# Phil's Conversation, Personal 1:1 English coaching · Zurich & online > https://www.philsconversation.ch/ ## Speak English the way you think, feel, and are. For adults who want to speak more freely in English: at work, on your travels, and in everyday life. We use your real conversations, travel plans and work situations as the material. Work directly with Phil, in Zurich or online. Book an Expression Check: https://www.philsconversation.ch/expression-check Take the free Expression Gap Quiz: https://www.philsconversation.ch/expression-quiz 15-minute call by phone or Zoom · Zero sales pressure Trusted by people from healthcare and psychology, consulting, retail, law, music and entrepreneurship, from creative projects, and from everyday life Real conversations · Personal feedback · Practice from your life · A voice that feels like yours ## Start with what matters to you ### Meetings and Q&A Phil’s prompt: "Your team just raised three conflicting opinions. How do you step in and move the discussion forward?" Sample response: "Here is where we stand right now, and here is the one decision we need from this group before we move on." ### Presenting your expertise Phil’s prompt: "Give me the core message of this slide in two sentences, without looking at the text." Sample response: "The data shows a clear shift. In practical terms, that means we focus on three priorities." ### Small talk and rapport Phil’s prompt: "A colleague grabs a coffee next to you on a Monday morning. What is your natural opener?" Sample response: "I had something similar on my last project. How did your team end up solving that?" ### Consultations and client sessions Phil’s prompt: "Your client arrives feeling overwhelmed and didn’t follow their plan. How do you respond with empathy before offering advice?" Sample response: "I hear how heavy that felt this week. Before we look at any plan, tell me: what was the hardest moment for you?" ### Travel and new connections Phil’s prompt: "You are at a café abroad. Someone asks where you are from. What would you say, and ask them?" Sample response: "I’m from Zurich. It’s my first time here, and I love this café. Do you live nearby?" ### Everyday life and projects Phil’s prompt: "A friend asks about a project you are working on. What is it, and why does it matter to you?" Sample response: "I’m making a podcast about music. I love hearing people’s stories, and I want to share them. What kind of music do you like?" Find out what’s holding you back: Your Expression Gap below. ## Your Expression Gap: What is actually holding you back? It may not be what you first think. Missing words in the moment are real. And even words you know can stay out of reach under pressure. Translating in your head and holding back to avoid mistakes can also get between what you want to say and what comes out. This is your Expression Gap. “It's in my head, but it doesn't come out.” ### Expression Gap Quiz Eight honest questions help you see where your words get caught, and where your path to speaking more freely begins. About 3 minutes · No grammar test · Your personal reflection Take the free Expression Gap Quiz: https://www.philsconversation.ch/expression-quiz Prefer to talk it through? Book a 15-minute Expression Check by phone: https://www.philsconversation.ch/expression-check ## Who I work with At work, on holiday or with new friends, the setting changes. What you want stays the same: to say what you mean and feel like yourself in English. We build useful language and practise the conversations from your life. ### The everyday voice You want to feel at home in English for life, travel and spontaneous moments. You want to find your voice again, speak with confidence, and trust your grammar and vocabulary, so you have a version of yourself in English you feel good about. ### The global voice You create for a wider audience: a podcast, content, a book or your own project. You want to feel authentic and comfortable, and share your ideas, opinions and concepts with accuracy and confidence, far beyond the Swiss borders. ### The professional voice Your expertise deserves to be heard clearly. Whether you are leading a team, presenting research, or stepping into a new role, you want the presence and accuracy to represent your work and feel at home in English while you do it. ## How we practice ### Your real world You bring what matters: a meeting, an idea, or an everyday conversation. ### We practice together Effective. Joyful. Meaningful. In the Conversation Studio, we try, refine, and try again. ### Back into life You take that practice and experience into your next real conversation. Explore 1:1 Coaching: https://www.philsconversation.ch/pure-practice#how-we-work ## The Expression Gap You know what you mean. Finding the words can be harder. The distance between what you think and feel, and what you can express in English. Sometimes words are genuinely missing. Sometimes words you know become hard to reach under pressure. We work on both: building useful language from your life and practising it in real conversations. Explore your Expression Gap: https://www.philsconversation.ch/your-expression-gap Take the free Expression Gap Quiz: https://www.philsconversation.ch/expression-quiz ## What clients take into real life “Recently I even ran a full client consultation in English, and feeling that flow filled me with pride.” Natalie Zumbrunnen, Dietician and diabetes counsellor German original: Kürzlich habe ich sogar eine Beratung mit einem Kunden vollständig auf Englisch geführt, und als ich den Gesprächsfluss spürte, erfüllte mich das mit Stolz. Read all client stories: https://www.philsconversation.ch/client-stories ## Hi, I'm Phil. Curiosity before correction. Conversation over curriculum. I coach adults who already speak English but don't yet feel like themselves in it. No grammar drills, no scripts. Your work, your life, and the situations you actually face are the material we use. I have taught English since 2014 and have focused on coaching since 2020, when I started Phil's Conversation. Qualified with CELTA and the Swiss SVEB-1 adult-education certificate. ### I love a good session at the bouldering wall. I need to balance the mental load of entrepreneurship and coaching with a fun, challenging, and physical activity. ### I'm a passionate improviser. I've been performing improv theater for almost 4 years with a group called What is Normal in Zürich. The art form inspires my life, my work, and my mindset. ### I love walks with my dog. Whether it's rain or shine, my dog can't walk herself. There's always a reason to go outside and enjoy the fresh air. ### I'm a proud father. I live each day knowing that I get to be a father of two amazing boys who bring unspeakable joy to my life, as well as the occasional turmoil. ### New York City is my second home. In high school I played a lot of theatre, performed in the New York subway, and experienced so much of what the city has to offer. Explore 1:1 Coaching: https://www.philsconversation.ch/pure-practice ## How we start You do not need to choose a path before we speak. We start with one short conversation and see what fits. 1. Expression Check: a 15-minute call by phone or Zoom. Tell me what frustrates you, and we find what blocks your English and how to overcome it 2. Trial conversation, 30 min on Zoom 3. We work together, only if it feels right See how a session works: https://www.philsconversation.ch/pure-practice#how-we-work See packages and prices: https://www.philsconversation.ch/pure-practice#practice-packages Curious, or ready to start? Book your 15-minute Expression Check. In English or German, with no obligation. Book an Expression Check: https://www.philsconversation.ch/expression-check ## Speak with the depth you actually have. Book a 15-minute Expression Check. Tell me what is holding you back, and we map out the way to speaking freely. In English or German, zero sales pressure. Book an Expression Check: https://www.philsconversation.ch/expression-check Not ready to talk yet? Start with the free Expression Gap Quiz. https://www.philsconversation.ch/expression-quiz