For professionals who negotiate in a second language
A CEO ENGLISH LAB BRIEFING

Stop sounding
junior in a language
you speak fluently.

140+ phrase swaps that trade hesitant, apologetic English for the calm, direct language decision-makers use — in meetings, emails, feedback, interviews, and the conversations you can't avoid.

Instant PDF download · 26 pages · 12 sections + 6 field guides
Executive Briefing No. 001

Speak Like a CEO.

"Sorry, quick question..."→ "Quick clarifying question:"
"I don't want to seem negative, but..."→ "I see it differently."
"I'll try my best to fit it in!"→ "I can deliver by Thursday."
12 Sections140+ Swaps6 Field GuidesMeetings · Email · Feedback · Interviews · Negotiation
The problem

Your English is good. That was never the issue. What gets you talked over in a meeting or ignored in an email thread isn't grammar — it's the three or four small words you reach for automatically: "maybe," "sorry," "I just wanted to," "does that make sense?"

Those words are register, not vocabulary. They're the difference between sounding like you're asking permission and sounding like you've already decided. And they're completely learnable — thirty minutes, forty swaps, one section before your next hard conversation.

Four free swaps

The same idea, said two ways.

In meetings
"Sorry to interrupt, but..."
"Let me stop you there —"
In email
"Just wanted to check if you had a chance..."
"Circling back — can you confirm by Friday?"
Saying no
"I'm so sorry, I don't think I can, I'm really busy..."
"I can't take this on right now."
Negotiating
"That timeline sounds really tight for us, sorry."
"That timeline isn't realistic. Here's what's achievable."
What's inside
  • 01
    In Meetings
    Owning the room without raising your voice
  • 02
    In Email
    Getting a reply instead of getting ignored
  • 03
    Feedback & Difficult Conversations
    Direct without being unkind
  • 04
    Saying No
    Protecting your time without over-explaining
  • 05
    Negotiating & Pushing Back
    Holding a position without sounding combative
Why it works

This isn't a vocabulary list. It's a swipe file — the exact sentence you're already about to say, next to the version that lands the way you meant it to. Read the section that matches your next meeting, pick two or three swaps, use them on purpose.

No exercises, no grammar drills, no 40-hour course. Eight pages, designed to be reread before the moments that actually matter.

FORMAT: PDF LENGTH: 8 PAGES DELIVERY: INSTANT

This is for you if

  • You speak English well but get spoken over in meetings held in it.
  • You reread your emails wondering if they sound "too much" or "not enough."
  • You're preparing for a promotion, a client pitch, or a role with more English on the line.
  • You want something you can use this week, not a course you'll start next month.

This isn't for you if

  • You're looking for grammar drills or exam prep (try an IELTS-focused resource instead).
  • You want a full course with video lessons and homework.
  • You're a complete beginner — this assumes solid working English already.
Get the briefing

140+ swaps. One read. A different default voice by next quarter.

Instant PDF download — read it once tonight, reference it before every hard conversation after.

Get the Executive Briefing — $17
One-time payment · Instant download · No account needed
Questions

Is this for native speakers too?

Mostly written for people who learned English as a second language, but the register issue — hedging, over-apologizing, softening every sentence — shows up for native speakers too, especially earlier in their careers.

What level of English do I need?

Solid working English — you can already hold a meeting or write an email. This briefing changes how you say things you already know how to say, not what words mean.

How is this different from a business English course?

It's not a course — no lessons, no homework. It's a reference you reread for two minutes before the specific moment you need it: right before a meeting, before you hit send, before you say no.

Do I get updates?

Yes — buyers get free access to future additions to the swap file, including presentation and salary-negotiation phrases.