Shadowing Practice: She sold $2.5 Billion Using Persuasion - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
1
Excuse me, ma'am. Excuse me, ma'am. Hi. How  did you get rich? How did you get rich? How did I get rich? I created one of the greatest  fitness products on the planet. So, you're a business owner. More than a business owner. I  also master the art of communication. I've sold
2
over $2.5 billion worth of product. Wait, wait,  real quick. Can I interview you for a minute? I go all over the world interview greatest. I'm  going to an event for one minute. It'll be worth it. I've interviewed 40 billionaires in the  last four years. That's a good pitch. By the way, yes, you can. Did you come from a lot of money?  Absolutely not. Flat ass broke. But I'm going to
3
tell you something. I also raised a little boy  from South Central. I had him for 12 years of my life and he was murdered. People hit rock  bottom all the time. Most of them stay there, get comfortable, build a couch and a house  down there. Don't do that. The best thing in life you can do is go down and spring right  back up. And that's exactly what you do. Oh,
4
I've done it more than once. Life happens for  you, not to you. Were you good at sales? I'm one of the best that's ever been on the planet.  You know what pitching is? Yeah. Getting someone to say yes. Because if you can get one yes,  you can get a credit card. That's gate right there. I realize at a very early age, if you  can persuade someone else to say yes to you,
5
you win. Your parents were broke. If you could  go back in time and give your parents one piece of advice, what would that be? I love that  question. Thank you for asking that, guys. Oh, hey. We have to stop filming to protect the  privacy of our guest. I like getting kicked
6
out of places cuz I'll tell you why. Don't ask for  permission. Ask for forgiveness. Cuz sometimes the rules don't work for you. And is that okay? I  don't know. Break them and find out. So, what's your name? What's my name? My name is Dr. Forbes  Riley. Forbes is in the magazine. Did you people
7
that doubted you in business? Everybody doubted  me. Nobody thought I was going to be successful. In fact, I was made fun of on television.  They literally said my product would never work. I've sold a million dollars a day on home  shopping. How old are you now? Yeah. You're not
8
supposed to ask a woman how old she is. How old  are you? Oh my goodness. All right. I'm turning 66 in April. 66 and I'm just getting started. Why  would I guess 35? Oh, see now that's a Oh yeah,
9
you are a charmer. You're an innate pitcher.  I got to tell you, if me and you died tomorrow and you had one more message to leave with the  younger generation, what would that be? You know, I don't know if you get to live more than once,  but if you live right the first time, once is

Context & Background

The video features Dr. Forbes Riley, a successful entrepreneur and master communicator, who shares her journey from humble beginnings to achieving remarkable success in the fitness industry. Throughout the dialogue, Dr. Riley emphasizes the importance of persuasion, resilience, and effective communication—skills that have played a critical role in her ability to sell over $2.5 billion worth of products. This dialogue provides not only insight into her personal story but also valuable lessons on overcoming adversity and mastering the art of pitch communication.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “Excuse me, ma'am.” - A polite way to get someone's attention.
  • “How did you get rich?” - A direct question that opens up a conversation.
  • “I also master the art of communication.” - A statement that conveys confidence in one's abilities.
  • “Life happens for you, not to you.” - An inspirational phrase that encourages a positive mindset.
  • “Don’t ask for permission, ask for forgiveness.” - A bold phrase encouraging proactive behavior.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively enhance your English speaking practice using Dr. Riley's dialogue, follow this shadowing technique, which utilizes the shadow speech method:

  1. Watch and Listen: Start by watching the video without any subtitles. Pay close attention to Dr. Riley’s pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm.
  2. Listen Again: Replay specific sections of the video, focusing on the phrases listed above. Repeat them aloud, mimicking the speaker’s tone and pace.
  3. Pause and Repeat: Use the shadowspeak technique by pausing the video after key phrases. Try to repeat what you heard immediately after, allowing yourself to hear how your pronunciation compares.
  4. Record Yourself: After practicing, record your voice as you shadow the dialogue. Listen back to identify areas where you can improve your fluency and articulation.
  5. Engage in Conversation: Finally, apply the phrases in real-life situations. Finding opportunities to use these expressions will help reinforce your learning and enhance your confidence in English speaking practice.

Additionally, leveraging this technique as part of your routine will help you learn English with YouTube and deepen your understanding of effective communication. By practicing regularly with these methods, you will become more comfortable and proficient in your English speaking skills.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowI've sold · I've interviewed · I've done
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itwas murdered · was made
Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a groupthe greatest · The best
Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing formstop filming

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →