Today we’d like to introduce you to Melinda Quiroz.
Hi Melinda, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am Melinda Quiroz. I am originally from Brownsville, Texas, and have lived in Houston for 21 years. Twice, I have moved to the DFW area but have returned. To me, Houston is home. I raised my children in the suburbs, and I have lived in downtown/midtown for several years.
I am a licensed REALTOR® and recently founded Chutzpah Education LLC, which provides online English classes with live teachers to individuals above the age of 16 years old. While my journey here has not been an easy one, there are many lessons that have been learned. Having been in an abusive marriage for 20 years, then going through divorce/custody/property disputes (still ongoing) and having devoted the entire 20 years to raising my children, finding a lucrative career has not been easy. The experience on my resume was from long ago – I have a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a paralegal certificate with ten years experience. However, since the marital separation, I have accepted positions just to have a job and pay my bills.
Fast forward to now. I decided to create my own path. I love real estate and helping my clients find the perfect place for them to live or invest in, however, I wanted to find a way to help more people, which is how Chutzpah Education came about. Ever since I was a child, I have had a passion for helping others and will do just that by teaching our immigrant community to speak English so that they can go on to bigger and better things.
For me, when I think of the many different ways I want to help others, the future is limitless. One of my goals is to establish a non-profit that will provide mentors who will offer guidance throughout the career journey for those who need guidance and support.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Some of the challenges I have faced with Chutzpah Education is getting people to invest in their futures, especially with finding the time to spend learning the language and getting them to realize that they don’t have to work as nannies, housekeepers, or landscapers for the rest of their lives.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Chutzpah Education?
The reason I founded Chutzpah Education is that I want to help others and I believe I can start by teaching non-English speakers the language that will help them excel in their lives and careers. Why Chutzpah? Because it means fearless! I believe that when they come to the United States, these individuals are fearless and risk everything to come here and I want them to be fearless when learning English, not embarrassed or have this belief that it is impossible to learn. I want them to know that they can be successful and that in the US, they can move with confidence while climbing the ladder to success.
The program we are using is one of the best. We teach six levels from basic to advanced, covering grammar and the four language skills – listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Incorporated in the lessons are life skills, digital literacy, and citizenship classes and we also have wordlists for 70 different careers which allow the student to learn career-specific English. We are giving away two one-year scholarships, we offer promotions, an affiliate program and if necessary, our students are offered a payment plan through PayPal. Our semesters are 12 weeks long with the next one beginning in October.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Not one in particular, but many with my mother. As a child, I was attached to her at the hip. There wasn’t anyone I would rather spend time with – than her.
She only had a third-grade education, but everything that she taught me and the examples she set for me are beyond any that a parent with any type of education can do. She and my dad each had their own businesses – my mom a restaurant and my dad a lounge. Together, there wasn’t anything they could not accomplish. They both worked hard, but for my mom, there wasn’t anything that was too difficult for her. When I first heard the word – chutzpah – and looked up the definition (it means fearless), I instantly thought of her. My mother was fearless. With only a third-grade education, she accomplished so much. Especially in her work ethic and how nothing scared her.
Pricing:
- Promotional prices
- Weekday class – $400 per semester
- Weekend class – $500 per semester
- Usually $700 per semester
Contact Info:
- Email: info@chutzpaheducation.com
- Website: http://chutzpaheducation.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/chutzpaheducation?utm_medium=copy_link
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chutzpaheducation/
Image Credits
Additional photos – the one where I’m in black and then in white – taken by Images by Papillon
