love spending time in nature in the company of animals.
- My favourite animal is the dog and I love golden retrievers!
- The picture on some of my messaging platforms is when I met two wolves. They are real! Meeting and spending time with them was a day that I will never forget.
- Listening to running water calms me and I’m happy to be out in the rain, especially on a hot day! Snow is cool too!
- I’m a night owl and I need a good supply of coffee!
- Every day I want to have conversations that inspire me and to learn something new.