ESL Podcast: In this ESL Podcast we talk about our new business model and the reasons for it. Learn great phrases and vocabulary for daily conversation, while learning more about us and why you should signup to the new VIP section.Discussion forum
Lesson Below
ESL Conversation
| A: Add, I’m glad we finally decided to take our heads out of the sand and go ahead with the VIP section.
B: Me too. I know you wanted to keep everything free and were on the fence for quite a while about switching business models. A: I guess part of me didn’t want to face reality. B: I think it’s better now anyway. Now we have more time to make the site way better. Anyone who is really serious about improving their English will only have to cough up $75 per year to get full access to the new and improved site. Anyone who signs up won’t regret it. A: Ya. When you put it that way it’s actually a pretty sick deal.
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Phrases and Vocabulary used:
Take our heads out of the sand: If your "head is in the sand" it means you aren’t facing reality. It means you don’t want to see the truth because the truth is painful.
On the fence: If you are "on the fence" it means you haven’t made a decision yet.
She is still on the fence about whether or not to go to graduate school in the fall.
Business models: A business model is the way that a company earns money.
Google’s "business model" is to provide a free service and make their money from advertising.
Our new business model at China232 is to charge annual subscription fee.
Part of me: If you say "part of me" wants to to something. It means that in some ways you want to do it, in some ways you don’t want to. It means you can see the pro’s and con’s of making that decision.
Cough up: "cough up" is a slang term that means to "spend money".
I coughed up 200 bucks for these tickets, and my girlfriend decided not to go at the last minute.
Put it that way: This phrase means to explain something in a certain way.
Sick: This slang phrase really depends on the context. It often means really really good.
Kobe Bryant was sick in the 4th quarter of last night’s basketball game.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:24 am
Hi Guys,
After listening to the China232 story I decided to “get off the fence” and get a VIP membership. Just wanted to say that you were right. I’m already on VIP lesson 5. Great work! Definitely worth the $75! I can’t wait for more lessons.
Tom
June 15th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
hi guys, china 232 have became a great business, but we all stil luv it though
good job add& andrew
June 16th, 2009 at 4:51 am
im english learner in china.any one who wanna study english pls add me as your friend at skype or msn,
my msn:cxmmxc_5@hotmail.com
skype:cszero_marketing
hope talk to u guys soon
June 17th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Hi~ I’m really love your English lessons~ and apperciate for those free lessons too. In fact I really want to subscrible as a VIP member and I remember your guys promised that it would be 3 vip lessons and 1 free lesson every week. But now it was only 8 VIP lessons and 1 free lesson for a month.. so I’m afraid if I paid for the vip fee.. will I get enough lessons in future?
I’m just wondering about that..
I’m really willing to join your VIP membership if you can promise 3 vip lessons a week~ thanks ~ sorry for acting rude
June 17th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Hi Sunny,
I’m glad you like the lessons. Actually, I think there was a misunderstanding. We said that we’d start with 3 VIP lessons and then continue to do at least one per week. Sometimes we’ll do some bonus stuff and talk about cooler things in the VIP room as well. The VIP lessons also have a full transcript of our entire show. It takes Add over 2 hours to do each one but they are really helpful to pick up each word we say. Don’t worry, you weren’t being rude. I hope this answers your question. Hope to see you in the VIP room anyway. I’m sure you’ll like it!
Andy
June 18th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
just to appreciate all you guys have done yet, it\’s been all awsome with some oscillations still phenomenon,though.
June 19th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Congratulations! I think it’s a good decision. I will be part of the VIP soon! Your podcasts are great and have to pay for them is good because is an incentive to study. If you have this for free you think: “well, I will be listening later”, but if you put money on it you have to pay more attention!
June 20th, 2009 at 3:06 am
Hi guys,
glad to know you decided to take your work to a next level……hope it adds extra vigor to your job…. I just wanna ask if there are any other ways besides Paypal to buy your lessons , because here in Nepal we do not have the card to do online buying…..
gud luck
Bhaskar
Nepal
June 20th, 2009 at 7:48 am
man~ i feel guilty to have this class for free. good work.
keep it up!
xxxxxxxxxx
alice
June 21st, 2009 at 8:37 am
Hi Andrew and Add
You are to be congratulated on having done this VIP-section. I am member of the VIP-section since the very beginning and I can only recommend everybody subscibing to this section: great topics, funny, really intelligent, useful and current terms! Never seen an opportunity to learn English in such an excitable, hilarious way. 75 dollars is ridicules. Wish you never stop your great job! Take care, best wishes from switzerland
Meret
June 23rd, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Hello Add,
I have been listening to both of you for over a year and I was little bit dissapointed after seeing that you decided to give us podcasts against payment.
