Article on Forbes Japan:
https://forbesjapan.com/articles/detail/27063
Interview company: HelloTalk, Inc.
Zackery Founder & CEO, Twiggy-san,
"HelloTalk, the largest multilingual learning community connecting Shenzhen and 200 countries worldwide, what are the founders' new dreams?"
“Connecting the world online, creating a new community where people around the world can help with language learning and interact.”
One more wish came true in Shenzhen where is “Talent Central City." I could have interview with Hello Talk’s founder, Zackery CEO directly.
HelloTalk is the world's most extensive multilingual learning community application that can learn about 150 languages. It is used in 200 countries worldwide, and its number of users is well over 13 million. Among them, the number of active users is 13%, and the number of active users is the largest Japanese, with more fans, and I am one of them.
The revolutionary Hello Talk, which connects the world and can be studied together, was born in Shenzhen in 2013.
Zackery CEO was born in China and grew up in Hong Kong. He has studied abroad in the United States and Korea, has a keen interest in Japanese culture, and is eager to learn Japanese. He can speak Mandarin, Cantonese, English, Korean, and Japanese, so he is truly multilingual.
"I have always liked language learning. I have been looking for an exchange partner myself when I was studying in the US and Korea. I also have a keen interest in Japanese, and when I was considering in Korea, I was also able to speak Japanese. I was looking for an exchange partner, but I couldn't find it by myself.
That's why I wanted to connect the world online, create a new community where people from all over the world can help with language learning and learn while having fun. "
I feel strongly that he has clear reason and passion for that, because he tried and failed in language learning too.
"Users improve each other's community quality, and colleagues who work together grow around the world. Their virtuous circle is their greatest strength."
It is obvious when I use it, this app is so creative. If I record Chinese and send the voice to a friend, it will be sent back with the correct pronunciation, and the voice will be instantly transformed.
Not only the hardware aspect also the quality of the software aspect, I even feel the love for them from users.
The last year 2018, a significant event was held in 60 major cities around the world, where a meet-up event where users can gather and enjoy face-to-face interaction. It was a great success as it was held in Japan in three locations in Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka.
"The most important thing is that users create good communities.
To learn different languages means to learn the culture and custom together at the same time and to "understand and help each other." We have made it possible for users to understand their vision and to create their morals.
I am especially grateful to Japanese users in that respect. The second most popular learning language is Japanese after English, and Japanese users takes care of it, creating synergetic effects that other users can respond in the right manner. The cherry blossom season is about to be uploaded in Japanese with cherry blossom viewing from around the world. "
Beside him who support me, Ms. Twiggy became colleagues from their users.
"I had been studying Japanese as a user about four years ago. I love this community and applied myself. There are many requests from users like to work together.
I think there aren't many circumstances that bring up newcomers with Chinese startups. However, we have a culture that fosters humanity.
I feel that I am efficient and continually learning new things, and there are also many team building events such as in-house parties, and every day is fun. "
Ms. Twiggy told it to me. She had no position at the time of the application.
But currently, she oversees managing language learning content even she had not experienced before. Indeed, this is a chance because it is a company that fosters talent even from inexperienced people.
Other colleagues all over the world work with them. Marketers in each country can work remotely.
The multinational colleagues also gather in Shenzhen several times a year and deepen exchanges with everyone. The ability to work in various ways is also a feature and attraction unique to them.
"A new dream is to provide everyone with the best language improvement application in the world."
They can create such a beautiful community and let them try their new development application "English Grammar Checker" before it was announced.
This application is not just checking for mistypes in English.
Every day in the community, real language exchange takes place, natives of each language teach improvement sentences, and there is much advice from professional teachers.
Numerous data are being updated daily, such as which grammar is easy to make mistakes and how to improve it if it is beautiful.
It's a revolutionary language improvement app where their data and AI together, and complex grammatical errors can be instantly improved to native level expressions. The demonstration results show that accuracy is high in the world.
"This app is also available to the general public, and will be released first from the English version, and will be further developed into the Japanese and Chinese versions.
I am also a HelloTalk user, and I hope that more people will use the property I've built with the community. That's our new dream. "
Zackery CEO shared it with me clearly. I noticed through this interview.
He is a mature person and a reliable company owner.
He is 40s and father too. Moreover, while expanding globally, the head office staff operates the business efficiently with about 50 people.
In Shenzhen, many entrepreneurs are from 20 to 30s mainly, so he is unique in here.
Of course, high speed is amazing from young people. But the other hand, they may have subjects to manage people and to develop their businesses continuously.
So, he is excellent model who pursues social contribution with a long-term view, I am very grad to meet him. And then, I cannot wait for the release of a new magical tool of their dreams.
May 8, 2019
Kaoru Fujii,
Founder & CEO, Diverse Design K. K.
