OnlineBound with Elena Mutonono
76 episodes - English - Latest episode: 18 days ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingOnlineBound with Elena Mutonono is a podcast for online language teachers and coaches who are tired of cramming more client hours into their day and look for ways to grow their business in a smart, lean and sustainable way.
In this podcast we explore the topics of authenticity, sustainability, values, efficiency, resilience and creativity when running an online teaching business in an oversaturated language teaching market.
We will broaden our horizons, challenge our mindset and forge our own paths amidst loud and demanding voices of scarcity and pursuit of fast profits at any cost.
Together we will build resilience as we journey into the unknown, commitment to the change we seek to make and faith in creating a better world by connecting people across cultures through teaching languages online.
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Episodes
Leo Roux on the power of creating learning spaces that cater to queer language learners
June 27, 2024 05:15 - 33 minutes - 19.6 MBIn this episode, Leo Roux shares his journey as a queer language teacher. After getting his CELTA certificate and starting to work with students, he noticed something wasn't right. Eventually, he realized that he didn't feel comfortable sharing his queer identity in the ELT community. Partly, this is because most ELT materials are biased toward straightness. He decided that he wanted to create a safe learning space for the queer community. Now he is able to be himself and provide a safe ...
Clare Whitmell on overcoming the fear of collaborations
June 20, 2024 05:15 - 34 minutes - 22.1 MBIn this episode, Clare Whitmell talks about her first experience hosting a summit. She shares her enthusiasm for collaboration and describes how she has changed her mindset about it. A year ago, Clare was very uncomfortable with the idea of collaborating because she felt insecure and feared rejection. But once she approached it with curiosity, things shifted. By using the self-coaching tools in the Smart Teacher's Library, she was able to overcome her anxieties. Now she fully embraces co...
Chris Pontiroli on taking action before being ready
June 06, 2024 05:15 - 29 minutes - 17.3 MBIn this episode, Chris Pontiroli describes all the changes she's made since she joined the Smart Teacher's Library. After months of hesitation, she gave it to herself as a birthday gift. Once she made the decision, she was all in and immediately started putting the ideas into practice. She's already sold her asynchronous programs to 70+ students in the past year. The Library brought a sense of community to what can be an otherwise lonely career. And the self-coaching tools have allowed h...
Yann Le Bouhellec on taking tiny steps towards working more sustainably
May 23, 2024 05:15 - 25 minutes - 15.2 MBIn this episode, Yann Le Bouhellec shares his journey as an online language teacher. After the first year, his calendar was full but he was looking for alternative ways of teaching. He tried to create an online course, but it ended up being even more work than his 1:1 sessions. He was wanted some direction and a support system to guide him. After discovering the Smart Teacher's Library, he's already making great progress. He's discovered the magic of asynchronous teaching and has already...
Aude Bellezanne on giving herself permission to fail and work on her own terms
May 09, 2024 05:15 - 25 minutes - 16.5 MBIn this episode, Aude Bellezanne and I talk about the benefits of a supportive community. She shares her insights about how her mindset and approach to teaching have transformed. After receiving her teacher training in isolation during Covid, Aude had a lot of clients but was overwhelmed. She knew she wanted to make changes and that she needed support to do it. After joining the Smart Teacher's Library, she learned that she could charge more and say no without second-guessing herself. Sh...
Luke Thompson on reaching 1 mln subscribers on Youtube
April 25, 2024 05:15 - 49 minutes - 31.2 MBIn this episode, I'm speaking with Luke Thompson who just reached a million YouTube subscribers! We talk about why he loves making content and the challenges he's faced. Luke explains why language teachers feel burned out over time, whether teaching in-person or online. For him, creating videos provides a lasting satisfaction that he felt was missing. He also talks about his struggles to commercialize his creativity through premium content. Finally, he shares techniques for staying focus...
Oli Cooke on how to help yourself with money anxiety
April 11, 2024 05:15 - 38 minutes - 22.3 MBIn this episode, Oli Cooke shares insights about how he was able to overcome a lifetime of anxiety. By using Rapid Resolution Therapy, he has shifted his mindset and his coaching. As a language teacher, he first understood the role of the unconscious mind in learning. He discovered that miscommunication with the unconscious prevents clear thinking. Currently, he's focused on helping online entrepreneurs overcome their anxieties about money. He explains how it's possible to shift your min...
