Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
Software Business English with ForkFly CEO Paul Wagner

简体
Software Business English with ForkFly CEO Paul Wagner English, baby! Video Lesson
ForkFly 首席执行官保罗·瓦格纳教软件行业英语

Date: Sep 18 2012

Themes: Tech, Work

Grammar: Present Progressive Tense

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

For many, many years, people have found coupons and special deals in the newspaper. Now that digital coupons are becoming more popular, ForkFly wants to make sure that the publishers who know the local businesses best are involved.

ForkFly is a software company that has partnered with traditional media outlets all over the US. It provides these newspapers and radio stations with a platform where their advertisers can share special deals on mobile phones and the web.

The company connects the history of media with its future, and it is quickly getting more and more popular with consumers and businesses. We recently met with CEO Paul Wagner to talk about how he went from owning a restaurant to founding a software company, and all the English vocabulary that goes with this field.

多年前,人们在报纸上寻找优惠券和特价优惠。现在,电子优惠券正越发流行,ForkFly 希望确保最了解当地业务的出版商参与其中。

ForkFly 是一家与全美传统媒体合作的软件公司。它向这些报社和广播电台提供一个平台,在这里,广告客户可以在手机和网站上分享特价优惠。

该公司将媒体的历史与未来相结合,迅速得到越来越多的消费者和企业的欢迎。近日,我们见到了首席执行官保罗·瓦格纳 (Paul Wagner),他向我们讲述了他如何从拥有一家餐馆到成立一家软件公司,以及与此领域相关的英语词汇。

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Jason

Jason

Paul_W

Paul_W

Jason:  ForkFly is a software company that teams up with newspapers and radio stations to help people get deals at local businesses. We met with CEO Paul Wagner at the ForkFly offices for a business English lesson. How did you get into this business? What made you decide to start it?

Paul_W:  A number of years ago, I opened a restaurant, and I realized that the marketing options I had were fairly limited. I wanted something that would engage my customers in real time and allow me to control my own messaging, so I decided to do something about it myself.

Jason:  What is real time?

Paul_W:  Real time means something that’s happening right now. Traditional media, newspapers, television and radio, they tend to operate with a delay. For example, when you run a newspaper ad, sometimes it can take a week for that advertisement to be created and then it can run for another week. Merchants can log in to ForkFly, create content themselves and it goes out instantaneously. There’s no delay. So the merchant gets to control the message now.

Jason:  What is a coupon?

Paul_W:  Traditionally, a coupon is an offer or a deal printed on a sheet of paper that entitles the consumer to get discounts. So it could be at a grocery store: “Get a dollar off when you present this coupon.” Our platform allows a consumer to go in with their mobile phone and simply hold up the phone to get the coupon.

Jason:  What is a platform?

Paul_W:  Traditionally, when someone spoke of a platform, it was something that held something up. For example, a diving platform is where a swimmer goes up to get on the platform and dive off. A construction platform is where construction workers stand to get work done. In software, a platform is basically something that allows other components to be built on a frame. We have three distinct platforms. The first platform is for media companies, newspapers and television for example, to engage small business owners. The second part of our platform is for the small business owners to create coupons, and the third part of our platform is for consumers to then redeem those coupons. We give all three of those distinct groups a platform, and they get to take it from there and manage it themselves.

Jason:  What does the name of your company mean?

Paul_W:  I think people generally think ForkFly has something to do with food, and it does not. The first part of the word, “fork,” has to do with a merchant forking over a deal or an offer to a consumer or customer. When you fork something over, it means you’re handing something over. “Fly” has to do with the concept of “on the fly,” which means something happening right now in real time. So ForkFly means forking something over on the fly.

Jason:  Cool.

 

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Present Progressive Tense" from this lesson Go Super!

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz Go Super!

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3 Go Super!

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

Paul Wagner used to own a restaurant. He wasn’t satisfied with the options for real time marketing and coupons, so he decided to create one of his own by starting ForkFly.

ForkFly helps people find the deals they want, and helps merchants control their messaging. Their platform uses the web and mobile.

The name of the company comes from two idioms, “fork it over,” which is a rude way of saying, “give it to me,” and “on the fly,” which means quickly.

Do you like to get good deals? Do you use coupons? Are you good at functioning on the fly or do you like to plan ahead?

