Gabe Wyner - How to be Fluent Forever, Sing Opera, and Learn French in 3 Months

Gabe Wyner has been called "a mashup of Steve Jobs and Aristotle" - and that's just one of the interesting tidbits about him (another includes the fact that he's an opera singer). In this episode, Gabe shares his unique journey from a mechanical engineer to an opera singer and polyglot to an app founder and author.  He discusses the methodology behind his app, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the personal growth that comes from stepping back from leadership roles.    00:00 Introduction and High Praise 04:39 Gabe's Fascinating Background 09:00 Language Learning and Middlebury Immersion 15:10 The Middlebury Language Immersion Program 22:17 Reaching C1 Fluency in French 25:08 Epiphany and the Potential of Language Learning 25:37 From Language Learner to Tech Entrepreneur 27:05 Becoming a Tech Entrepreneur 29:04 Writing a Book and Getting a Book Deal 32:00 The Process of Writing a Book 38:55 Fluent Forever and Language Learning Methodology 46:14 Language Learning at Middlebury 50:50 Language Maintenance and Recall 54:36 The Shark Tank Experience 55:26 The ROI of Learning a Language 56:33 The Fluent Forever App and Custom Content 58:00 Building the App Company 59:28 The Best Language Learning Method 01:00:23 The Main Business: Fluent Forever App 01:01:07 The Future of Fluent Forever 01:03:23 Life After Fluent Forever 01:06:13 The Journey of Letting Go 01:07:54 Exploring New Projects 01:11:56 The Thrill of Unlocking Potential 01:13:51 Personal Priorities: Language Learning and Travel