Maria had worked as a software engineer for ten years. She enjoyed her job, but she always dreamed of something more. One evening, she was sitting at her kitchen table with her laptop. She had an idea that she could not stop thinking about. She wanted to create an app that would help small businesses manage their finances. The next morning, Maria talked to her husband about her idea. 'I think you should go for it,' he said with a supportive smile. Maria felt excited but also nervous about leaving her stable job. She spent the following weeks researching and planning. She wrote a detailed business plan and calculated how much money she would need. Three months later, Maria handed in her resignation at work. Her colleagues were surprised, but they wished her well. The first day of her new life as an entrepreneur was both thrilling and terrifying. Maria set up a small office in her spare bedroom. She bought a new desk, a comfortable chair, and a second monitor. The first few months were incredibly challenging. Maria worked long hours every day, often until midnight. She had to learn many new skills besides programming. Marketing, sales, and accounting were completely new to her. She watched online tutorials and read books about running a business. After six months of development, the first version of her app was ready. Maria was proud of what she had created, but she was also worried. 'What if nobody wants to use it?' she thought to herself. She launched the app on a Tuesday morning in March. The first day, she had only three users. Maria felt disappointed, but she did not give up. She asked the early users for feedback and listened carefully to their suggestions. She improved the app based on what they told her. Slowly, word started to spread about her useful product. By the end of the first year, Maria had one thousand active users. She was starting to make a small profit from monthly subscriptions. However, running a business alone was becoming too much work. Maria decided to hire her first employee. She found a talented young developer named Alex who believed in her vision. Together, they could accomplish much more. The second year brought new challenges. A large company released a similar product with more features. Many people thought Maria's small company could not compete. But Maria knew her customers better than the big company did. She focused on providing excellent customer support. She answered every email personally and solved problems quickly. Her customers appreciated the personal attention and stayed loyal. During the third year, something unexpected happened. An investor contacted Maria and offered to fund her company. The investor had seen her product and was impressed by its growth. Maria thought carefully about the offer for several weeks. She discussed it with her husband, her parents, and her business mentor. In the end, she decided to accept the investment. With the new funding, Maria could hire more people and improve her product faster. She moved out of her spare bedroom and rented a small office downtown. The team grew to ten people within six months. Maria had to learn how to be a good leader and manager. Sometimes she missed the simple days when it was just her and her laptop. But she loved watching her team succeed and grow. Five years after starting her business, Maria looked back with pride. Her company now had fifty employees and thousands of happy customers. The journey had been difficult, but it was worth every struggle. Maria often told young entrepreneurs about her experience. 'The most important thing is to start,' she always said. 'You will make mistakes, but you will learn from every single one of them.'
English Story (B1)Starting a Business
This B1 English story is designed for intermediates learning English. It includes simple vocabulary and short sentences to help you improve your reading and listening skills. Click any word to see translations and hear pronunciation.
About this story
Maria, a software engineer, decided to leave her stable job to start her own business. She created an app to help small businesses manage their finances. The first year was challenging with only a few users, but she listened to feedback and improved her product. Eventually, an investor funded her company, allowing her to hire more people and grow. Five years later, Maria's company had fifty employees and thousands of customers, proving that taking risks and persevering through difficulties can lead to success.
Translations in English
Linked wordUnderlined wordOther words
Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
What kind of app did Maria want to create?
2
How did Maria compete with the large company that released a similar product?
3
Who was Maria's first employee?
4
How many users did Maria have by the end of the first year?
Vocabulary
41 words from this story
