The Story Behind ThriveEnglish

My name is Eric Ola-Solomon. I'm a British English pronunciation specialist and ESL educator, and I founded ThriveEnglish because I've seen first-hand how much a clear, confident command of English can change someone's life.

Over the past nine years, I've worked with learners from Nigeria, South Korea, Japan, China, Germany, Spain, Brazil, and beyond — each one coming to me with different challenges, different goals, and different reasons why English mattered to them. Some were preparing for IELTS. Some were navigating corporate environments in English. Some simply wanted to be understood without having to repeat themselves.

What I've learned from all of them is this: the problem is rarely effort — most of my learners work incredibly hard. The problem is foundation. Without understanding the actual sound system of English — the 44 phonemes, how they work, how they're spelled, how they sit in the mouth — learners are building on sand.

That's why I built SoundCode 44. It's the tool I always wished existed: a complete, interactive guide to every sound in British English, grounded in real phonetics and designed to make the invisible visible. When a learner finally understands why "through," "threw," and "true" all sound the same — that's not just a vocabulary win. That's a framework shift. And framework shifts change everything.

And it's why I continue to teach. Because apps can give you the map, but sometimes you need a guide.

I hold a Highfield Level 5 TEFL Diploma — the highest level of TEFL qualification, regulated by Ofqual UK — which I passed with High Distinction. I specialise in British Received Pronunciation, IELTS preparation, and Business English communication. I've taught in classrooms, online, in corporate training rooms, and in one-to-one sessions that have lasted years.

Every learner I've worked with has arrived with a different story. But they all share the same goal: to be understood, to feel confident, and to use English as the powerful tool it genuinely is.

If you're ready to move beyond frustration and start speaking with real clarity and confidence, I'd love to work with you.