Shopify Builder Sundays Toronto · May 31, 2026
Build to Learn
Build to Share
How my English barrier became Joe Speaking
Joe Speaking
joespeaking.com
JOE (BEIQIAO) HU
Founder, Just Joe Technologies
Product Person & Vibe Engineer
Immigrant
Builder
#English barrier
2024/08
Canada
International student
Maybe I can stay here for a long time.
Language is for communication,
not perfection.
The catch
But to stay, I still needed a standardized English test.
Why I built it
Before Canada, I was a product manager.
→
02
Real-time
02 / The insight
Real-time
voice models
Speaking tests are a perfect use case.
Clear process
Clear evaluation
A real goal
→
03
03 / The engine
Claude Code + Codex
Prototype →
a real product.
a real product.
The product
It started with standardized English speaking practice.
The biggest difference
Talk naturally with a real-time AI examiner
Real-time conversation
Simulate the test
Instant feedback
Personal collection
Personal Proof
I didn’t just build Joe Speaking.
I became a live example
of my own product.
The first user
I used it every day to record my life —
149 days straight.
149 days straight.
The result
Two weeks ago, I achieved the goal I set
on the first try.
on the first try.
Master’s Final Project
Much more than
an academic project.
A prototype became a real product — months spent on real-time conversation stability, and now I’m learning growth.
A new way to learn
- Solve your own problem01
- Build something useful02
- Use it in real life03
- Share it with others04
What's Next
➔Future Roadmap
01 /
Organic growth & content
02 /
IELTS & CELPIP communities
03 /
Dedicated iOS app