English Champ, founded by Taohidul Hasan and Hridoy Ahasan during the COVID-19 pandemic, has emerged as a compelling story in Bangladesh's edtech landscape. The company is addressing a fundamental challenge in Bangladesh's education system—English language proficiency—through a unique approach focused on early childhood education that “prioritizes a learning experience that feels more like play, ensuring children enjoy the process while gaining essential language skills.”
In this fascinating interview with Future Startup, Taohidul Hasan, CEO and Co-founder of the company, shares the journey of building English Champ from a simple Facebook Messenger-based operation to a thriving edtech company. He discusses how the company has created a unique learning methodology that makes English education feel more like play than study, its focus on micro-batches with only 5-6 students per class, and its commitment to quality through partnerships with institutions like Cambridge and reflects on ideas and strategies that have helped the company find a growth path and his lessons from his journey.
The interview offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs, particularly those interested in education technology and social impact. You will learn about:
On to the interview.
Future Startup: Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Please briefly tell us about yourself and your path to entrepreneurship.
Taohidul Hasan: I’m Taohidul Hasan, the CEO and Co-founder of English Champ Ltd. I was born and raised in Dhaka in a middle-class family, as the youngest among my siblings. My father is a businessman, and growing up watching him work instilled a passion for business in me from an early age. Even as a student, I tried out several small ventures—just to explore and understand what running a business felt like.
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a Master’s in Business, but more importantly, I’ve always been sensitive about my country and its people. I knew early on that whatever I did in life, I wanted it to create a lasting and meaningful impact on society. That’s always been my driving force.
My professional journey began as a creative designer for various brands. Over time, I transitioned to branding and marketing after joining an agency, where I got hands-on experience in digital marketing. It was fascinating to learn how branding and strategy could shape a business’s future. I feel lucky to be able to use all those skills now to build my own company.
Future Startup: What was the thesis behind starting English Champ? What problem is English Champ trying to solve?
Taohidul Hasan: During COVID, my co-founder and I were brainstorming the challenges Bangladesh is facing and why we, as a nation, seem to lag behind. We realized that education is one of the root causes, and within that, English is a significant barrier. It prevents us from showcasing our true potential on the global stage.
But we also understood a hard reality—it’s difficult to teach adults because their habits and skills are already formed. That’s when we decided to focus on kids. If we could help children master English from an early age, we could ensure a future where they are confident, capable, and ready to take Bangladesh to new heights globally.
We identified several gaps in existing services for kids’ English education. One of the biggest issues is quality—not just in terms of what is taught but how it’s taught. For kids, big batches don’t work because they can’t engage properly. Recorded courses are also ineffective for children; they need to talk, see, and experience what they’re learning in real time.
At English Champ, we’ve designed our classes to address these issues. Our approach is interactive, personalized, and focused on building not just language skills but confidence and communication abilities. We’re not just teaching English; we’re shaping the next generation to be bold, empowered, and ready for the world.
The scale of the problem is enormous—around 60 million people are in need of effective English education in Bangladesh alone. It’s not just a business opportunity; it’s a chance to create long-term societal change. By helping even a fraction of this population, we’re ensuring a brighter future for our country.
Future Startup: Tell us about how English Champ got started.
Taohidul Hasan: English Champ started during the COVID-19 pandemic. My partner, Hridoy Ahasan and I were discussing the challenges Bangladesh faces and realized how big a barrier English is for our country’s growth. We decided to focus on kids because we believed that investing in their future would create a long-lasting impact.
At first, it was just the two of us and a teacher. We didn’t have a grand plan or resources—just a shared vision. We said, “Let’s do it.” We opened a social media page, and that was it. There was no website, no platform, and no formal launch. We opened a social media account and began looking for clients within our circle of relatives and friends. Since we had no budget for promotions, we relied on personal connections to spread the word. Slowly, one client turned into two, and it grew from there.
Future Startup: What went into building the initial operation/first version of the platform/product?
