Elijah Khan: From Starving Actor to Startup Founder Solving the Accent Problem

From Rejection to Reinvention: The Journey of Elijah Khan

What happens when a classically trained actor hits a wall in an unforgiving industry? For Elijah Khan, it meant taking a detour—and turning it into a rocket ship. From the grind of the ‘starving artist’ life in London’s competitive theater scene to founding a tech startup with global ambitions, Elijah’s story is a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and resourcefulness.

In this episode of Direct Or Detour, Elijah opens up about what it really takes to survive and thrive as a creative professional—and how his experiences led him to build Accentify, an app that helps users master accents and dialects through immersive training. Whether you’re an actor, entrepreneur, or lifelong learner, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

From the Stage to the Startup World

Elijah began his career with a BA in Acting from Arts University Bournemouth, going on to land roles in West End productions, global TV shows, and film festivals like Cannes and Raindance. But despite the résumé, the journey was anything but glamorous. Like so many working actors, Elijah juggled minimum-wage gigs just to afford auditions. And over time, he began asking a hard question: Was there a better way to live as a creative?

That question led him into digital marketing during the pandemic—a skillset that eventually gave him the freedom to launch his own agency, build a team, and pivot into entrepreneurship. But Elijah didn’t stop there.

With a deep understanding of the challenges actors face in learning and maintaining accents, Elijah developed the idea for Accentify—a mobile app designed to democratize accent training. After going through the prestigious Founder Institute accelerator, Elijah’s app gained serious traction, boasting over 3,600 people on the waitlist and more than 1,000 active users.

But the use cases go far beyond acting. Accentify is now being adopted by language learners, corporate professionals, and even AI voice developers looking to better understand pronunciation and speech nuance.

Key Takeaways from Elijah Khan’s Journey

• The ‘Starving Artist’ Myth Needs a Rewrite
• Elijah challenges the idea that great art must come from suffering—and shares how financial sustainability can empower better creativity.
• Necessity Breeds Innovation
• Accentify was born from a personal problem Elijah faced repeatedly as an actor. His story shows how solving your own problem can become a business others need too.
• Start with What You Know—Then Scale
• With no tech background, Elijah didn’t let that stop him. He built a prototype, joined an accelerator, and brought in developers who could help bring his vision to life.
• Discipline from the Mats to the Mountains
• As a national Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu medallist and mountaineer (he’s trained at Everest Base Camp!), Elijah credits physical challenges with teaching him grit and resilience.
• Voice Matters—For Everyone
• What began as a tool for actors is now helping business professionals, language learners, and even AI teams. Elijah’s story proves that niche solutions can have wide applications.

Tune In to Hear the Full Story

If you’re chasing your dream, stuck in a creative rut, or just curious about what it takes to pivot into something entirely new—this episode is for you. Elijah Khan’s journey is packed with real-world insights and powerful moments of clarity.

🎙 Listen to the episode now:
👉 https://player.captivate.fm/episode/3f4bd538-b525-475e-90fb-994dd8bf457b/

Connect with Elijah Khan

• Website: https://www.accentify.co.uk
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamelijahkhan
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahkhan

🚀 Interested in being a guest on Direct Or Detour?
👉 https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/directordetour

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