Brandeis International Business School

Jasmyne Raneri, MBA’22 loves languages, and she saw an opening.

After working for several years at FLS International, a company that offers English classes to the business community, Raneri noticed there weren’t many foreign language classes available in the Boston area.

“I’m very invested in learning and I know I’m not alone,” she said. “There’s a market and I didn’t think there were a lot of options in Boston.”

So Raneri founded Language Hub, a satellite of FLS International that teaches foreign languages to English speakers.

Just as Language Hub got off the ground, a more established competitor folded, leaving Raneri’s new venture as the only game in town.

Raneri saw an opportunity to fill that gap. Language Hub launched with nine languages for individual or group learners as well as tailored programs for businesses. So far Raneri’s biggest client is the Boston Fire Department, which wanted its recruits to pick up additional language skills, including Spanish and Hatian Creole.

“I created everything — the pricing structure, criteria for hiring instructors,” said Raneri. “Luckily, FLS International decided to take a chance. They saw the market too and thought we could offer something different.”

Language Hub also serves individual students, travelers and even lovestruck locals who need to learn the language of their overseas amour.

With a bachelor’s degree in painting, Raneri does not have a traditional business background. That’s where Brandeis International Business School’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program came in.

“Language Hub is growing, but I thought I needed a real academic background to help it flourish further,” said Raneri. “It was a bumpy experience despite my experience teaching in the field. Brandeis seemed like the perfect place to enhance my skills and gain an even stronger foundation in international business.”

Raneri enrolled with the help of the Jolie Schwab ’78 and David Hodes ’77 Scholarship, which recognizes master’s students with a demonstrated interest in the arts, and the intention to pursue a career combining arts and business.

At Brandeis, Raneri has immersed herself in marketing, management and strategy.

“I didn’t know I would love it so much,” she said. “I love the case studies because you can see the patterns and recognize the errors or successes that you can use in things you’re considering or have tried.”

Language Hub has adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic, with almost all courses now offered online. The change has opened up new markets. Prior to the pandemic, the majority of Language Hub’s customers resided in the Boston area.

Now, all the world is a potential customer.

“We serve clients in other parts of the country and across the globe,” said Raneri. “We have students everywhere.”