East Meets World

When the doors to China open, Bettye Pierce Zoller of ZWL Publishing Inc. will be ready. "Chinese people at all levels want to write and speak English better," says Zoller.

The author of the audiobook Speaking Effective English (Simon & Schuster) founded ZWL Publishing in 1994, based on 28 years' experience teaching English and speech communications. "I learned what works and what doesn't," Zoller says.

What works is personalized instruction. "You can't just hand them a book or a manual or a tape and go away." Zoller and her instructors interact with students one-on-one, and will offer courses in China online and by mail, as well as in person.

Zoller sees her customers in China ranging from college students to corporate executives to government officials. "Chinese see the West as their ticket to the good life. Borders are opening and expanding. People understand that free trade, enterprise and personal achievement are the ways to achieve personal success."

The demand, she believes, will be so huge, she'll have to "completely restructure objectives" just to handle this new market.

Next Step

Asia Society's section on China and the WTO

Links from the U.S.-China Business Council

This article was originally published in the April 2000 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: East Meets World.