Grant Sundbye, ’15, says he felt directionless before he transferred to Baker University his sophomore year.
“I wasn’t really involved in anything, hadn’t decided on a major, and just kind of drifted through my first year as a college student,” he said. “My parents actually suggested I transfer.”
Sundbye’s parents thought the smaller Baker environment, joining the wrestling team, and getting involved on campus would be good for him. “Turns out, they were right,” he said.
New Career Started in Seoul
After graduating from Baker with a business degree, Sundbye moved to Seoul, South Korea, and began teaching English. After gaining experience, he decided to start his own online English business.
“I took the most effective English teaching methods I had developed and designed specialized one-to-one English programs to help my clients reach their English and career goals as quickly as possible,” he said. “I’ve helped Koreans in a variety of industries improve their English so they can move up in their companies, pass important interviews, give better business presentations, and even successfully move to English-speaking countries.”
Sundbye said he wants to share his methods with as many people as possible. “My goal was never to just teach a handful of one-to-one students English. I want to impact the entire English-learning industry in Korea and change the lives of thousands of people.”
During his time at Baker, Sundbye was part of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, a member of the wrestling team, and a Baker Rallies Against Violence peer educator.
“I think the biggest benefits I got from my time at Baker was just developing myself as a person,” he said. “I left Baker a much more mature, confident, capable individual than when I entered.”
Sundbye, who lives in Kansas City, Missouri, has been running his online business full time for two years.
“There’s no degree on the planet that could fully prepare someone for the ups and downs of running a business,” he said. “What I would recommend to any students or alumni interested in starting a business is that there’s no substitute for real-world experience. Also, find someone who’s done what you’re trying to do or is where you’re trying to be and learn how they did it. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.”
Written by Jenalea Myers, ’08
