Hello listeners, and welcome to IELTS TIME, the podcast that helps you speak more confidently for your IELTS speaking exam. I’m Archer, and in today’s episode, we’re looking at a Part 2 cue card: Describe a successful small business you know about. You should say: what business/company it is, what this business does, how you know about this business, and explain why you think this business/company is successful.
To get us started, we’ve got a sample answer from our regular contributor, Joseph. Listen closely to how he structures his response, the vocabulary he uses, and how he explains what makes the business successful. Let’s hear what he has to say.
Alright, I’d like to talk about a small coffee shop in my neighborhood called The Daily Grind. It’s a cozy little café that opened about three years ago, and it’s become really popular with locals, especially students and remote workers.
The main thing The Daily Grind does is serve specialty coffee and light snacks, like pastries and sandwiches. But what makes it stand out is the vibe—it’s super welcoming, with warm lighting, local artwork on the walls, and even a bookshelf where people can leave or borrow books. They also use eco-friendly packaging and work with local suppliers, which I think a lot of people appreciate these days.
I first found out about it from a friend who studies at the same university as me. We were looking for a quiet place to prep for exams, and she suggested we try this new café. Since then, it’s become kind of our go-to spot.
I think this business is successful because it really understands its audience. The owners are young themselves, so they get what students and young professionals are looking for—good coffee, fast Wi-Fi, and a relaxed environment. Also, their social media is really well done. They post regularly on Instagram, showing new drinks or events like open mic nights, and that really helps build a community around the café.
So yeah, even though it’s a small place, I think it’s doing really well because it combines quality with a great atmosphere and smart marketing.
That was a really solid answer from Joseph. He kept his ideas focused, gave just the right amount of detail, and used natural, confident language throughout. And these are all elements that you can incorporate into your own speaking to boost your fluency score.
Let’s break down what worked well. First, his structure was really clean: he introduced the business clearly, described what it offers, explained how he knows about it, and then made a convincing case for why it’s successful. That’s exactly what examiners want — a clear, well-organized response.
And then there’s the vocabulary. I liked how he used phrases like “go-to spot” and “understands its audience.” These are conversational and fluent — they sound like something you’d actually say in real life. He also used some great descriptive terms, like specialty coffee, eco-friendly packaging, and open mic nights — all of which made his answer more vivid and believable.
And did you catch how he used examples to back up his points? When he mentioned open mic nights and social media promotions, it made his explanation of the café’s success feel more real and convincing. That’s a smart technique — whenever you’re trying to explain why something works, try to support it with a quick example or detail. It doesn’t need to be long, just enough to show the examiner that your ideas are grounded.
Now, if you’re thinking, “I don’t really know any successful small businesses,” don’t worry. You can absolutely make one up. What matters most is how clearly you describe it and how confidently you talk about it. As long as it sounds believable, you’re on solid ground.
And don’t feel like you have to talk about a café. You could describe an online business — maybe someone selling handmade products on Etsy or Instagram. Or a small local service — like a driving instructor who built a business through word of mouth. Even something like a family-run bakery, a home tutoring service, or a friend’s clothing brand would all work great. Just make sure you can describe what the business does, how you know about it, and what makes it successful.
For example, let’s say you want to talk about an online clothing business. Maybe a friend of yours started selling custom-designed t-shirts and tote bags on Instagram. At first, it was just a creative hobby, but over time it grew into something more serious. She started posting styling videos, behind-the-scenes clips of how she makes her products, and even ran small giveaways to boost engagement. Now she gets regular orders not just from people in your city, but from other parts of the country.
You could explain that she keeps her audience engaged by posting regularly, responding to comments, and showing the human side of the brand. Her designs are unique — maybe inspired by local culture or pop trends — and she uses eco-friendly materials, which helps her stand out. You could say something like, “What I find impressive is that she didn’t have a big marketing budget — she just understood how to connect with people online and built a loyal customer base from scratch.”
That kind of story would make a great answer. It shows personal knowledge, it includes specific details, and it explains clearly why the business is successful — all the things that the examiner is looking for.
So if you’re preparing your own answer, think about what kind of story you can tell. It doesn’t need to be dramatic or overly detailed. It just needs to feel real, organized, and relevant to the prompt. And again, if you don’t know a business like that, it’s perfectly okay to make one up — just make sure it sounds believable.
Here’s a quick practice tip: after listening to Joseph’s response and thinking through other ideas like the clothing brand example, try recording yourself answering the same cue card. Don’t worry about sounding perfect. Just focus on getting your ideas out smoothly and using some of the natural language and structure you’ve picked up.
That’s all for this episode. If you found it helpful, don’t forget to follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. And check out our website: theieltstime.com
Thanks for tuning in — and remember: keep practicing, trust your voice, and speak with confidence.
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