Elena Mutonono on the power of reflection
March 28, 2024 05:15 - 33 minutes - 26.4 MBWelcome to season 7 of OnlineBound! This season, I'm excited to share a revelation that has become an integral part of my business. To succeed, we need the power of evaluation. This can be scary for a lot of reasons. It's much more tempting to chase dopamine hits by running from one course, or program, or coach to the next, hoping for "the answer." Listen in to learn the three questions I ask myself after every launch. This was a game changer that took the focus off my disappointment and...
7 Reasons for Resistance to Move Forward in Business + Join the Library!
January 26, 2024 19:59 - 33 minutes - 49 MBOur Smart Teacher's Library is now open! I invite you to join and make changes to your business this year: https://www.elenamutonono.com/smart-teachers-library-2/ If you choose the annual membership, you get a bonus diagnostic session with me + a few other lovely goodies. Looking forward to seeing you there, Elena
Teach languages online more sustainably in 2024
January 17, 2024 20:51 - 11 minutes - 16.7 MBWelcome to 2024! Here's my tiny message to you, with some encouragement and a nudge to start moving towards building a sustainable business. First stop: my masterclass called From 1 to Infinity. https://www.elenamutonono.com/masterclass/ You can join and watch this 3-part training to get the tools and the how-tos on moving away from 1:1 classes AND you get an invite to my bonus class called Program Readiness Checklist, only available to the participants of the Masterclass! I hope you'll ...
Szilvia Papp on reviving her marketing by working on her mindset
December 21, 2023 06:15 - 34 minutes - 18.5 MBIn this episode, Szilvia Papp describes how self-coaching helped her when her business hit a plateau. Despite having a successful community on Patreon, she knew she needed support. She talks about how going through a difficult time in her personal life was affecting her business. She wanted to find a way to create more stability and take control of her emotions. Through the use of self-coaching tools, she was able to turn her anxiety into curiosity. Channeling that curiosity into trying ...
Cara Leopold on being grateful for not quitting
December 07, 2023 06:15 - 37 minutes - 19.7 MBIn this episode, I'm talking with Cara Leopold about the temptation to quit her small business. She shares her thoughts on what gives her motivation when she's facing doubt. We talk about mindset and how self-coaching can help us identify our blind spots. We also discuss the value of promoting yourself and how to get more comfortable with promotion. Finally, Cara shares her revelations about what she wasn't doing in the past and how to own her mistakes. This process has helped her focus ...
The Smart Teacher's Library is currently open for a short time!
November 30, 2023 19:59 - 15 minutes - 21.7 MBAre you looking for support on your online language teaching journey? Are you building your business but finding yourself overwhelmed and overworked? If this podcast has helped you and if the values communicated through my work resonated with you, I want to invite you into our community today! The enrollment is currently open through December 5, and you're welcome to join (the bonuses are dope!). Listen as I talk about it (in my own words and with a grass mower somewhere in the backgro...
Nina Asseng on bringing more playfulness into launching
November 23, 2023 06:15 - 30 minutes - 21 MBIn this episode, Nina Asseng talks about how self-coaching helped her to recover from a disappointing first launch. She broke free of her negativity and gained mental stability. After taking her "failure" very personally, Nina became overwhelmed by the rollercoaster of emotions that come with selling. She sought support in the Library to help her manage them. Now, she has the tools to analyze her results, learn from them, and adjust her approach. Her launches are more playful and natural...
Masha Honcharova on taking action after years of thinking about action
November 09, 2023 06:15 - 24 minutes - 15.8 MBIn this episode, I'm talking with Masha Honcharova about how to move beyond ideas into taking action. She shares her transformation and describes her personal "aha" moment. She sought out coaching because she didn't have any family members who could advise her on her business. She knew she needed to find someone with similar experience. After spending years on courses, events, books, and other personal development, she decided to take the leap. And though it's been a big learning curve, ...
