Member Spotlights: Henry Blue and Jonathan Wilson
Recently Member Mary Helen Montgomery talked with co-founders Henry and Jonathan about their company Spoken:
Mary Helen: What is your company?
Henry & Jonathan: We’re Spoken, and we help people around the world learn English through popular messaging apps, like WhatsApp and WeChat. Our solution connects learners to real instructors, while using artificial intelligence to improve the English learning experience. We are co-founders, with Jonathan serving as CTO and Henry as CEO.
Mary Helen: Can you share with us a brief history of your background and education?
Henry Blue: I’m originally from Baltimore, though I’ve spent plenty of time in the Southeast, at Davidson College and then at the University of Virginia for an M.A. in linguistics. I taught for 5 years, including at a college in Xinyu, China. Most recently, I was living in Boulder, CO, for six months for the Techstars accelerator program before moving to Chattanooga in the fall.
Jonathan Wilson: I’m from Baltimore, though Henry will tell you I’m really not, since I “only” moved there when I was two! I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in Computer Engineering, and I worked for a large defense contractor for a number of years after graduating. I started Spoken with Henry which took us to Boulder, CO, in 2016 for the Techstars program, and now Chattanooga!
Mary Helen: Is there something that surprises people about the work that you do?
Henry: People are surprised that our app is “invisible” to customers, meaning they don’t have to download it. That’s because learners access us through the messaging apps they already use, like WhatsApp. They’re also surprised to learn that on any given day, we get to interact with people from a dozen or so countries around the world!
Jonathan: People tend to be surprised that language learning, particularly English language learning, is actually a large market. Everyone has heard of Duolingo; they think that is good enough to fully learn a language, and it’s free! But, the reality is, you’re going to need a much more comprehensive solution if you plan on getting a job in the language you are learning.
Mary Helen: Can you describe the evolution of your company and where you are headed next?
Henry & Jonathan: We began as a stand-alone app of our own — but the average person downloads zero apps per month, so it’s difficult to grow rapidly! Last fall we decided to integrate into popular messaging apps instead, since they are used by 90% of smartphone users daily. The results have been great. We’ve grown by about 80% per month since that time, and we have learners from all over the world.
Mary Helen: When do you do your best work or come up with your best ideas?
Henry: Well, we certainly spend a lot of hours in Society for Work, so I would have to say here!
But, our best collaborative ideas come on the roof of the Edney building around sunset, and my best individual ideas come from walking to and from work, or on hikes during the weekends.
Jonathan: I’m definitely more of a night person, so not the morning! I walk to and from work, which is something I love that I can do in Chattanooga. I love that time because it is uninterrupted time for thinking.
Mary Helen: How does Chattanooga and the southeast weave into your story?
Henry: We moved here from Boulder, CO, after the Techstars accelerator program. Boulder is famous for it’s start-up scene, and we see many of the same ingredients coming together here in Chattanooga. My wife, Averil, and I married in October, and she teaches Spanish at the Baylor School and loves it.
Jonathan: We just relocated here in the fall of 2016, so we are still early in our story, but we have found it to be a very welcoming community with many great people!
Mary Helen: What do you like to do outside of work?
Henry: I like to try to get outdoors when I can and I also like a lot of live music, both of which Chattanooga’s perfect for!
Jonathan: We do tend to work long hours, but when I can, I love to go to concerts and play golf. I also enjoy a happy hour every now and then, too!
Mary Helen: Thanks for sharing and we look forward to seeing what’s next for your startup!
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