Meet the Team: The Story Behind "Learn Spanish Like I Did"
Welcome! If you've ever stared at a Spanish textbook feeling completely overwhelmed, or practiced on a mobile app for months only to freeze up when talking to a native speaker—we get it. Because we've been there.
Learn Spanish Like I Did wasn't born in a traditional university lecture hall. It was born out of frustration, real-world trial and error, and a shared passion for making Spanish accessible, conversational, and fun.
To bring you the ultimate Spanish learning ecosystem, we brought together two distinct worlds: the perspective of a successful self-taught learner and the expertise of native educators.
How It All Started: The Network & The Vision
Behind our platform is the Academia del Español Language Network.
The team realized that traditional language schools focus way too much on rigid, boring grammar rules and not enough on how people actually speak in the real world. They wanted to build an ecosystem that combined a structured, step-by-step masterclass with free, casual, conversational audio content that learners could listen to on their daily commute.
To make that vision a reality, the Learn Spanish Like I Did ecosystem was split into two perfectly complementary parts:
1. The Video Masterclass: Guided by Kendall Clayborne
Kendall Clayborne is the lead instructor and public face of Learn Spanish Like I Did.
Why Kendall? Because he isn't a native speaker who learned Spanish as a baby—he started from absolute zero as an adult, made every mistake in the book, and eventually cracked the code to total fluency. Kendall's job is to sit in your shoes, breaking down complex Spanish concepts into the exact shortcuts he used to master the language, backed by professional native voice talent.
2. The Official Podcast: Hosted by Wesley, Emillio, & Mauricio
Learning a language requires constant, immersive listening. That's where our hit podcast on RSS.com comes in!
Hosted by our founder Wesley, alongside native language experts Emillio and Mauricio, the Learn Spanish Like I Did podcast is your weekly cultural and conversational gym. While Kendall teaches you the core structural pillars in the video course, the podcast crew helps you train your ear, master regional slang, and dive deep into the vibrant world of Hispanic culture.
Our Power Trio: Meet the Team
Kendall Clayborne
Course Creator & Instructor
Your digital classroom guide. Kendall translates heavy academic grammar into simple, actionable formulas that anyone can understand.
Wesley Breno De Almeida
Podcast Founder and Host
The architect behind the network. Wesley keeps the ecosystem running and ensures our methods remain fast, practical, and effective.
Emillio & Mauricio
Podcast Co-Hosts & Cultural Experts
Our native speakers. They bring the humour, the authentic accents, and the real-world context you need to transition from the classroom to the streets of Medellín, Madrid, or Mexico City.
Why Our Dynamic Approach Works For You
The Classroom + The Real World: By taking our video course with Kendall, you get the logical, English-speaker-friendly roadmap you need to build a rock-solid foundation. By tuning into the podcast with Wesley, Emillio, and Mauricio, you get the loose, native exposure that builds true listening confidence.
We are a global team of learners, teachers, and creators obsessed with helping you speak Spanish with pride. We're glad you're here.