Estefania Fernandez on shifting her mindset around money
October 26, 2023 05:15 - 24 minutes - 16.5 MBIn this episode, Estefania Fernandez talks about how she was able to change her money mindset. This allowed her to raise her prices and adjust her beliefs about teaching. After months of trying to reach a specific goal, Estefania decided to get help. Within a few months of starting her coaching program, she succeeded in making 1k euros/month. Now she uses the self-coaching tools from the Smart Teacher's Library to analyze her strategy. This practice allows her to learn from her experienc...
Talita Nakagawa Rochetti on cutting through overwhelm and getting clarity
October 12, 2023 05:15 - 28 minutes - 19.2 MBIn this episode, Talita Nakagawa Rochetti describes how self-coaching helped her gain clarity. She went from feeling distracted and overwhelmed to becoming empowered. She talks about her initial struggles with selling and marketing, and how she overcame them. She also describes how she was able to stop procrastinating and be more autonomous. Now she self-coaches when something is holding her back and focuses on serving her clients. She's found that by gaining clarity herself, she's able ...
Clare Whitmell on what to do when nothing works (after years in business)
September 28, 2023 05:15 - 37 minutes - 25.7 MBIn this episode, I'm speaking with Clare Whitmell, an online English teacher specializing in fluency. She tells the story of how she changed her mindset when nothing was working. For a long time she tried different strategies, looking for a tactic that would bring success. But with coaching, she realized that she needed to focus on her offer and how to launch it. Clare shares the ways that shifting her mindset has helped her feel confident about promoting her services. She's now saving t...
Claudia Alvarez Calderon on taking tiny steps towards big dreams
September 14, 2023 05:15 - 29 minutes - 15.1 MBMy guest for this episode is Claudia Alvarez Calderon, an online teacher of Italian and Spanish. She shares her insights on how her confidence has grown over the past six months. She shares the reasons that she joined the Smart Teacher's Library and the benefits it has provided. She also talks about the power of community and having some accountability. We talk about how she's transitioning to teaching asynchronously, and the freedom it provides. She also shares the mindset shifts that c...
The Smart Teacher's Library and my thoughts on sustainability
September 11, 2023 17:26 - 17 minutes - 25.7 MBHey Friends! The Smart Teacher's Library is now open, and I hope you join us this time. There's a lot of materials to access, but I'm most excited about the group coaching, the collaborations and the self-coaching tools that will help you manage your emotions and shift the way you think about your business and your future. If sustainability is something you want to pursue, join us to find support and guidance on this journey! Learn more here: https://www.elenamutonono.com/smart-te...
Season 6 Trailer
September 07, 2023 05:15 - 2 minutes - 1.91 MBOnlineBound is a podcast for online language teachers and coaches who are tired of cramming more client hours into their day and look for ways to grow their business in a smart, lean and sustainable way. In this podcast we explore the topics of authenticity, sustainability, values, efficiency, resilience and creativity when running an online teaching business in an oversaturated language teaching market. Listen to the trailer to learn more about the mission of this podcast.
What it means "to make an offer."
August 24, 2023 05:15 - 19 minutes - 27.4 MBIn this (final) episode of my mini-series on sales, I talk about the importance of making offers, why posting on social media doesn't qualify as "making an offer" and what you need to know about one of the most common objections your students will bring up, "Now is not the best time." To dig deeper into the subject of selling something that's not 1:1 classes, check out my upcoming training on sales: https://www.elenamutonono.com/sell-asynchronous-program/
Why it's hard for online language teachers to sell on social media or through content
August 17, 2023 05:15 - 22 minutes - 31.9 MBIn this episode you'll hear about selling on social media and through your other channel: podcast, blog, Youtube channel, etc. I break down the process of sales in several important lessons I've learned over the years and give examples from my own experience as someone who used to resent sales and thought they were random and chaotic. Selling can actually be rewarding and help you grow as a person, especially if you want your message to sound authentic and compelling. If you want to l...
You can't opt out of sales when you teach online
August 10, 2023 05:05 - 12 minutes - 18.6 MBIn this episode I talk about my love-hate relationship with sales as an online language teacher. I resented sales for the longest time, which is why selling was too hard and unpleasant. But if there's anything I've learned from my struggle, it's this: the sooner you accept that sales are a part of your online teaching business journey, the sooner you'll be able to choose what to think about selling and how to improve your sales skills. Ready to learn more about sales? Join my 3-day train...