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

Gramsmith

United States

examcollection 70-342 – Very interesting blog. A lot of blogs I see these days don’t really provide anything that I’m interested in, but I’m most definitely interested in this one. Just thought that I would post and let you know. examcollection 300-080

08:05 AM Aug 13 2016 |

ScottAntasco

Cote D'Ivoire

Really,I like this course because it drives me healthy when I see these new phrases. Yet, I’ll always use them in order not to make them fade away from my mind…actually, it’s so intriguing to use these new phrases Which are in the text and dialog…..

07:53 PM Sep 03 2015 |

petkov

Serbia and Montenegro

Heollo to Englishbaby team. I really appreciate your work. Congratulations, you are the best. Best regards from Belgrade.

10:40 PM Aug 28 2015 |

Vik5

Germany

It is a very nice lesson :) 


Normally I use also coupons, but they are already printed and per post at house sent. Usually, they are valid for the biggest mixed stores (without the food to be included), for groceries we have only a big discount of some products.

10:51 AM Aug 05 2015 |

Nayer

Nayer

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I am new here


This discussion or dialog is too difficult for me.


I am hopeless to my Englisch .


But I am thanksfull to your lessons .

01:15 PM Jun 18 2014 |

mahda88

Poland

I always have some problem with listen but nice exercise


10:35 AM May 29 2014 |

Lussiiichka

Ukraine

So, systems which work in a real time are very popular. They open many opportunities for bisnessmen and users. For every bisnessmen the main goal is the customer’s satisfaction. They want to improve their products and marketing. Because of this, every year companies wich develop a new software or web application make a big money :)


In modern society everyone knows the fact that the Internet becomes the main marketing tool. People around the world wants to find the best deals as quickly as possible. Such system like ForkFly can help with this. It is very easy to find information in the ‘cloud’ just using your mobile phone or tablet. 


Personally, I am used to planing my purchases. I try to don’t buy things on the fly. I like coupons, but it takes a lot of time to look for them. Also I use online systems to find the best deals. I like sales. Who doesn’t like?


01:39 PM Jan 29 2014 |

fabsir

fabsir

Brazil

The English Baby´s team keeps outdoing itself. One lesson better than the other. I enjoyed this lesson very much. Keep up the good work and keep bringing us good material like this one. I´m not in the habit of using coupons simply because I guess they´re not that popular in my country but they´re a great idea and I´d gladly use them sometime. I´m not very good at functioning on the fly. I like planning ahead. Doing things on the fly gets me nervous.

04:04 PM Apr 25 2013 |

Feierlevela

China

I like this lesson.I always hesitate to do one thing I really want to do,but when the chance is coming,I feard.Now I am a college student,I want to grasp every chance to do the thing I want to do ,and do it well.Come on !

03:46 AM Mar 30 2013 |

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

Who doesn’t like to get good deals!?.... 


I don’t use coupons and it’s still a mystery for me.. I didn’t get it even after the lesson.. 


Functioning on the fly has specific times to act with… Usually I like to take my time and plan well, but if it needs to act on the fly, so why to wait!, just take a quick decision…

02:20 PM Sep 22 2012 |

i love life

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

Actually everything in our lives is a big deal , Until  If you want to do anything small , For me I have never do any deal , because I’m poor person like many people over the world , In my opinion the business needs some specific things , money and lands and workers , Use your smile to change this world , don’t let this world change your smile this is a big deal In my opinion . 

11:05 PM Sep 18 2012 |

raisacorrea

Brazil

Yes, I love get good deals, I have many things that I could doing a good deal.


In the past I used coupons, but nowadays, no more.


I am good on the fly, many times I do things like that. Because  I am so dynamic.

07:46 PM Sep 18 2012 |

coolest ^_*

United Arab Emirates

WOW .. I really like an IT lessons .. interesting ! 


I am looking forward to see more IT lessons 

06:38 PM Sep 18 2012 |

Nantez93

Nantez93

Germany

Thanks for lesson. I’ve learned some new words again ;) And to the questions –  I’m a planner, when shopping I have clear vision what exactly I want. I don’t like quick decisions :) And I use coupons, mainly to buy clothes, food and books. I love good deals, who doesn’t ? :D I’m student and “good deals” is my second name :D 

05:35 PM Sep 18 2012 |

SANG891

SANG891

Hong Kong

Great

02:55 PM Sep 18 2012 |

yuminaga

yuminagaSuper Member!

China

sure !I lilke to get good deald very much but I dont like to use coupons ! why? its not easy to use ,you should pay attention to time limit.thats why I dont like it 

02:36 PM Sep 18 2012 |

snow celery

China

What a formal class.


 

01:14 PM Sep 18 2012 |

Likes (26):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast