Daniel Salazar shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Daniel, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
Most people think learning a language is this huge, intimidating journey which… it is. They treat it like something they can dabble in casually, like downloading Duolingo once and hoping for the best. At our language school, we’re upfront: real progress takes structure, consistency, and community. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about showing up—and we’ve built a system that actually helps people stick with it and grow, even when life’s busy.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Daniel Salazar, Director at William’s School of Languages—a fast-growing language school in Las Vegas focused on real-world language fluency and community-based learning. We specialize in ESL, Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, Mandarin, and more, with a mission to make language learning accessible, empowering, and actually enjoyable. What makes us unique is our personalized approach, dynamic teachers, and commitment to helping students reach their goals—whether that’s passing the U.S. citizenship test or learning Korean for a trip abroad. Right now, we’re expanding programs for both adults and kids, and developing digital tools and curriculum to support learners across the U.S. and beyond.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Living in South Korea for a couple of years flipped my entire perspective. I spent a lot of time with teenagers, and what I saw shocked me: 11- to 17-year-olds grinding harder than most adults I knew. Early mornings, all-day school, after-school academies, and late-night study sessions—just to maybe get into a good high school. The pressure was insane, and it was deadly serious—South Korea has some of the highest youth suicide rates in the world.
One day it hit me: if kids that young are putting in that kind of effort, what excuse do I have? That mindset stuck with me. It changed how I approach everything—language learning, business, family, and travel. Since then, I’ve built multiple ventures, become fluent in five languages, and created a life filled with purpose and momentum—all fueled by a lesson I learned from kids grinding late at night in a Korean study hall.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Was there a time I almost gave up?
Absolutely. I bought what was supposed to be a cash-cow rental—but it turned out to be a money pit. The basement flooded four times. Contractors ghosted me. I pulled out a HELOC just to replace the main sewer line. At one point, I looked at my wife and said, “Let’s cut our losses, sell this thing, and start fresh.” I was mentally done.
But we didn’t quit. We stuck it out, fixed what needed fixing, and learned a ton in the process. Now that same property is finally cash flowing, and we’re reaping the rewards of not walking away when things got hard. That experience taught me: sometimes the worst deals become the best lessons—and the best wins.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
Raising a bilingual—or trilingual—child isn’t some magical accident. It’s strategy, consistency, and a lot of intention. The smartest adults I know don’t even know where to start. I do—because I studied it relentlessly. I dove deep into language acquisition, brain development, cultural identity, and how to actually build fluency at home. Now, my son speaks three languages fluently before the age of 5. It didn’t happen by chance—it happened by design. If you’re serious about passing on language to your kids, you need a plan. Not just hope.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If immortality were real, what would you build?
If immortality were real, I’d build a global language movement—starting with William’s School of Languages.
With unlimited time, I wouldn’t just teach people how to speak English, Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, or Mandarin—I’d build an international network of language schools designed to empower immigrants, entrepreneurs, travelers, and families around the world. I’d create immersive, affordable, culturally-rooted programs for kids and adults alike. I’d build digital platforms, interactive curriculum, and community hubs in every major city.
Why? Because language changes lives. At WSL, we already see it every day—immigrants pass their U.S. citizenship tests, children grow up trilingual, and students unlock jobs, relationships, and confidence they never thought possible. If I had forever, I’d scale that transformation to every continent.
Immortality wouldn’t be about living forever—it’d be about giving millions of others the tools to thrive right now. And for me, that starts with language.f
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