Maritza Parra on shifting your mindset to get new results
June 29, 2023 05:15 - 42 minutes - 29.4 MBIn this episode, Maritza Parra talks about the power of thoughts and how they shape our reality. She describes how strategies aren't enough if your thoughts keep you from acting. Maritza shares her own journey of overcoming shame and transforming the way she views making money. This allowed her to build her business the way she wanted it to be. She also talks about selling and the importance of selling to yourself first. Only when you convince yourself of the value of your offer can you ...
Quick announcement: Asynchronous Program in a Box
June 21, 2023 15:21 - 11 minutes - 15.9 MBCheck it out here: https://elenamutonono.podia.com/10-summer-program-templates
Tiffani Clairborne on creating engaging and life-changing content
June 15, 2023 05:15 - 32 minutes - 22 MBIn this episode, I'm talking with Tiffani Clairborne, founder of Speak English with Tiffani. She describes how she built a successful YouTube channel - with over 2 million subscribers! Tiffani's core motivation is service, and it drives everything she does. Her goal is to help as many people as she can and loves seeing how her work has changed people's lives. She emphasizes the idea that you should always do your best, but resist comparing yourself to others. Instead, admire other creato...
Tatiana Klimova on turning her podcast into a successful paid community
June 08, 2023 05:15 - 33 minutes - 22.5 MBMy guest for this episode is Tatiana Klimova, founder of Russian Podcast and the Russian Dacha Community. She describes how she grew this project from a hobby into a full-time job. She emphasizes the importance of being clear about who your community is for. By filtering out people who aren't a good fit, she ensures that her members are enjoyable to work with. She also feels it's crucial to be open to criticism and listen to the needs of your audience. This has allowed her content to evo...
Annemarie Fowler on showing her face and sharing her work online
May 25, 2023 05:15 - 30 minutes - 21.5 MBIn this episode, I'm talking with Annemarie Fowler, the founder of Speak Confident English. She shares her journey in building her own confidence as an online business owner. We discuss how she had to shift her mindset to get comfortable showing her face when she started working online. Then we get into the benefits of saying no and staying small. Annemarie describes the value of taking time off as a business owner and what she does to unplug. She also invites us to ask what success look...
Vanessa on balancing motherhood and business
May 11, 2023 05:15 - 32 minutes - 23.3 MBMy guest for this episode is Vanessa, from Speak English with Vanessa. Listen as we share our ideas about how to keep a healthy balance between motherhood and business. Vanessa explains how she prepared her business for the transition to motherhood and the changes she had to make. She also talks about the importance of seeking support. She gives tips on how to shift your mindset to combat any feelings of guilt that arise. This includes knowing when to say no to extra work and taking time...
Olly Richards on storytelling and mindset shifts in business - Part 2
April 27, 2023 17:15 - 23 minutes - 15.6 MBIn the second part of this interview with Olly Richards, we continue talking about the relationship we have with money as business owners and the anxiety that can result. He shares insights from his journey to separate his feelings of self-worth from the expectations of others and describes the benefits of non-attachment. He concludes by sharing how we can do our best work when we're in alignment with ourselves, our business, and our students to create the kind of energy which leads to ...
Olly Richards on storytelling and mindset shifts in business - Part 1
April 13, 2023 05:15 - 25 minutes - 17.7 MBIn this episode, I'm speaking with Olly Richards, the founder of StoryLearning. In this first half of our interview, we discuss the importance of stories and the stress of growing a business. Olly describes the role of storytelling in language learning and how he built his methodology around it. He also shares what makes it so effective as a marketing tool for small businesses. Learn about the mindset shifts Olly made to scale his business, how he managed his anxieties throughout the pro...
Elena Mutonono on the 1 condition of a successful launch
March 30, 2023 05:15 - 16 minutes - 11.9 MBWelcome to season 5 of OnlineBound! I'm very inspired to share this new season with you because my guests are all online educators, and mostly language teachers. In this episode, I talk about my belief that expanding your mindset is the most important strategy for a successful launch and share stories about how I've transformed my mindset. Join me to gain some insights into how you can transform your thoughts and emotions to get better results for your next launch. It's a bit scary, but ...
