You’ve built your business from the ground up. You’ve navigated challenges, made tough decisions, and proven yourself in your local market. But here’s a question that might make you uncomfortable: do you actually know your real English level?
Not the level you think you have. Not the grade you got in school ten years ago. Your real, current, practical English level that could either open international doors or quietly close them without you even realizing it.
For female entrepreneurs looking to scale beyond local markets, English proficiency isn’t just another skill on a list. It’s the difference between landing that international client and watching them choose your competitor. It’s the gap between confidently pitching to investors and stumbling through your presentation. It’s what separates businesses that grow globally from those that remain confined by language barriers.
The good news? Finding out takes just 20 minutes when you do an English test online. The real question is: why does it matter so much, and what should you do with the results?
The uncomfortable truth about English in global business
English has become the de facto language of international business. Whether you’re negotiating with suppliers in Asia, pitching to investors in Europe, or collaborating with partners in North America, English is likely the common language everyone defaults to.
According to the British Council, English is recognized as the most internationally popular language and the most dominant in the business world. This isn’t about native English speakers having an advantage. It’s about the reality that business happens in English, and your ability to participate effectively depends on your language skills.
Here’s what many female entrepreneurs don’t realize: your competitors already know this. They’re investing in their English skills, taking courses, and positioning themselves to capture international opportunities. Meanwhile, if you’re unsure about your actual level, you’re essentially flying blind.
Why women entrepreneurs face unique language challenges
Research shows that women entrepreneurs often face additional barriers when expanding internationally. Language proficiency is one of them, but it’s compounded by other factors. You might be juggling business growth with family responsibilities, leaving less time for structured learning. You might face imposter syndrome that makes you hesitate before speaking English in professional settings. You might underestimate your abilities or, conversely, overestimate them without objective measurement.
The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report indicates that nearly one in every three entrepreneurs running established businesses is a woman, and the number is growing. But how many of these women are held back by not knowing their real English level and therefore not addressing their language gaps strategically?
The cost of not knowing your level
Let me paint a picture. You receive an email from a potential international client. The opportunity is significant, possibly transformative for your business. You respond confidently because you’ve been speaking English for years. But your email contains subtle grammar errors and awkward phrasing that you don’t even notice. The client moves on to someone else without explanation.
Or perhaps you’re invited to present at an international conference. It’s a huge visibility opportunity. You prepare extensively in your native language, then try to translate your thoughts on the fly during the presentation. Your ideas are brilliant, but they get lost in translation. The audience doesn’t engage. The opportunity fades.
These scenarios happen more often than you might think, and they share a common root: not knowing your real English level means you can’t address your specific weaknesses strategically.
What your English level actually means for your business
Your English proficiency directly impacts several critical business functions. First, client communication and relationship building. If you can’t express yourself clearly and professionally in English, you’ll struggle to build the trust and rapport necessary for long-term business relationships. Misunderstandings aren’t just awkward; they’re expensive.
Second, marketing and content creation. In today’s digital world, your online presence speaks for you before you ever have a conversation. If your website, social media, and marketing materials contain English errors, you’re projecting an unprofessional image to the global market, regardless of how excellent your product or service actually is.
Third, networking and partnerships. The most valuable business opportunities often come through relationships built at conferences, online communities, and industry events. If language barriers prevent you from fully participating in these spaces, you’re missing critical connections.
Fourth, accessing resources and education. Much of the best business training, research, and resources for entrepreneurs exists primarily in English. Limited English proficiency means limited access to the cutting-edge information that could give you a competitive advantage.
The false confidence trap
Here’s a common scenario: you’ve been using English in your business for months or even years. You read emails in English. You watch videos in English. You even have conversations in English. So you assume your level is fine.
But assumption is dangerous in business. You might be functioning at an intermediate level when you need advanced proficiency for the opportunities you’re pursuing. You might excel at reading comprehension but struggle with speaking fluency, which becomes painfully apparent in video calls with potential partners. You might use the same safe vocabulary repeatedly because you don’t realize how limited it actually is.
Without objective assessment, you’re operating on guesswork. And in business, guesswork is expensive.