Anyway, because of knowing your effective lessons I\’d like to sign in VIP membership but there should be different payment ways. Only paypal is not enough in my opinion. There are lots of people who are not using this method.
Do you think to put here another payment ways in future ? Then maybe I can join in .
June 30th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Hello guys!
I agree with Sinan. It’s absolutely not convenient to use PayPal her in Russia.
You should offer the other way for payment.
Keep it up!! Really stick with your podcasts.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Hey Alex!
I don\\\’t know, I see no problems with PayPal here in Russia.
Few tips:
1. Pick up a bank with good Internet Banking services. I use VTB24. It\\\’s not an advertisement here. Actually, I\\\’m not all that crazy about this bank, but the fact is it has a huge network of outlets and (sic!) its Internet Banking is perfect.
2. Purchase a special card for Internet use like VISA eCard. I guess now it costs about $1,5 for 6 months, so, it’s a good deal.
3. Create a PayPal account and specify your card details in there.
4. Make a request from your PayPal account to verify your card.
5. Go to Internet Banking system and find the special PayPal code. And you can do this right after finishing your PayPal request, that’s why I think that VTB24 Internet Banking is perfect.
6. Input this code into your PayPal account.
This is it! Now you can use your card through PayPal for purchasing goods and services all over the world!
Hope this helps!
If you have any other questions, let me know!
FYI: Btw, there are no troubles at all if you\\\’re going to just buy things! But there is a problem if you want to receive some money through PayPal as well. Actually, PayPal ban to receive any money for all Russian accounts. Of course, I\\\’m not condoning lying here, but, in fact, it\\\’s not necessary to indicate that you live in Russia when you go through registration process in PayPal. You can choose US, for example and then you\\\’ll be able to receive money successfully.
And as a joke, Alex, you can ask Add to receive your payment through ПОЧТА РОССИИ ;o)
July 5th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Add, can we use moneygram in order to join this good VIP section ? Please tell us yes.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:15 am
Hello sinan,
I just looked at Moneygram and yes, you may use this if you would like. If you do have a bank account though, in most countries paypal allows you to link your bank account to your paypal account. This will allow for immediate access to the VIP section.
Feel free to use moneygram though, you just may have to wait a few days.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:28 am
Sinan,
I should mention that if you use Moneygram, please make the person you are sending money to Andrew Best. Then just send us your reference number on the contact us page.
August 6th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Hi dear.I really like your lessons.I became familiar with you by my dear teacher.I’m from Iran.Thanks for your exceotionally useful lessons.
September 24th, 2009 at 8:01 am
Hi, Add and Andrew, thank you for making so many free lessons for us. I really appreciate you. I\’ve been there since 2007, and collected all podcasts on my computer. I understand you set up the vip section, and support this way,but could you change the vip section more flexible? For example, charge per one lesson, such as 1$ for one lesson. Because I don\’t have so much time to study so many vip lessons, I can only squeeze some time to listen and practise, at the same time, I don\’t want to stop studying english.
Best wishes to you.
Alice from beijing
September 24th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Hi Alice,
It’s great to hear you’ve been with us so long! We love long time fans.
You have an interesting idea. We considered that type of payment model before. In the end, we decided to make a really sweet VIP section and have users pay the annual price. I can understand your feeling but I’m sure if you decide to go ahead with the VIP membership you won’t be disappointed. It’s better than our old stuff. Who knows, maybe it’ll make you study more and improve faster than before. Anyway, whatever you decide, we hope you keep listening. Enjoy Beijing. It’s a great city!
Andy
November 21st, 2009 at 1:49 pm
thanks for your EN course
January 4th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Hay two brothers, i am very pleased on your attempt to teach English. I am from Canada, your home country!!!!!! It was fine until you started adding VIP. the $75 is costly can you reduce the amount? come on guys, I think you still will earn money ( business model with more members) if you make it $50.
Thanks,
March 31st, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Hello folks,
Congratulations on taking that decision BUT What does ”this cost a couple of boxes” mean? Is it a slang term or stuff like that?
Have a nice day,
Amr Wady from Egypt.
April 13th, 2010 at 4:36 am
Are you Andrew Best of toeictestpreparation.com?
August 24th, 2010 at 9:54 am
Thank you very much, but just to make you know no ostrich has ever been seen with his head in the sand…
thank you anyway, i bet my english is improving!