#287: Julie Hansen, CEO, Babbel – Don’t fear change
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In this episode of How Leaders Lead, David Novak sits down with Julie Hansen, CEO of Babbel in the U.S. and Chief Revenue Officer for the global organization, to explore her leadership philosophy, career journey, and the strategic transformation of one of the world’s leading language learning platforms. Julie shares how her upbringing across multiple U.S. cities instilled a deep comfort with change—a trait she now champions as a leader. She discusses her early career at Penguin, Golf.com, and Business Insider, where she learned foundational lessons in entrepreneurship, revenue generation, and performance management. At Babbel, she led a major overhaul of the company’s billing platform, navigated cultural differences between U.S. and German teams, and championed innovation in the face of fierce competition and rapid AI advancements. Her insights on motivation, empathy, and productive conflict offer powerful tools for leaders. The episode closes with a reflective Debrief where David and the host unpack key themes: the power of empathy through language learning, the necessity of over-communication in change management, and the critical role of structured, respectful conflict in driving team alignment and innovation.
Embrace change as a leader—your comfort with it shapes your team’s ability to adapt and innovate.
Empathy is built through effort: learning another language or simply treating your team like customers fosters deeper understanding.
Over-communicate during change—repeat your message until it sinks in, even when you’re sick of saying it.
Create a 'burning platform' to drive change: make the pain of inaction clear and offer a compelling vision of the future.
Lead with data, but tailor your delivery to your audience—know how they process information to drive alignment.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Julie Hansen: From Global Mobility to Babbel Leadership
David introduces Julie Hansen, CEO of Babbel in the U.S. and Chief Revenue Officer globally. Julie shares her background growing up across multiple U.S. cities, which shaped her comfort with change—a core leadership trait. She reflects on her early career at Penguin, Golf.com, and Business Insider, where she learned the fundamentals of building and scaling digital businesses.
The Power of Empathy Through Language
“When you can connect with someone on that different level really changes things.”
Leading Change: Over-Communication and the Burning Platform
“When I get to the point where I'm just sick of hearing myself say something, that's about the point where it's sinking in.”
Productive Conflict: Data, Audience, and Team Unity
“Productive conflict means getting rid of the conflict through a better option and a better solution.”
AI, Innovation, and the Future of Language Learning
Julie addresses the rise of AI translation tools, arguing they serve transactional learners but can’t replace the deep engagement of language learning. She highlights Babbel’s AI-driven personalization, shorter lessons, and creative tools like the upcoming cognate finder. The focus remains on human connection and motivation.
“No one should ever be surprised that their performance isn't good enough.”
“When you can connect with someone on that different level really changes things.”
“You can't hypnotize yourself into learning. There's no easy button in language learning.”
Hosts
Guest
Babbel
organization
David Novak
person
Julie Hansen
person
United States
place
AI
other
Germany
place
Spanish
other
Business Insider
organization
Penguin
organization
French
other
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