Meet Erik: A journey from storytelling to language coaching

At Speak Charlie, our coaches bring unique life experiences that make every lesson richer. One of them is Erik Hoff, who has been teaching Swedish with us for over seven years. His path to language coaching wasn’t straightforward — but it’s exactly that mix of experiences that makes him such an inspiring teacher today.

From film sets to anthropology

Directly after high school, Erik stepped into the local film industry. Among the many productions he worked on, the most famous was the acclaimed TV series The Bridge. But over time, the heavy physical demands of film work took a toll, and Erik began looking for a new direction.

With a deep interest in history, culture, and how people tell stories, he decided to study anthropology. At the same time, he was exploring opportunities in education and language — areas where his skills and passions aligned. With his teaching experience, academic background, and love of languages, Erik was a natural fit for Speak Charlie and soon became part of the team.

Balancing teaching and global experiences

Since then, Erik has built a career as a language coach while continuing to pursue his academic and cultural interests. He has completed a bachelor’s in anthropology, volunteered internationally, started a master’s in cultural heritage, and even interned with UNESCO in Paris — all while teaching Swedish at Speak Charlie.

This balance between teaching and exploring the world reflects both the flexibility of Speak Charlie’s model and Erik’s passion for learning and sharing knowledge.

Why teaching languages matters

“For me, it’s a chance to nerd out about languages while meeting interesting people from all over the world,” Erik says. “I’m still in touch with many of my former students, which shows how meaningful these connections can be.”

The SpeakCharlie difference

What sets Speak Charlie apart? Erik highlights three things:

• Flexibility – Lessons can happen online, during work hours, and adapt to busy schedules.

• Small groups – Courses are kept small to allow for personalized attention and real progress.

• Confidence building – More than vocabulary and grammar, Speak Charlie lessons focus on creating a safe space where students gain the courage to actually use their Swedish.

Building confidence: A success story

One of Erik’s students came in with strong Swedish skills but little confidence. After only a few weeks of lessons, he was speaking comfortably at work.

“It wasn’t that I taught him everything in those weeks,” Erik explains. “What he really needed was a safe and supportive environment to practice until speaking became natural.”

Making Swedish practical

The impact of learning Swedish looks different for every student. Sometimes it’s the ability to read Swedish chat messages at work and feel included. Other times, it’s speaking fluently with customers or clients. Whatever the level, every step forward builds both competence and confidence.

Tools for long-term success

Erik doesn’t believe in a single magic method — but he emphasizes practice and repetition. Regular exercises give students structure, while tools like Speak Charlie’s recorded grammar videos on Knowly make it easy to revisit tricky topics. “It’s often easier when someone explains the grammar again in a video than when you just read it,” Erik says.

Teaching as a lifelong passion

For Erik, teaching at Speak Charlie is not just a job. It’s a way to bring together his love of culture, people, and storytelling. And for his students, it means learning Swedish with a coach who understands that language is about much more than rules — it’s about confidence, connection, and feeling at home.