Hi! I'm Camelia Nunez
Welcome to my online home. I’m a teacher (also known as Ms. Cam) and business founder.
Over the past 20 years I’ve taught Spanish, English and Entrepreneurship to 3,000 + students of all ages. My passion for language learning and my entrepreneurial mindset came together when I founded my first business, a local languages school. From there, I went on to launch two other businesses, both supporting people learning a new language and discovering new cultures.
Through my experience, I learned that language learning and entrepreneurship go hand in hand.
How?
Entrepreneurship is about solving problems and creating value for the world. A new language expands our horizons and opens our eyes to new perspectives. This ultimately leads to more innovative ideas and the opportunity to scale our impact.
Why is this important?
Because our worlds are more connected than ever before. The best way to understand each other is by taking the time to explore our languages and cultures. When our world expands, so does our ability to identify important problems and make a meaningful impact.
It is my goal to empower an entrepreneurial mindsets by helping people learn new languages and discover new cultures.
A little bit more about me ...
- I speak seven languages: Romanian, Croatian, English, Spanish, French, German and Brazilian Portuguese
- I was born in Romania but my mom is Croatian, so I grew up speaking to my parents in two different languages
- I lived in 4 countries: Romania, Germany, Canada and Uruguay
- I love to travel because it is my favourite way to learn about the world
- We are a very multicultural family and I love it. I am Romanian and Croatian, my husband is Brazilian and two of my children are half Mexican.
Some things I've done
Taught 3000+ kids, youth & adults
At heart, I’m a teacher. My career began as a language teacher and I’ve had a teaching ‘gig’ for as long as I can remember. I’ve taught learners of all ages. Courses I taught: Spanish, English, Language Acquisition, Latin American Culture, Entrepreneurship & Marketing.
Quit my PhD to start a business
I was studying second language acquisition. The goal was to become a prof. Instead, I left to do a Masters in Business & Entrepreneurship and co-founded an EdTech startup that offered language learners on demand conversation opportunities. This was an important turning point in my career.
Co-led Startup Incubator
Velocity is University of Waterloo’s startup incubator. Here I had the opportunity to work with and learn from some of Canada’s most accomplished entrepreneurs. This was a time of tremendous growth and learning for me. A hugely eye opening experience that shaped much of my perspective on startups and innovation.
Co-Founded Milao Language
Combining my PhD research in second language acquisition and multilingualism, with that of my co-founder, a Computer Science researcher at the University of Seville, we created an AI-powered on demand conversation partner for learners of Spanish as a foreign language.
Founded Curious U
Curious U has brought over 250 international highschool students to Canada and offered them a unique summer experience. During the four-week program, students discover the Canadian culture and practice their English through a series of creative activities and organized travelling.
Led Entrepreneurship Program
Launched and led Concept at UWaterloo. The program supported and empowered university students who were working on projects with the intention of commercializing them via a statup. Launched a mentor network including entrepreneurs and industry professionals and hosted the $5K Pitch Competition.
Want to connect?
Language Ventures is my monthly newsletter for parents and teachers who want to help their little ones expand their worlds. I share cool things I learn about other languages, cultures and entrepreneurship.
Follow me on instagram where I share my adventures teaching Spanish, Entrepreneurship and other interesting things I learn. My goal is to expand our horizons, gain new perspectives and fuel new ideas.
Find me on LinkedIn if you’d like to learn more about my work experience and other things I’m currently working on. Alway excited to meet new people and build new relationships.