How Text To Speech Changed Cliff Weitzman's Life With Dyslexia (and The App He Built With Over 25 Million Users)

Ever wanted a faster, more effortless way to soak in information? Listening to it read aloud can change everything. This week, I interviewed Cliff Weitzman, the CEO and co-founder of Speechify, to learn how audio tools help people with dyslexia and anyone who prefers hearing words rather than staring at lines of text.

Cliff shared how he listens to content at triple speed, what it’s like to tackle reading when you have dyslexia, and the one skill dyslexic students should leave school with. We also explored how audiobooks free up mental energy and why this matters for entrepreneurs who often have a hundred tasks on their minds. There’s a wealth of practical tips here for improving focus, working more efficiently, and giving our brains a break from the struggle of traditional reading.

Embracing Text-to-Audio

We kicked off by chatting about the rise of text-to-audio technology. Cliff’s team created Speechify, an app and service that lets you listen to just about any text. You can use it on PC, Mac, Chrome, Android, or iOS, which is brilliant for anyone who’s on the go or battles reading fatigue.

For many of us with dyslexia, reading too many lines can feel draining. It’s like trying to find your way through a maze every time you look at a paragraph. Turning text into sound is a game-changer. It reduces eye strain and gives your brain the freedom to visualise concepts, rather than fight through each word on a page. This approach helps beyond just reading books or articles. It can help you manage emails, class notes, and anything else that’s text-based.

As Cliff put it in our interview:

“Reading a sentence often feels like I’m doing maths in my head. Listening frees me up to focus on what it’s saying, not how it’s spelled.”

Pushing Boundaries with Audiobooks

I asked Cliff about the power of audiobooks and got some amazing insights. Consuming information by sound is a huge time-saver, especially if you speed up the audio. Cliff regularly listens to content at 3x speed. If you’re used to hearing things slower, that might sound intimidating, but it becomes second nature after a bit of practice.

Audiobooks can also spark creativity. When you’re not stuck on syllables or letter arrangements, your mind can wander in a positive way. You can make connections between ideas and remember what you’ve learned. This is ideal for anyone juggling multiple roles at once, like entrepreneurs trying to balance their daily tasks and personal growth.

Parents might wonder how this affects children’s reading skills. According to Cliff, reading along with the audio can help develop vocabulary and fluency. But he stresses that building that love for learning and exploration is far more important than forcing someone to read physical text in the “traditional” way. Helping your child find enjoyment in discovering stories, research, or new topics is key.

A Dyslexia Entrepreneur’s Toolkit

A big part of our discussion revolved around entrepreneurship and dyslexia. People with dyslexia often excel at innovative thinking but can struggle with administrative tasks that involve lots of reading and writing. With text-to-audio, time isn’t wasted. Emails, proposals, and important documents can be “read” out loud and processed more efficiently.

Cliff also touched on the critical element of mindset. He believes that having dyslexia can be a superpower if you learn to persevere. It builds problem-solving skills and the courage to look for unconventional solutions. For an entrepreneur, that’s gold.

Here are a few tips Cliff shared for dyslexic business owners:

• Delegate or automate tasks that are draining or detail-heavy.
• Use tools like text-to-audio to handle daily reading needs.
• Focus on your strengths, such as creativity or relationship-building.
• Find mentors and build a network that can guide you when needed.

We also touched on the one skill all dyslexic people need to leave school with: self-advocacy. Being able to speak up, ask for help, and figure out how you learn best is essential. No one else can show you that path unless you know you need it.

The Power of Reading Alternatives

Some readers might ask if audio alone can replace reading. Cliff sees it as a powerful supplement, not a full replacement. There’s nothing wrong with mixing reading strategies so you don’t feel trapped by a single approach. Whether it’s scanning a page, listening to an audiobook, or referencing a summary, it’s all about what makes you thrive.

One surprising benefit of audio-based learning is the boost in confidence. When you’re not slowed by decoding words, you often realise you’re faster at grasping the message behind them. That little shift in confidence can encourage you to explore more challenging texts, dive deeper into subjects, and take bigger leaps in your personal or professional life.

The other huge takeaway is that parents should trust the process and remember that every child’s journey is unique. Let your children experiment with these tools. Reading, writing, and spelling matter, but so do creativity and the sense of wonder. Audio is a tool that can expand their world. There’s no shame in using it.

• Listening to text can save time and mental energy.
• Audiobooks spark creativity and improve comprehension.
• Entrepreneurs benefit by delegating reading tasks to text-to-audio tools.
• Dyslexic individuals should master self-advocacy before leaving school.
• Audio learning builds the confidence to explore more challenging material.

If you want to dive deeper into these insights, tune in to the full interview with Cliff Weitzman on the podcast. Discover how he overcame traditional reading hurdles and how you can do the same. Trust me, it’s worth the listen.