Elizabeth Mack, Founder

Celebrating 10 Years Of Freestyle!

Name: Freestyle Languages
Address: 7310 Menchaca Rd #150429, Austin, TX, 78715, US
Telephone: 888-982-4652
Price range: $$

10 years ago, without any startup capital, curriculum or teachers, I left my position as French Instructor at Texas State University with the firm conviction that there was a better way.

I had been loving so much about teaching French, and I’ve long known that I’m happiest when surrounded by culturally curious people in a learning environment.

Gradually, however, from one semester to another, during late nights as a single mother grading papers, I had started dreaming up possible solutions to what I was realizing was a significant problem: for those who truly want to learn to speak another language in school, it’s nearly impossible.

Raise your hand if you took years of language in high school or college but can’t really hold any kind of conversation? (psst, it’s not you…)

“What would it look like IF…” I kept asking myself. Mostly I envisioned it less stressful and more fun – but also more culturally rich and more relevant to our everyday lives, much in the way I had learned my 2nd and 3rd languages.

Around that time, I learned that there’s actually language learning science behind each of those dynamics. Wait, what? Then why…?

Seemingly overnight, the right thing made itself apparent. I turned in my keys to the Chair of the language department in a moment that was both liberating and terrifying. I didn’t really know it would work. I only knew what didn’t work.

Certification as a HUB, a woman minority-owned business;
A nation-wide corporate language program (‘Language at Work’) now available across a variety of industries and languages;
Meaningful local partnerships, such as our newest friends in TAPP: Texas Anti-poverty Project, because the power of language is capable of providing a life skill that leads to employment and wage equity; and, most importantly…
Our FreestyleFam! We’ve grown to 3x our pre-pandemic size to support our long term plans to stay 100% online #DreamTeam

And none of the above would have happened without our leadership team. Have you met them? (As it feels like highlighting one’s children in a particular order – ? – I will do best to start alphabetically)

Ann Blocker, COO. Thank you for the gift of you and your creative brilliance! How does one fit such organizational wizardry into each day? And with SO much heart? #Shero
Sharnicia Dotson, Director of Online Learning. You create JOY in every learning space you touch! And for your powerful strategic leadership, thank you! #Madskills
Mackenzie Griffin, Marketing Manager. Your endless energy & focused drive creates THE Freestyle Experience for all! You make our community what it is: #Connected.
Natasha Moushegian, Lead Instructor, Language at Work Program Manager. Thank you for your willingness to wade into uncharted waters with optimism & gusto! #NaturalBornInstructor
Ramiro Munoz, HR Manager. You literally created a department out of thin air. Thank you for re-envisioning what we need, when we need it (and hiring like mad!) #WearsManyHats
Clem Ozel, Director of Edu. For your highly skilled and hilarious self, merci! You bring cutting edge learning science to our instructors & learners avec JOIE. #TeacherTrainerExtraordinaire

None of what we do would be possible without the true heart of our team, our incroyable Freestyle instructors!

While they hail from diverse cultures and countries, they share one special trait: each is extremely passionate about teaching language – which then combined with the Freestyle methodology creates the recipe for success for our learners!

The heart, diversity of thought and perseverance are what I love most about our team. We’ve had some losses, turnover and dizzying amounts of change, but mostly we persevered! #Gratitude