Taohidul Hasan: It’s funny now, but our first “platform” was Facebook Messenger. I thought we were geniuses—like, why hasn’t anyone thought of this? We didn’t need to spend thousands on building a platform; we could just use Messenger. We even created social media accounts for our teachers to conduct classes. Of course, it didn’t work out for a million reasons. Eventually, we moved to more reliable platforms like Google Meet and Zoom, and that’s when things started falling into place.
Future Startup: How did you put together initial investment and other resources to get started?
Taohidul Hasan: We didn’t ask anyone for money—not friends, not family. We asked for clients. Our relatives probably started avoiding us because they knew if I saw them, I’d ask for referrals! But they helped, and those referrals became our first clients. We earned money by serving them, and with the tiniest profit, we reinvested in social media campaigns. That cycle of earning, reinvesting, and growing hasn’t stopped since.
Future Startup: Tell us about your experience including any challenges in the process of building the product, initial operation, and launching.
Taohidul Hasan: The hardest part of building English Champ was creating the product and ensuring it fit the market. We needed to figure out the perfect way to teach kids English—something fun, effective, and seamless. Our goal was to make learning so enjoyable that the kids wouldn’t even realize they were learning. They should feel like they’re just playing, and eventually, they’d pick up the language naturally.
Finding that perfect balance was absolutely crucial for us. That’s where my partner, Hridoy Ahasan, played a vital role. Together, we explored every possible avenue, turning over every stone to outline the curriculum and create materials that worked. We also had the privilege of collaborating with faculty members and experts from different countries. Their dedication and expertise were invaluable, and I’ll always be grateful to them for their support in shaping what English Champ is today.
On the operational side, one of the biggest challenges was finding the right people for the job. But I believe in a simple principle: there’s no such thing as bad hiring—only a bad leader. If we, as leaders, can mentor and align our team with the mission and vision, anyone can perform well. This mindset has helped us build a team that shares our passion for making a difference.
Future Startup: Tell us about a few major strategic decisions/activities that have helped grow the business in the early days.
Taohidul Hasan: One of the most impactful decisions we made early on was revising our payment plan. We realized that affordability and flexibility were key for parents, so we tailored our pricing structure to make our services more accessible while still maintaining quality.
Another crucial decision was staying focused on a single product—our core English course—for more than four years. While it was tempting to branch out into other areas, we knew that perfecting this one product would set the foundation for everything else.
Having faith in my team was another game-changer. I genuinely believed in their potential to perform better and achieve more. That belief drove me to push my promotional efforts harder, gaining more clients and creating more opportunities for the team to shine.
Lastly, the shift from remote work to an actual office setup was a strategic decision that transformed our operations. It brought the team closer, improved collaboration, and gave us a stronger sense of identity as a company. It was a big step, but it laid the groundwork for scaling up and building a sustainable business.
Future Startup: How do you introduce English Champ today to people who are not familiar with your work?
Taohidul Hasan: When introducing English Champ, I like to keep it simple and relatable by asking a few questions:
If the answers are “yes,” I tell them, “Then English Champ is just the right place for you.”
It’s more than just a pitch—it’s a conversation starter. And the best part? That last line is actually our slogan!
Future Startup: Please tell us about English Champ's business model. What do you sell—products/services you offer, who are your customers and what is your pricing model?
Taohidul Hasan: At English Champ, we sell a dream—an English course that’s more than just learning a language. It’s about storytelling, imagination, and building confidence. I often tell parents, “We don’t teach A for Apple, B for Ball, C for Cat. Instead, we say, ‘Imagine a red apple hanging on a tree, beside a river.’” This approach helps kids visualize, learn, and develop their creativity simultaneously.
To help parents make that decision, we offer a free test class for every potential client. This class not only gives parents and kids a taste of our teaching style but also serves as an assessment. We place students into one of our 8 levels based on their skill level, ensuring they’re in a batch that’s right for them.
Our pricing model is subscription-based, with packages designed to be accessible and flexible for parents. The goal is to make high-quality English education available to as many children as possible while maintaining our standard of excellence.
Parents pay for the course every 45 days, and the course itself spans two years. Once a student starts, they can continue with us for the full duration of the program, which ensures steady, recurring revenue for the business.
