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English, baby! Fact Sheet

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Versation, Inc.
412 NW Couch Ave.
Suite 306
Portland, OR 97209

Tel: (888) 418-8021
Fax: (503) 827-8114

Web site: www.englishbaby.com

What We Do

English, baby! (aka Ebaby!) is an American-English instruction and social networking website for students worldwide learning English as a second language (ESL). About 1.5 billion people, approximately 25 percent of the global population, are currently learning English. Rather than focusing on grammar and memorization—instruction that students already receive in textbooks—the website virtually immerses students in American language and culture through a vast social network and daily lessons based on popular culture.

With weekly ESL soap opera videos, daily podcasts, and a million fellow learners to practice with, English, baby! streamlines the process of learning colloquial language for effective real world communication. And since American popular culture is of interest in so many other countries around the world, who better to teach slang than celebrities themselves? English lessons by gold-selling artists, professional athletes and more are positioning English, baby! as a unique global media outlet with an appeal that extends to native speakers—its celebrity lessons have been covered by the LA Times, the Seattle Times, Yahoo! Sports and many others.

Premium Memberships

Social networking and English lessons on Ebaby! are free. But those who Go Super! with a $5 a month premium membership can take full advantage of the site. In fact, in the fall of 2009, the site was redesigned to enhance the Super Member experience. Because the growing number of Super Members are becoming the core of the site culturally and financially, New Super Features are developed and launched regularly. Presently, Super Members can:

  • Download daily lesson podcasts to take Ebaby! on the go

  • Download printable versions of Ebaby!'s written lessons

  • Customize vocab lists and quizzes

  • View Ebaby! without ads

  • Make more friends through better site placement

When It Happened

  • 1999 - An early version of English, baby! is launched from Japan. Later the same year, the English, baby! business plan is written and the search for funding begins.

  • 2000 - English, baby! is officially established in Portland, Oregon, by John Hayden and Miguel McKelvey

  • 2001 - The events of 9/11 take a toll on foreign student enrollment at American universities, and English, baby! focuses on student recruitment software to generate revenue.

  • 2003 - English, baby! achieves profitability.

  • 2005 - Versation, Inc., is introduced as the parent company of English, baby!

  • 2006 - Web 2.0 features are added to English, baby! and online membership takes off.

  • 2007 - Expanded lesson and networking features for premium, Super Members, launched.

  • 2008 - English, baby! introduces its soap opera and celebrity English lessons as well as videos shot in Istanbul and Beijing.

  • 2009 - The English, baby! community grows to 1,000,000 members. School pages, blurts, extreme English lessons are introduced. The site is redesigned to benefit Super Members.

Fun facts

  • There are more than 3,000 archived English lessons on Ebaby!

  • Ebaby!'s weekly ESL soap opera is now past its 100th episode with no end in sight!

  • This summer, Ebaby! debuted EXTREME English lessons, which demonstrate idioms with stunts that make sure students won’t forget them!

  • Chat rooms and blogs are two of Ebaby!'s most popular features!

  • Ebaby! connects its members with schools around the US through its new School Search!

  • Students share cool slang on Ebaby! with blurts. It’s flash cards meets status updates.