Megan Miller: Breaking Language Barriers

Learning a second language can come in handy, be it for a successful career or to travel the world. But learning a new language can be very intimidating and daunting. Many are introduced to bilingualism in school but fall out of practice soon after. Although picking up another language is easy as a child, it is not impossible as an adult as well. With an array of tools available to assist with the process, improving one’s communication skills is easy. Megan Miller, a Spanish coach, translator, and the founder of Aprovechar Language Solutions, LLC, empowers people with a need for a bilingual voice.  

Personal Life  

Hailing from Ohio, Megan holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Spanish Language, Literature, and Culture. She is certified in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute. She is also a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) at M2VA Services, which helps small and mid-size companies reach their goals through automation, project management, and customized IT training.   

After almost a decade in IT consulting and project management working as a federal and independent consultant or as a corporate trainer, Megan felt that there was something more to be explored. Having lived abroad in Madrid, Spain, at 19 and traveled worldwide, she fell in love with the Spanish language and culture and has been a training consultant and language coach ever since. She also helps IT companies in Latin America and Europe tell their stories to a US-based audience through translation, editing, and localization projects.  

Understanding Languages  

Learning a language is not just about focusing on verb conjugations and grammar. With Spanish being the second-most spoken language in the world, Megan wanted to capitalize on it and founded Aprovechar Language Solutions, LLC, in 2020 to offer a personalized, habit-based approach to teaching Spanish and English language and culture to adults all over the world. Her travels across the world have taught her a lot of life lessons which she incorporates in her coaching as well. She says that the French taught her how to dress, the Spanish taught her how to drink, and the Latin Americans taught her how to relax and live life.   

Megan believes learning a new language and culture should be fun and not feel like a task. Often, the focus is on conversation or speaking because that is what we use or need the most, but communication is not limited to just that. Megan teaches her clients all four ways to know a language: reading, writing, speaking, and understanding. Megan supports her clients through one-on-one personalized Spanish coaching sessions, which include the dialect and accent, grammar and common slang, English teaching in groups for landscaping, construction, and hospitality industries, helping teams in organizations speak the same language, and ensuring they feel confident to speak with native Spanish or English speakers in all circumstances.   

Yes, You Can!  

While learning a new thing, the most common approach that everyone takes is “fake it till you make it”. Megan feels one can adopt that approach while learning a new language as well. Many feel too stressed for fear of looking stupid, and Megan helps them by providing a positive environment and encouraging them to keep practicing and moving ahead.   

Megan’s mission is to create realistic goals, steady routines, and custom solutions to make your language dreams a reality. As a piece of advice for someone who wants to learn Spanish, Megan has one important thing to say: know you're why first! “Always know your reasons for learning Spanish, and it has to be a good one. There has to be accountability and momentum, but learning should also be fun. It all comes down to whether it is just a thought or a feeling that you want to act upon. Be clear about what you want and believe in what you want to do, and just go about it.”