Our biggest cost center is paying our faculty. We prioritize high-quality educators and compensate them well because we believe that quality teaching is key to the success of our students. Investing in talented and dedicated teachers has been crucial for maintaining the standard of excellence we aim for at English Champ.
Future Startup: How does your distribution and marketing work?
Taohidul Hasan: English Champ is an online platform, so we primarily acquire students through digital marketing channels, including social media, search engines, and paid advertisements. We focus on building a strong online presence to connect with parents who are looking for quality English education for their kids.
In addition to our online efforts, we organize events, activations, and workshops periodically. These help us stay top-of-mind with our target audience and engage with potential clients in a more personal way.
Future Startup: Please give us an overview of English Champ today. How many courses do you offer? How many users do you have?
Taohidul Hasan: At English Champ, we offer a variety of courses tailored to different needs and age groups. Our signature course is the Kids Premium Course, which focuses on micro-batches to ensure personalized learning. In addition, we have courses like Spoken English for Kids, English for Freelancers, and Professional English for Job Seekers.
We’ve also collaborated with job placement agencies to ensure that our learners have opportunities to secure employment after completing the courses. To further enhance the credibility of our programs, we’ve partnered with Cambridge, so students who complete our Kids Premium Course can take the Cambridge exam and earn a globally recognized certificate.
So far, we’ve taught over 2,000 students, and currently, more than 400 students are actively enrolled in our courses.
Future Startup: What are your operational pillars?
Taohidul Hasan: At English Champ, our operational pillars are:
These pillars ensure we deliver impactful education to our students.
Future Startup: How big is the team? How is the company structured? What does the culture look like?
Taohidul Hasan: We have a team of over 50 people, with 10 based in the office (across sales, marketing, operations, administration, and creative) and 45 remote team members.
Interestingly, all our remote faculty members are highly qualified women, including professionals, business owners, and homemakers, with significant teaching and educational experience.
Our company culture is one of inclusivity and flexibility. We offer remote work, which allows women to contribute their talents from anywhere, ensuring they feel safe and empowered. We’ve created a supportive, joyful, and fun work environment—one employee even described English Champ as a “detoxification center” for her. We prioritize a friendly and positive atmosphere where everyone can thrive.
Future Startup: Give us a sense of the scale of the industry in which English Champ operates.
Taohidul Hasan: The ed-tech industry, particularly focused on English language education for children, operates at an enormous scale and continues to grow rapidly. In Bangladesh, there are 60 million school-age children who require English proficiency to excel academically and professionally. Of these, 25 million children have access to resources for learning English, representing a significant audience for targeted ed-tech solutions. English Champ aims to capture 1.5 million students, showcasing the growth potential within this expansive market.
This sector is part of a global trend where the demand for English language learning is projected to reach billions of dollars, driven by the accessibility of online platforms and the increasing emphasis on bilingual proficiency. Parents are increasingly recognizing English as a gateway to global opportunities, further fueling the need for innovative and effective learning solutions. English Champ is uniquely positioned within this space, focusing on small batch sizes, interactive learning, and personalized attention for kids.
Future Startup: What separates English Champ from other similar players in the market?
Taohidul Hasan: What sets English Champ apart is its unique approach to English education for children. Unlike other players in the market, we prioritize a learning experience that feels more like play, ensuring children enjoy the process while gaining essential language skills.
Our micro-batch system, with only 5-6 students per class, allows for personalized attention and high engagement, which is rarely found in larger batch formats. Additionally, our all-female faculty are highly qualified and experienced, providing a safe and nurturing environment for our students.
We also offer an assessment-driven approach, placing students in one of eight levels based on their abilities, ensuring they receive the right level of challenge and support. Moreover, our partnerships with global organizations like Cambridge allow students to earn internationally recognized certificates, setting us apart in terms of credibility and quality assurance.
In 2025, we plan to expand into other countries to capture those markets with native speakers, further broadening our reach. By continuously innovating our curriculum, strengthening our faculty, and building meaningful partnerships, we aim to solidify our position as a market leader in English language education for kids.
