Staff Spotlight: Whitney Williams

Title:
Founder

Photos

Whitney is the founder of TEFLPros. She oversees enrollment, training, course content development, and operations. Having taught English abroad in Bangkok for many years, Whitney brings her own down-to-earth, practical (and fun!) approach to TEFLPros' written and video content. She is also a certified TESOL Teacher Trainer.

Whitney is one half of the dynamic duo that founded TEFLPros. She oversees course content development and student grading. Having taught English abroad in Bangkok for many years, Whitney brings her own down-to-earth, practical (and fun!) approach to TEFLPros' written and video content. She is also a certified TESOL Teacher Trainer.

What is your favorite travel memory?

One of my all-time favorite travel memories is from my first week of living abroad. I had moved to France for a study abroad program. It was early January and my study abroad group decided to explore the downtown area and catch an evening movie. Much to our surprise there was snow everywhere when we emerged from the theatre. That was the day I learned that French buses don't drive in snow!

Alone and a 30 minute drive from my host family's house, I had a momentary panic attack and then did some problem solving. Several hours later (and half frozen from the cold) I made it back to my host family's house with a new friend, an elderly man who walked all the way back up the mountain with me. His house was one street down from mine, and he was kind enough to muddle through my broken French and help me get back safely. I can still hear my host mother exclaim “Thank God you made it back. It's so good you didn't call me. I forgot to tell you that I don't drive in the snow!” Comforting words indeed haha.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Starting a business from the ground up was something completely foreign to me. I had no clue where to begin. Going from someone “thinking about doing something” into someone who created what they set out to create, was a huge evolution for me personally. I have gained more confidence in myself and I have learned a lot about what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

I believe that going through the process of writing, developing and producing our course has also made me a much better teacher trainer. Putting your experience down into written form is a wonderful way to solidify your knowledge and refine your communication of different techniques, skills and processes.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

I feel like nothing can beat your first time seeing real results from a course that you have produced. That first student who tells you “I got my first TEFL job Whitney!” That first person who says “Wow, your module 5 lesson really did help me conquer the first-day jitters!” Those moments are the best and they hold a special place in my heart.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

TEFLPros is unique because it was born out of my real experience from living and working abroad. TEFLPros is not a large corporation, and we are proud of that. I saw a need for a better style of online teacher education and decided to fill it. 

At TEFLPros, we are constantly striving to provide an online TEFL experience that mimics an in-person course as closely as possible. We have seen first-hand how impactful a solid education can be for a new teacher. Plus we know from our years in the classroom, how impactful a good teacher is to their students. By striving to provide the best in online TEFL certification, we know that we are doing our part in impacting the lives of others around the world. And that is something that makes us both unique as an organization and extremely proud.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I love the quote “No hurry. No pause.” I find it helpful in my own personal life, but in particular in my work life. Successful companies do not magically appear. They come out of consistent effort placed towards a clearly defined goal. At TEFLPros, we are consistently striving to provide an online TEFL experience that closely mimics that of a high-quality, in-person course. Our focus and purpose-driven action has proved invaluable to us over the past years as we build and grow our business. I truly believe that the “No hurry. No pause.” mindset we have is what has made us successful.