Today, we talk to Aimee Hill, a Japanese language teacher who opened an online learning platform after her language school had to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite being a new venture, Japanese with Aimee has achieved rapid growth, thanks in part to Aimee’s marketing efforts through Instagram. Her success on the platform has gained recognition from Instagram itself, which named her as one of the top 25 female Australian entrepreneurs on Instagram.
ISB: What inspired you to get started in teaching Japanese?
AH: I never actually set out to become a teacher. I always wanted to be fluent in Japanese, and after eight years of doing everything the wrong way (outdated textbooks, random phone apps, and travelling around Japan with a lonely planet phrasebook), I finally achieved my dream of being fluent in Japanese. I then pursued a career as a translator and interpreter. For my first few years in that role, I kept meeting people who desperately wanted to learn Japanese, but they couldn’t find anything comprehensive or enjoyable. So, I took all my experience and started sharing that in a really easy-to-digest, fun way. I guess I fell into being a teacher, but being a teacher has turned into more fun than I could have ever imagined.
ISB: What was the most challenging aspect for you in shifting from physical classes to online classes because of the pandemic and how did you overcome it?
AH: Community. In a language class, I always made time for chitchat and connection. It was as fundamental as the grammar lessons. Having the community meant that people had a stronger sense of motivation and commitment, they got to share their passion with others, and they also got to share the ups and downs of doing something difficult (but worth it). Moving to one-on-one Zoom lessons was a little isolating for people, and I felt that. When I built Japanese in 12 (my online course), I made the community a huge focus. I made sure there was a really strong community on chat platforms, and I host weekly conversation sessions in which students from all over the world come to chat, practice their Japanese and make friends.
ISB: What is your approach in making learning a language as challenging as Japanese easier to understand?
AH: Japanese in 12’s structure is 15-minute lessons, five times a week, for 12 weeks. I believe in this structure more than anything. Yeah, Japanese has a tonne of moving parts and there are lots to learn. But nearly everyone can manage 15 minutes a day. I also make every single lesson fun. I joke around, play games and keep it lighthearted. At the end of the first year in business, when the reviews started rolling in that people were looking forward to their 15 minutes of downtime each day, I knew I was on the right track.
ISB: How were you able to grow your business through Instagram to become one of the top 25 female Aussie entrepreneurs on the platform?
AH: Every week I ask myself, “What is the reason that people would want to follow along this week?” And then I come up with the answer. I give my followers free worksheets, I play games on my stories, and I generally make sure that there is always a reason to stay a follower. I make real friends there, connect with people, and actively try to build a community. In the course, I am a mentor and a community leader, so I treat my Instagram community the same way.
ISB: What is your vision for your business a couple of years from now?
AH: I have no idea really. I’m on a wild rollercoaster ride. Every month we double our student intakes, and now we have over 800 students all over the world. I can’t wait to see what happens, and how big of a community we could achieve.
ISB: What advice can you give to other budding entrepreneurs who are looking to build their own ventures?
AH: It’s cliché, but start before you’re ready. When I first launched the course, I cringe thinking about the fact that the worksheets weren’t aligned perfectly, and the videos were filmed on my laptop (even though nobody noticed, and everybody loved it). I was my own worst enemy with critiquing my work. Since then, I’ve spent a whole year reworking it all, but I wouldn’t be where I am right now if I hadn’t just jumped in.