How to get clarity in 20 minutes
The solution is simpler than you might think. Before investing hundreds of hours in courses or thousands of dollars in training, you need to know exactly where you stand. Taking an objective assessment that provides reliable results is the first step.
Not all tests are created equal. Quick free tests on random websites might give you a vague idea, but they won’t provide the detailed feedback you need to make strategic decisions. Look for assessments that evaluate all four key skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Make sure the test aligns with recognized frameworks like the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which uses the A1 to C2 scale that employers and clients worldwide understand.
A proper assessment will tell you not just your overall level, but specifically where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Maybe your reading comprehension is strong, but your speaking needs work. Perhaps your grammar is solid, but your vocabulary for business contexts is limited. This granular information is what allows you to create a targeted improvement plan instead of wasting time on generic courses.
What to do with your results
Once you know your real level, you can make informed decisions. If you’re at B1 and you need B2 for your business goals, you know exactly what gap to close. You can search for courses, tutors, or resources specifically designed to take you from B1 to B2, rather than starting with beginner material you don’t need or jumping into advanced content that frustrates you.
You can also be strategic about timing. If you’re planning to launch an international marketing campaign in six months, and you discover your writing skills are at B1 when they need to be B2, you know you need to prioritize intensive training now. If you’re preparing to pitch to international investors in three months and your speaking is at A2, you might need to postpone or find additional support.
Knowing your level also helps you set realistic expectations and avoid the imposter syndrome trap. If you’re at B2, you can confidently pursue opportunities appropriate for that level rather than holding yourself back because you’re not C1 yet. Conversely, if you’re at A2 but thinking of applying for opportunities requiring C1, you can save yourself the disappointment and focus on closing that gap first.
The business case for assessment
Think of English level assessment as market research for your own capabilities. You wouldn’t launch a product without understanding your target market. You wouldn’t expand to a new location without researching the area. Why would you pursue international business opportunities without understanding your language capabilities?
The cost of assessment is minimal compared to the cost of missed opportunities. A quality English test might take 20 minutes and cost nothing to very little. Compare that to losing a contract worth thousands because your proposal contained embarrassing errors you didn’t know were there. Or spending months in the wrong level of English course, making frustratingly slow progress because you’re not working on your actual weaknesses.
For female entrepreneurs specifically, who often face more scrutiny and higher standards than their male counterparts, presenting yourself professionally in English isn’t optional. It’s essential for credibility.
Beyond the test: creating your roadmap
Assessment is just the starting point. Once you have your results, you can create a personalized learning roadmap. This might include identifying which skill to prioritize based on your immediate business needs. If you have a major presentation coming up, focus on speaking. If you’re writing proposals, concentrate on business writing skills.
You can also set measurable milestones. Instead of vague goals like “improve my English,” you can aim for specific targets like moving from B1 to B2 in speaking within six months, or expanding your business vocabulary by 500 terms in three months.
Having clear data about your level also makes it easier to track progress. You can take the test again after a period of focused study to see exactly how much you’ve improved and where you still need work.
The confidence factor
Here’s something rarely discussed: knowing your exact level, even if it’s lower than you’d like, often increases confidence rather than decreasing it. Uncertainty is paralyzing. When you don’t know where you stand, every English interaction feels like a risk. You second-guess yourself constantly. You avoid opportunities because you’re not sure if your English is good enough.
But when you have objective data, you can make confident decisions. You know what you can handle and what you can’t yet. You can say yes to opportunities that match your level and strategically prepare for ones that require improvement. You stop wasting energy on anxiety about the unknown and instead focus that energy on targeted improvement.
Many successful female entrepreneurs report that getting an accurate English assessment was a turning point. It transformed their relationship with the language from a source of stress to a skill they could systematically develop, just like any other business competency.
Take the first step today
Your English level isn’t fixed. It’s a skill you can develop with the right approach. But you can’t improve what you don’t measure, and you can’t measure what you don’t test.
If you’re serious about growing your business internationally, investing 20 minutes to assess your English level today could be one of the highest-return activities you do this month. Stop guessing. Get clarity. Build your roadmap. Your future international clients, partners, and opportunities are waiting.
