Dream Global. Live Local.
LottaLingo helps you live your dream life abroad. We connect people with expert guidance and resources to move, integrate, and thrive anywhere in the world.
Ian Zhang
Hey! I'm the founder of LottaLingo.
A Bit About Me
I was born and raised in the US, and have since lived in Shanghai, London, Paris, Madrid, Taipei, and now Singapore. Languages have been a constant in my life. I speak English, Mandarin, and French. I'm working on Spanish. I'd love to learn Arabic.
I've gone through visa hell and back many a time, hoping and praying that a random immigration officer who hasn't had their morning coffee yet smiles kindly on my application and approves of my residency for the next year. I've gone on more apartment tours than I can possibly count.
After graduating from Duke University, I started my career as an AI software engineer, then transitioned into product management at YouTube working on privacy, and later at Google on augmented reality. Those experiences taught me how to build for billions of people with care for privacy, reliability, and usefulness.
Creative Era
I left my role during the pandemic to focus on creative work. I wrote children’s stories and experimented with short films. A few of my favorites: Children’s Book and Short Film. And while the creative journey continues, these days I'm writing more code than books.
Why LottaLingo
I originally built this platform to help myself move. A way to track the steps of my journey, find places that wanted me, and to connect with top tier experts who could help me when I got stuck.
Over time, it's grown into a platform to help others realize their own dreams abroad, and that's pretty rad! My vision for this platform is a global mobility marketplace that meets you where you are. Whether you want to DIY and use our free resources, or you want pinpoint expertise at a tricky phase, or you want white-glove end to end support, we've got you covered.
My goal is to help you live your dream life, to learn more about the world and each other, and to use this platform as a way to create real life community. I'm excited to be on the journey with you!
How We Choose Our Providers
Every provider on LottaLingo is reviewed and approved by our team before they can offer services. Providers can not pay for placement. If you see a provider on this platform, it means we looked at their background, checked their credentials, and talked to them individually to ensure they met our standards.
Verified Credentials
If someone is offering immigration advice, tax consulting, or mental health services, they need to actually be qualified to do that. We require valid licenses, registration details, and proof of professional qualifications.
Relevant Experience
Being good at something in general isn't the same as knowing how to help someone who just moved to a new country. We specifically look for people who have worked with international clients, expats, and people going through a relocation.
Clear Communication
Every provider lists the languages they work in. If you're hiring someone to help with your visa or your taxes, you need to be able to understand each other. We make sure that's clear before anyone books.
Transparent Pricing
Every service has its price listed on the provider's profile before you book. You see what you're paying and what you're getting. There are no hidden consultation fees or surprise charges after the fact.
Secure Payments
All payments go through Stripe or PayPal. Your financial information never touches our servers or the provider's. This also means every provider on the platform has a verified, legal payment setup.
What We Don't Do
- We don't rank providers by who pays us the most. There is no pay to play here.
- We don't disguise our own services as independent recommendations.
- We don't look the other way when something goes wrong. Bad feedback gets investigated and acted on.
Get in touch
If you're exploring a move, need a recommendation, or want to join the platform as an expert: Contact form
For partnerships and business inquiries: ian@lottalingo.com