Season 5 Trailer
March 16, 2023 05:15 - 1 minute - 1.21 MBOnlineBound is a podcast for online language teachers and coaches who are tired of cramming more client hours into their day and look for ways to grow their business in a smart, lean and sustainable way. In this podcast we explore the topics of authenticity, sustainability, values, efficiency, resilience and creativity when running an online teaching business in an oversaturated language teaching market. Listen to the trailer to learn more about the mission of this podcast.
Burnout is optional
February 16, 2023 06:15 - 10 minutes - 13.5 MBIn this episode, I'm sharing some reflections on burnout. I talk about my own experiences and what I realized about burnout at the end of last year. I also explain how I challenged the idea that consistent work leads to burnout. Now I find my tasks leave me more energized than ever! I'll also touch on how adjusting your mindset and boundaries can help you to be less affected by other people's criticisms.
By now my business "should"
February 09, 2023 06:15 - 17 minutes - 24.6 MBIn this episode I share my thoughts on how to remove the word "should" from your thoughts and reframe it with something more empowering. You'll hear me talk about: How it's easy to give up when we compare ourselves to others. How a previous podcast guest, Marija Dobrovolska, felt pressured by gurus to grow and lost the heart of her business. How we can use our experience as language teachers to help us reframe our thoughts about our business and our progress. How a mindset shift ...
Waiting for the right time
February 02, 2023 06:15 - 21 minutes - 30.6 MBFor full description, links and the transcript go to www.elenamutonono.com/podcast In this episode I share my thoughts on the idea of time, how we treat it and how it treats us. You'll hear me talk about: The notion of “time will heal all evils” or make all things better. The nature of time, how we can use it to our advantage and disadvantage. The concept of taking time to make a decision. The stories we tell ourselves about our relationship with time. At the end of this episode I’...
The yes, but first thought loop
January 19, 2023 06:15 - 17 minutes - 24.7 MBIt's easy to convince ourselves that we're not quite ready to try something new, and that we need to do something familiar first. In reality, this is just a stalling technique that prevents us from moving forward. The yes, but first thought loop can lead to endless excuses. Listen in to hear my suggestions on how to avoid this trap.
The all-or-nothing thought pattern and its impact on the way we run a business
January 12, 2023 06:15 - 12 minutes - 18 MBCheck the episode page for notes and links: https://www.elenamutonono.com/2023/01/12/shift-your-thoughts/ In this first episode of Between the Seasons, I'm reflecting on the all-or-nothing mindset that many of us struggle with and how it affects our businesses. Listen to find out how adjusting your perspective can help you break the cycle, find acceptance, and move forward. I'll give suggestions to help you reframe your thoughts and allow the work you're doing to be enough. Want to ...
Marija Dobrovolska on what happens when you (almost) shut down your business
December 22, 2022 06:15 - 46 minutes - 32.1 MBCheck the episode page for notes and links: https://www.elenamutonono.com/2022/12/22/shut-down-business/ In this episode I'm speaking with Marija Dobrovolska, the founder of Deutsch mit Marija, who shares her experiences as she decided to (almost) shut down her business which was affected by the war between Russia and Ukraine. Listen in on how Marija navigated and is still navigating this challenge, how it shifted her mindset about what she really wants for her business, how she wants a...
Marija Dobrovolska on what happens when you shut down your business
December 22, 2022 06:15 - 46 minutes - 32.1 MBCheck the episode page for notes and links: https://www.elenamutonono.com/2022/12/22/shut-down-business/ In this episode I'm speaking with Marija Dobrovolska, the founder of Deutsch mit Marija, who shares her experiences as she decided to shut down her business which was affected by the war between Russia and Ukraine. Listen in on how Marija navigated and is still navigating this challenge, how it shifted her mindset about what she really wants for her business, how she wants and doesn'...
Benny Lewis on his mental health struggles.
December 08, 2022 06:15 - 33 minutes - 24.2 MBIn this podcast I'm speaking with Benny Lewis, aka the Irish Polyglot and the founder of Fluent in 3 Months. Benny opens up about his mental health struggles, the journey to recovery and the lessons he's learned along the way -- about himself, his values and his business. Check the episode notes for more links and information about Benny: https://www.elenamutonono.com/2022/12/08/benny-lewis-mental-health/ Find Benny Lewis on Instagram: @irishpolyglot Check out his website: https:...