Future Startup: Tell us about the major challenges of English Champ today.
Taohidul Hasan: One of the major challenges English Champ faces today is the shift in mindset required for parents to embrace our unique approach to teaching English. Our method is designed to be slow but long-lasting, focusing on building a strong foundation for kids rather than providing quick fixes. However, many parents still hold on to the methods they experienced 20-30 years ago and often expect rapid results.
Learning a language is not a short-term task; it is a long-term commitment. While some parents seek immediate fluency for their children. Our goal is not to turn kids into native speakers within a few months but to equip them with the skills and confidence to adopt and adapt to English on their own throughout life, without relying on a teacher or coaching.
We encourage parents to trust the process and stay engaged through regular parent meetings, where we provide learner development reports. To all parents considering English Champ, we assure you that this is a decision you will never regret. By embracing our modern teaching methods and committing to your child's long-term growth, you are investing in their future success.
Future Startup: Tell us about English Champ's plans: short-term priorities and long-term vision.
Taohidul Hasan: English Champ's short-term priority is to expand its reach to as many students as possible while maintaining the high-quality education we are known for.
Our long-term vision is to become a global platform, connecting teachers and students from different countries, fostering cross-cultural learning, and creating a truly international educational experience.
Future Startup: You have built a fairly successful business. What are your biggest lessons in entrepreneurship?
Taohidul Hasan: One of my biggest lessons in entrepreneurship is the importance of prioritizing quality above everything else. People remember quality products, not just great ads. Ensuring that the product or service delivers value builds lasting trust and loyalty. Marketing comes second when quality speaks for itself.
Another key lesson is the power of a happy and motivated team. Aligning the team with the vision and mission, valuing their opinions, involving them in decision-making, and fostering a fun, supportive work culture can lead to remarkable results. A united and motivated team can overcome any challenge.
Future Startup: How do you stay productive as a founder? What is your unusual productivity hack?
Taohidul Hasan: As a founder, I stay productive by embracing variety in my workday. I often work long hours, but I ensure that I don't stick to a single task for too long. Shifting between departments, tasks, and responsibilities keeps me engaged and motivated.
Focusing on one job for extended periods can lead to burnout or a sense of monotony. By tackling different challenges throughout the day, every task feels fresh and exciting, making each day a new opportunity to grow. This approach has been key to maintaining my productivity and enthusiasm as a founder.
Future Startup: Common mistakes founders should avoid.
Taohidul Hasan: Founders should keep an eye on their finances, especially cash flow. Avoid spending too much on marketing. Instead, focus on creating a great product and offering excellent service. Happy customers will do the best marketing for you.
Future Startup: 03 things you found advantageous/helpful as a founder.
Taohidul Hasan: As a founder, I’ve found several key factors to be particularly advantageous.
First, having a business partner with complementary skills allows us to effectively manage most departments together, ensuring a well-rounded approach to leadership.
Second, I am forever grateful for the guidance of my advisers, who provide invaluable support in making informed decisions.
Finally, being a jack of all trades has proven to be helpful, as it enables me to stay involved in all aspects of the business and adapt to the ever-changing needs of the company.
Future Startup: 5 books you would like to recommend to our readers.
Taohidul Hasan: Instead of recommending specific books, I’d like to suggest a broader approach to reading. Everyone’s thinking, lifestyle, and experiences are unique, so the books that resonate with me might not resonate with someone else. I suggest reading as many books as possible and not limiting yourself to business or self-help genres. Don’t skip novels or storybooks—they can teach valuable lessons about people, culture, and psychology. Understanding these aspects can help you position your brand uniquely and connect with your audience on a deeper level.
Future Startup: Anything that you would like to add as parting thoughts.
Taohidul Hasan: I believe in staying true to yourself and your clients. Avoid giving false hope—whether to yourself, your team, or your customers. Only promote what you can genuinely deliver, and always prioritize exceptional customer service. Success comes from honesty, consistency, and a commitment to delivering value.
