We are honoured and proud to be featured in Sustain Biz Magazine as part of its Brand Legacy Series. This feature shares the story behind Johan Speaking Academy, our journey, and our passion for empowering children to speak with confidence and courage.
What We Want to Give Children: From “Afraid to Speak” to “Confident That Their Voice Will Be Heard”
Johan Ooi & Cherry Ho
In an era of intense competition and rapid change, public-speaking training institutions are certainly not uncommon. However, organisations that truly place “passing on values” at their core, and regard a child’s “lifelong growth” as a goal more important than business expansion, are far less common.
Recently, The Entrepreneur interviewed the husband-and-wife founders of Johan Speaking Academy, Johan Ooi and Cherry Ho. Drawing from their personal experiences, the two education entrepreneurs shared how they transformed what might appear to be a “skills-based” programme into a growth system capable of influencing a child for life.
When asked about their original intention in starting the academy, both founders gave surprisingly similar answers:
“What we really want to pass on to children is the courage to speak, and the belief that their own voices are valuable.”
In their view, many children are not lacking in ability. Instead, during the process of growing up, they are repeatedly interrupted, ignored, or rejected. Over time, they choose to remain silent.
Johan added:
“Many people only realise when they grow up that speaking on stage is extremely difficult, because from childhood, no one ever taught them how to express themselves properly.”
Having personally experienced the pressure of being afraid to step onto the stage, Johan understood deeply the importance of systematic training. He recalled that he was once so nervous before giving a speech that he suffered from insomnia for several days.
That experience later became an important motivation for him to devote himself to children’s communication and expression education.
For Johan Speaking Academy, the teaching environment is always placed as the number one priority — safety, respect, fun and encouragement. There is only one core objective:
To allow children to truly build confidence through expression.
Public Speaking Is an “Inner Asset” That Never Becomes Outdated
Many parents in the market view public-speaking classes as an additional skill. However, the two founders offer a deeper interpretation:
“Skills may become obsolete, but true inner confidence is something that accompanies a child throughout life.”
In their programme design, public-speaking training essentially develops three levels of ability:
- Clarity of thought
- Courage to express oneself
- Confidence when facing the world
They have observed that as long as children learn to organise their thoughts clearly and express themselves confidently in front of others, whether in the future they are studying, job hunting or starting a business, they will have greater confidence and composure.
Cherry particularly emphasised:
“Public speaking is not about understanding the applause on stage. It is about giving a child confidence and strength for the rest of their life.”
For this reason, the academy incorporates a large number of real-life scenario simulations into its curriculum — from storytelling and product reviews to emceeing, sports commentary, radio interviews, forum interviews and even press conferences — comprehensively developing children’s ability to express themselves.
Speaking Sincerely Is More Important Than Speaking Beautifully
When asked about the “most important speaking ability for a leader who carries a brand legacy,” the two founders gave an answer that was very different from conventional thinking:
“The most important thing is not speaking beautifully, but speaking sincerely and responsibly.”
In their view, a leader who can truly be trusted must possess three forms of expressive strength:
- Clearly communicate their position at critical moments
- Provide direction and hope during difficult times
- Use language to inspire people rather than manipulate them
Johan said that many people nowadays pursue “confidence” but overlook “credibility.”
“You can be very good at speaking, but if people don’t trust you, that kind of expression has no power.”
Therefore, in the academy’s higher-level programmes, they deliberately train students in “value-based expression” — helping them learn to take responsibility for what they say, speak truthfully, and avoid merely pursuing fluency.
Years Later, Children Come Back and Say: “I Dare to Speak Now.”
Unlike commercial brands, the results of education often take years to become visible.
The two founders are deeply moved whenever former students return after many years.
Cherry shared that what gives them the greatest sense of reassurance is not applause on stage, but the feedback they receive years later:
“Some students come back when they are older and tell us, ‘Because of what I learned back then, today I dare to fight for opportunities and I dare to stand up and speak.’”
In their view, this is the moment when education truly begins to generate long-term value.
They divide the long-term indicators of public-speak/.ing education into three areas:
Students continue to have the courage to express themselves after growing up
Teachers continue to regard “educating people” rather than simply “teaching lessons” as their mission
Even as the brand grows, it continues to protect its original purpose
Cherry said:
“This is not a road where we chase results. It is a road where we protect growth and influence.”
6,869 Children’s Outdoor Public-Speaking Sessions:
The Educational Experiment Behind the Record
In 2025, Johan Speaking Academy achieved an ASEAN Record for 6,869 cumulative outdoor public-speaking sessions by children, attracting attention from the education community.
However, the founders are most concerned that the public may misunderstand the meaning of this “record.”
“We simply wanted to prove one thing — children are not incapable; they just lack a stage.”
They deliberately brought children out of the classroom and into shopping malls, zoos, large-scale public events and even international-level venues, allowing children to experience the real world. To date, students have gained experience in international conferences, government events and large corporate functions, including opportunities to serve as young emcees or speakers. For the team, these real-life experiences are far more meaningful than scores given in the classroom.
Expansion Must Not Outpace Values
As the brand expands across different locations through certification, teacher development and licensing systems, one of the greatest concerns from outsiders is:
How can teaching quality be prevented from becoming diluted?
Cherry gave one core principle:
“Expansion must never outpace our values.”
For this reason, the academy has established three major safeguards:
First: Strict teacher certification and continuous training
All teachers must complete systematic training and continuously review the founders’ teaching videos.
Second: A replicable teaching framework
Course modules, seven-week teaching schedules and the six-level progression system are all standardised.
Third: Values come before techniques
Teachers are not only taught “how to teach,” but more importantly, “why we teach this way.”
They have also established a comprehensive backend system to track every student’s learning progress and ensure a consistent teaching experience across different cities.
“What we are selecting are education partners, not simply business operators.” Johan stressed.
From Malaysia to the World
When asked what they most hope to bring to the world in the future, the founders’ answer was not simply a course, but a “culture of communication.”
Growing up in a multicultural environment helped them understand deeply that genuine expression is not about overcoming or defeating others, but about being understood by one another.
Therefore, Johan Speaking Academy hopes to bring three “Malaysian experiences” to the world:
- A communication attitude that embraces differences
- A culture of expression based on respect
- An educational approach that builds confidence on the foundation of character
Cherry said:
“The power of speaking can be very gentle, but it can also be very strong.”
Written at the End: A Timeless Answer from an Education Brand
From the founders’ early personal exploration to today’s cumulative training of more than 15,000 students and the establishment of a multi-level curriculum system, the growth journey of Johan Speaking Academy has never been about chasing speed.
In an education market that values traffic and rapid expansion, they have chosen a slower path — not pursuing children who can “speak well” immediately, but helping them learn throughout their lives to “dare to speak, know how to speak, and want to speak.”
Perhaps this is the sentence the two founders have repeatedly emphasised:
True education is not about making a child shine for a moment, but allowing them to carry light throughout their lifetime.
