Julie Yoder founded English With Purpose in 2009. Her company helps advanced English learners, international professionals, and teams unlock career potential and lead with confidence in English. She helps people identify and address any communication gaps that may be keeping them from doing their best work or being considered for leadership positions. This involves working with their clients to “disentangle what is an actual language-based gap in skills, what is a confidence issue, and what may be workplace dynamics,” she says.
Once they dig into the details of the communication problem, they can determine how best to help the client succeed, which can mean coaching the client to learn how to show up more confidently when communicating in English at work. They may also be able to guide English-speaking coworkers into taking some responsibility for successful communication.
Extracurriculars
Julie loves to dance, specifically tap dancing. She started as a beginner in 2018 at a special tap studio in DC, one of only a few in the country focused on adults. Julie kept taking virtual classes over the pandemic but didn’t enjoy the virtual format as much. Two years ago, she moved to Frederick and was able to find adult dance classes at the Y Arts Center. “This ritual brings me immense joy, and I’m proud of myself for making space for it (plus, it’s a great workout and only one block from Cowork Frederick!)”
She is a founding board member of the International Language Coaching Association, where she remains active in raising awareness of the field of language coaching. And has been involved in other nonprofits over the years. Currently, she focuses on getting healthy, nutritious food to those who need it and may struggle to afford it. She is working on building out her homestead garden to grow extra produce to donate to the community.
Why we love Julie Yoder
Julie is a new member of Cowork Frederick, but she has truly hit the ground running. She’s used coworking spaces throughout the country, so she moved to Frederick with the explicit goal of finding a new coworking community. Although she recently moved to Frederick, she has already integrated herself into our community. Julie is a member Frederick Chamber of Commerce and the Maryland Women’s Business Center. She is also proud to be included among the Frederick County Top 50 EmPOWERED Leaders for 2023/24. “I’m honored to be among this cohort,” she says.
Q&A with Julie Yoder
How did you get into teaching adult English language learners?
How did I get here? When I was young, I couldn’t have full conversations with my Ukrainian grandmother because she couldn’t speak English very well, although she understood everything. As I grew up, I stopped learning Ukrainian. It was the 1980s in Georgia, and we were the only family on my street who spoke another language at home, which drew attention to our “outsider” status.
My Baba was self-sufficient and lived alone, but she was also afraid of being taken advantage of because of her limited speaking skills. It broke my heart to see how people who didn’t know her treated her like a person of lesser intelligence because her spoken English was limited. Her skill set was enormous, she was tough as nails, and she could run circles around most people! (not unlike the current Ukrainian refugees who are turning up in our community). But very few in her community understood this. I want to help people be seen for who they are, in any language.
Cowork Frederick members tend to be a little unconventional. Does that apply to you?
One of my favorite clients always says, “My superpower is I never give up,” and I agree with this 100%. Most success comes from patience and tenacity. I have wanted to quit many times in the face of adversity – I could tell you some truly hair-raising stories about what I’ve experienced and learned with this business – but each time, I realized that I would be miserable working for an organization that didn’t give me space for growth, creative problem-solving, and innovation, even if it provided a steady paycheck. I suppose I value my freedom more than anything, and that includes the freedom to fail at things spectacularly at times. Those times are never fun, but they have always led to major growth.
Who/What inspires you and keeps you going?
Knowing that I am pursuing the path that was meant for me. It took a long time to figure it out, but since I moved to Frederick, I have experienced an ease with life and business that I have never known before. I am used to struggling and pushing boulders uphill, so I am still getting used to this. But everything I have needed to keep going in the right direction has shown up, so I know I’m in the right place.
Any tips for others who want to do similar work?
Lock down your intellectual property. Pay for your copyright or trademark. Hire an IP lawyer and go through the trademark process. Even if your business is new, you are bootstrapping, and you consider this an expense for later when you have made more money. Taking this step does not mean you are egotistical, paranoid, or non-collaborative. It’s just smart. When you build something truly worthwhile and it becomes visible, it is almost inevitable that people of lesser integrity will try to steal it or attach to it for their own gain.
Why Cowork Frederick?
I started researching coworking spaces after the first long winter of working alone in my house. I love stillness, but it’s so quiet here that I am also in danger of being surrounded by just the junk in my head during the day, and that’s not good. It was Cowork Frederick’s values that really spoke to me. Plus, it helps that it’s in a beautiful space in the middle of downtown’s energy. I am a collaborative creature by nature, and I can do more and be better when I connect with the right people.
For those who want to learn more, how can you be reached?
You can find Julie on her professional LinkedIn page or on her company website. The English with Purpose YouTube channel provides tips and guidance for advanced English learners and international professionals who want to grow from competent to superior-level English speakers and writers. Also, click the buttons below for the English with Purpose LinkedIn or Facebook pages.
About the author:
Bethany Good is the founder of Good Writing Co., which provides professional writing, developmental book editing, book coaching, and ghostwriting services. Her writing has appeared in Innovation and Tech Today, Columbia Inspired Magazine, and Frederick Lifestyle Magazine (among others). Bethany works with authors to help guide them through the book-writing process so that they can finally finish their memoirs or nonfiction books. Specializing in eldercare, dementia, and Alzheimer’s, she also works with home health businesses to provide content and resources for their patients and families. Bethany is also a dedicated wife and mother to two active kids. In her limited time, she enjoys gardening, long nature walks, reading, cooking, and snuggling with her Boston Terrier, Scout.