Down to Business English: Business News to Improve your Business English Skip Montreux, Dez Morgan & Samantha Vega | Business English Instructors

Self Check Out Systems have been a part of our shopping experience for over three decades, promising efficiency and cost savings. From their introduction by a pioneering company in Florida in 1987 to their current status as a staple in supermarkets and convenience stores worldwide, self-checkouts have been both praised and criticized.

But as they become more prevalent, a critical question is being asked: have they truly delivered on their promises?

In this episode of Down to Business English, Skip Montreux and Samantha Vega discuss the challenges these systems present and the unexpected consequences for everyone involved in the retail experience.

Join Skip and Samantha and learn the answers to these questions:

Have self-checkout systems achieved their initial goals of reducing labor costs and providing lower prices to consumers?
What factors have contributed to the rapid increase in the adoption of self-checkout systems in recent years?
With growing customer frustrations and the issue of shoplifting, how are retailers around the world reevaluating their self-checkout strategies?

Skip and Samantha also explain and give examples of these useful business words and phrases:

To dread (verb / adjective)
An uptick (noun)
To be mounting (adjective)

Rupert Murdoch, the titan behind global media empire News Corp and Fox Broadcasting, has announced he is stepping down. This marks the end of a staggering 70-year career that has had far-reaching influences in business, entertainment, and politics.

In this episode of Down to Business English, Skip Montreux and Dez Morgan take you on a comprehensive retrospective of Murdoch’s illustrious and often polarizing career. Spanning seven decades, his influence has not only shaped the media landscape but also had a profound impact on public opinion worldwide.

Join Skip and Dez and learn the answers to these questions:

How did Rupert Murdoch initially get involved in the media industry?
How did Murdoch grow his media empire, expanding from Australia to span the globe?
Who will succeed Murdoch and what potential challenges could arise?

Skip and Dez also explain and give examples of these useful business words and phrases:

A retrospective (noun)
A mogul (noun)
To be interim (adjective)
To be defunct (adjective)
A naysayer (noun)

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Kit Kat, a chocolate bar that has transcended borders and cultures, offers an intriguing lesson in business English. From its humble beginnings in a 17th-century pie shop to its current status as a global brand, the Kit Kat story is a fascinating case study in international business strategies and language.

Skip Montreux and Samantha Vega take you on a journey through the complex and fascinating world of Kit Kat. They discuss its origins, its dual manufacturing by Hershey’s and Nestlé, and how it became a global phenomenon.

Join Skip and Samantha and learn the answers to these questions:

What is the history behind this chocolate bar that is beloved world wide?
Why are flavored Kit Kats only available in some regions of the world and not others?
And what is the story behind Kit Kat’s famous slogan?

They also explain and give examples of these useful business words and phrases:

To take someone’s word for something (idiom)
To fit a mold / mould (idiom)
To renege (verb)

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The United States and China are engaged in a high-stakes struggle over semiconductor technology, a conflict that has a significant impact on geopolitics, national security, and global trade.

Skip Montreux and Dez Morgan discuss this pressing issue by spotlighting two flagship smartphones—the iPhone 15 from Apple and the Mate 60 Pro from Huawei. These devices serve as compelling examples that encapsulate the broader dynamics of the U.S.-China tech rivalry.

Join Skip and Dez and learn the answers to these questions:

How do U.S. export controls on semiconductor technology impact both American and Chinese tech companies?
What role do flagship smartphones like the iPhone 15 and Huawei Mate 60 Pro play in the larger geopolitical struggle between the U.S. and China?
How have both countries responded to each other’s tech restrictions, and what are the implications for global trade?

They also explain and give examples of these useful business words and phrases:

To encapsulate (verb)
To be minute (adjective)
To retaliate (verb)
To play hardball (idiom)
To be intricate (adjective)

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25% discount on an annual membership plan

Visit the Down to Business English website and use the discount code:

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A windfall tax is a levy imposed on unexpectedly large or excessive profits, often considered unfairly obtained. In the financial world, this concept has recently gained traction as governments grapple with banks reporting massive profits.

Skip Montreux and Dez Morgan discuss the surge in bank profits across Europe and the role of interest rate hikes in this financial phenomenon. They’ll also examine how various European governments are taking action through measures like windfall taxes.

Join Skip and Dez and learn the answers to these questions:

Why are banks, particularly in Europe, reporting such significant increases in profits recently?
What is a “windfall tax”?
How are governments in different European countries responding to these soaring bank profits?

They also explain and give examples of these useful business words and phrases:

To hold your horses (idiom)
To be outsized (adjective)
To coin it (idiom)
The meat of something (idiom)
To reprimand (verb)

Nvidia, a name synonymous with cutting-edge technology, has a compelling story that spans from its early focus on gaming graphics to its current role as a leader in artificial intelligence.

In this episode of Down to Business English, Skip Montreux and Samantha Vega take you through the company’s fascinating history, groundbreaking technologies, and its meteoric rise in the tech industry. You’ll learn about the company’s unique naming story, its game-changing technologies like GPUs and CUDA, and its strategic moves that have made it a trillion-dollar enterprise.

Join Skip and Samantha and learn the answers to these questions:

Who are the key figures behind Nvidia’s founding, and what motivated them to start Nvidia?
What is the story behind Nvidia’s unique name?
How did Nvidia transition from a company focused on gaming graphics to become the dominant player in the field of artificial intelligence?

They also explain and give examples of these useful business words and phrases:

Dominance (noun)
To be dominant (adjective)
To fabricate (verb)
Put someone or something on the map (expression)

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