Clay co-founded Speak Shop to increase access to cross-cultural foreign language education and to generate economic opportunity for people in developing countries. Speak Shop makes it possible to schedule, purchase and take one-on-one Spanish lessons by webcam with tutors in Latin America. Connected to a world market and empowered as micro-entrepreneurs, tutors move from poverty to prosperity. Customers are able to take personalized, cross-cultural lessons at their convenience using a computer and high speed Internet connection. Prior to Speak Shop, Clay was a manager at the world’s leading online financial services firm, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., for 12 years where he conceived of, created and led dozens of technology and web-related initiatives. Clay has also consulted on technology and strategic development to several early-stage ventures. An early-adopter of distance-learning courses, Clay has studied and taught online courses. Clay graduated with honors from Thunderbird School of Global Management with a Masters of International Management (global MBA) and graduated from Montana State University with a major in Finance. Clay lives in Portland, OR with his wife Cindy and daughter.