Marlen McNally on the difference between coaching and teaching
November 17, 2022 06:15 - 34 minutes - 22.5 MBIn this episode I'm speaking with Marlene McNally, a life coach and a mentor who shares how teaching is different from coaching and what coaching involves when we help our clients succeed. Marlene uses her own experience as a language learner, why it was hard for her to master certain skills despite working really hard and what she wishes now she would have known then about the way our mindset keeps us from achieving our goals. Listen to learn how to coach your clients when they feel stu...
Gayle Macdonald on giving yourself permission to change your niche
November 03, 2022 05:15 - 36 minutes - 21.8 MBIn this episode I'm speaking with Gayle Macdonald, a transformational sobriety coach at Sober Bliss, about changing her niche. I first met Gayle in one of my programs, back when she was an online English teacher exploring different ways of teaching languages online. In the course of the program, Gayle began to look for her niche -- something that would transform her personally and prompt others to long for a similar transformation. This is when her journey into sobriety began, and this is ...
Ben Fox on self-publishing and promoting your book.
October 27, 2022 05:15 - 33 minutes - 22.4 MBMy guest today is Ben Fox, the founder of Shepherd.Com -- a website that helps you find what to read next. Ben talks about the concept behind his project, how it started and how it is different from other similar websites. He shares tips on how to pitch your project to other people in such a way that they cannot say no. He gives a few key marketing strategies for self-published authors, how to improve their book and make it successful. As with many guests on OnlineBound, I ask Ben how he...
Eric Turnnessen on personal growth when running a business
October 13, 2022 05:15 - 33 minutes - 22.4 MBIn this episode I speak with Eric Turnnessen, the founder of a software company Membermouse, a musician, a coach and a teacher, among many things. Eric shares his unconventional advice about running a business that relies more on intuition and your vision rather than blueprints and failproof methods. We talk about patience and consistency, assessing your strengths, engaging with your customers to figure out how you can improve what's working and change what's not. Eric shares why "neg...
Lucy Simkins on unlearning to please everyone on Youtube
September 22, 2022 05:15 - 30 minutes - 18.8 MBIn this podcast I'm speaking with Lucy Simkins, the owner of the English with Lucy Youtube Channel, about the danger we face when we show up online -- our urge to please everyone and make sure everyone likes us. Lucy talks about her own mental health challenges as some people criticized and attacked her work online, as well as the tools she is now using to accept that she would not be "everyone's cup of tea," and that's OK. She also shares the lessons she's learned in the years of runnin...
Elena Mutonono reflecting on 5 years of running an online community
September 15, 2022 05:15 - 18 minutes - 14.1 MBWelcome to season 4 of OnlineBound! In this episode I reflect on the last 5 years of running an online community for language teachers. The experience of growing together as a community of online business owners and teachers has been transformative for me. As someone who is used to doing things alone, I continuously see the power of being in a community, supported and nudged by people who really “get it.” Learn more about the Smart Teacher's Library. Ready to start working smarter? D...
Sasha Maslov on visual storytelling, creative flow and mental health.
June 30, 2022 06:00 - 27 minutes - 17.8 MBAll podcast notes are here: www.elenamutonono.com/podcast Check for more information and extra links. In this interview I'm speaking with Sasha Maslov, a Ukrainian-American portrait photographer and storyteller based in New York City. His work has been exhibited in various photo galleries and art spaces around Europe and the United States. Sasha is a regular contributor to a number of magazines and leading publications in New York and around the globe, and is actively pursuing work on his ...
Lindsay Williams on changing your mindset when you teach online
June 16, 2022 05:30 - 31 minutes - 23.2 MBAll podcast notes are found here: www.elenamutonono.com/podcast In this episode I'm speaking with Lindsay Williams about changing her mindset from a local language teacher to an online teacher to an online entrepreneur. Listen in to learn the story of Lindsay's first course launch and her initial struggles with marketing. We discuss why online language teachers find marketing most challenging, how teachers' altruistic nature, coupled with highly commoditized industry of language teaching...