VIPKid \China

Step 2 - Human Coaching Layer (Validation): Add live group coaching sessions (6-8 participants) led by certified business English instructors. Sessions run 45 minutes twice weekly, focusing on skills AI cannot teach: presentation delivery with real-time feedback, role-playing difficult conversations, and cultural communication nuances. Recruit 10 coaches in Philippines and Mexico (native English speakers, lower cost than US/UK) and pay $25-35 per session. Use Daily.co for video infrastructure and build scheduling tools integrated with company calendars. Validate that blended learning (AI practice plus human coaching) drives 2x higher completion rates and measurable proficiency gains on standardized tests (TOEIC, CEFR assessments). Expand to 20 paying customers across Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and Mexico. Refine pricing to $300-500 per employee annually based on company size and engagement levels. Goal: $200K ARR, 80%+ gross retention, and case studies showing 1-2 CEFR level improvements in 12 weeks.

Step 3 - Industry Vertical Expansion (Growth): Build specialized curriculum for three high-value verticals: tech (API documentation, technical presentations, code reviews), finance (client pitches, financial modeling explanations, regulatory compliance), and manufacturing (supply chain communication, quality control reporting, safety protocols). Use GPT-4 to generate industry-specific vocabulary lists, case studies, and role-play scenarios. Fine-tune AI models on domain corpora (tech blogs, earnings calls, industry reports) to improve contextual accuracy. Launch direct sales motion targeting HR leaders at 200-1000 employee companies, offering free proficiency assessments and ROI calculators showing productivity gains from improved English skills. Build integrations with Slack and Microsoft Teams for in-workflow lesson delivery and reminders. Expand coach network to 50 instructors and implement quality scoring based on student feedback and proficiency improvements. Goal: $2M ARR, 50 enterprise customers, 85%+ NRR, and CAC payback under 12 months.

Step 4 - Platform Moat and Scale (Defensibility): Build proprietary assessment engine that measures proficiency across 8 dimensions (pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, business communication, cultural awareness, confidence) using AI analysis of speech patterns, writing samples, and coaching session performance. Create certification programs where employees earn digital badges for completing modules, driving engagement through gamification. Launch self-serve SMB tier at $150 per employee annually with AI-only access and optional coaching add-ons, expanding TAM to 10,000+ companies. Build API partnerships with HR platforms (BambooHR, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors) for seamless onboarding and SSO integration. Invest in content marketing (industry-specific English guides, webinars with HR leaders, case studies) to drive inbound leads and reduce CAC. Expand geographically to Brazil, Colombia, Poland, and Philippines. Raise Series A to fund sales team expansion and AI model improvements. Goal: $10M ARR, 200 enterprise customers, 5000 SMB customers, 75%+ gross margins, and clear path to profitability at $25M ARR.