Translator Coworking space /Club - Can I have your feedback? Thread poster: Natalia Eklund
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Hi Everyone,
I've had an idea for a while now, and the more I think about it the more I like it, but I want to get other opinions to see if it's a good one.
As shown here on ProZ.com, language professional like to reach out to each other and exchange. Every time I've participated in a conference or powwow, I always hear how people feel isolated and wish they could access their peers more often and more easily.
Here in Paris, there's a severe lack of space ... See more Hi Everyone,
I've had an idea for a while now, and the more I think about it the more I like it, but I want to get other opinions to see if it's a good one.
As shown here on ProZ.com, language professional like to reach out to each other and exchange. Every time I've participated in a conference or powwow, I always hear how people feel isolated and wish they could access their peers more often and more easily.
Here in Paris, there's a severe lack of space and the co-working spaces still haven't fully developed yet like in the States.
Wouldn't it be cool to have a combination co-working space and homebase for translators who are in, or just visiting Paris? I just like the idea of a house or a center or something where people could be sure to just stop by and find people of like minds and like profession. Of course, ideally it wouldn't be limited to Paris, so that all the main travel hubs would have a homebase to welcome traveling translators/interpreters/teachers/localizers/students.
I imagine it could be something similar in nature to a London member's-only club house, or a foundation to assist translators by providing workspaces, meeting rooms, seminar rooms, a café, and even a small library with donated dictionaires for example.
Like I said, the more I meet my fellow translators, the more I feel this kind of thing would be an answer to many difficulties, namely that of being too isolated, undertrained, underequipped, and unsupported.
I could go on and on about the various facets and possibilities of this kind of endeavor, but as a first step I'd be interested to know what you think and if this is something you could find interesting too.
Some things I was wondering:
-When you travel, would you like to have a translator house at your destination? Would you use it to make contacts?
-Are people so ingrained in working at home that actually leaving the house, and paying a fee for a co-working space would not be interesting?
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Natalia ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 00:07
Spanish to English
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My intial reaction is along the lines of "Perhaps, but who pays for it?"
My own immediate response to the specific questions would be as follows:
When you travel, would you like to have a translator house at your destination?
-> Not especially; if there was one, I might look in to check it out.
Would you use it to make contacts?
-> Probably not - but that's because I don't really think I need any more contacts, as I have enough work to get by ... See more My intial reaction is along the lines of "Perhaps, but who pays for it?"
My own immediate response to the specific questions would be as follows:
When you travel, would you like to have a translator house at your destination?
-> Not especially; if there was one, I might look in to check it out.
Would you use it to make contacts?
-> Probably not - but that's because I don't really think I need any more contacts, as I have enough work to get by at the moment and am quite well-established.
- Are people so ingrained in working at home that actually leaving the house, and paying a fee for a co-working space would not be interesting?
-> I have a laptop and can work just about anywhere with wifi. Paying a fee for the sort of facilities described wouldn't appeal to me. But then again, I work alone and would usually find other people around me a distraction rather than a plus. ▲ Collapse
| | | | JohannaKa 
Local time: 00:07
English to German
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I actually do work in a coworking space here in Berlin, and it's one of the best investments I've made so far. I was really fed up with working alone and from home. Of course, I had no other choice in the beginning but I don't want to go back there. Working in an "office environment" has increased my productivity tremendously. However, I don't know whether it's really necessary to create a coworking space just for translators as for me it's also interesting and helpful to get to know people from... See more I actually do work in a coworking space here in Berlin, and it's one of the best investments I've made so far. I was really fed up with working alone and from home. Of course, I had no other choice in the beginning but I don't want to go back there. Working in an "office environment" has increased my productivity tremendously. However, I don't know whether it's really necessary to create a coworking space just for translators as for me it's also interesting and helpful to get to know people from other backgrounds. But on the other hand, why not. And if I ever come to Paris, I would definitely look for such an opportunity. Sounds good to me:) ▲ Collapse
| | | | Gül Kaya
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:07
Turkish to English
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| Is it very costly | Jun 26, 2013 |
JohannaKa wrote:
I actually do work in a coworking space here in Berlin, and it's one of the best investments I've made so far. I was really fed up with working alone and from home. Of course, I had no other choice in the beginning but I don't want to go back there. Working in an "office environment" has increased my productivity tremendously. However, I don't know whether it's really necessary to create a coworking space just for translators as for me it's also interesting and helpful to get to know people from other backgrounds. But on the other hand, why not. And if I ever come to Paris, I would definitely look for such an opportunity. Sounds good to me:)
Hi Johanna, this sounds really interesting. More and more of these places are popping up particularly in larger urban areas due to increasingly flexible working patterns. Can you tell us roughly how much you pay and what sort of benefits you've derived from it.
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| Sounds like it's time for you to progress from translator to agency owner | Jun 26, 2013 |
Innit?
| | | | Natalia Eklund
France
Local time: 00:07
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks for your varied responses so far.
I had also suspected thatthe answers would vary depending on profiles. Of course, I'm speaking very generally here, but I basically assumed that many well-established translators may not necessarily see the need for such a place right off the bat (they've worked fine for years without it), but it could be accessorily good for occasional visits. However, beginner and recently established translators may find a more immediate answer to some of... See more Thanks for your varied responses so far.
I had also suspected thatthe answers would vary depending on profiles. Of course, I'm speaking very generally here, but I basically assumed that many well-established translators may not necessarily see the need for such a place right off the bat (they've worked fine for years without it), but it could be accessorily good for occasional visits. However, beginner and recently established translators may find a more immediate answer to some of their needs for support and reassurance from their peers.
I was thinking of a conversation I had with a friend who just graduated from ESIT in Paris. He said, while still a student, they benefited from a network infrastructure (library, meeting rooms, advisors, mentors) which is lacking when you're out in the 'real' world. When you graduate, you suddenly find you have no one to turn to... no one who's in the same trenches as you to discuss common issues that arise, etc.
Łukasz Gos-Furmankiewicz wrote: ....from translator to agency owner Innit?
Agency? Not at all what I was aiming at....
In an ideal world, I would have inherited old family money, and created a foundation entirely financed to provide a place for translators to meet, exchange, learn, etc. (I'm going to buy another lottery ticket tonight, just in case. )
My only egotistical desire in all this is to build something, and potentially meet and work with other cool people. Basically, from talking to different people, I thought I had identified a need and was wondering if this need was universal enough to generate a big enough response to sustain a solution (if someone spent the time to build it).
I spoke of fees just to have something auto-financing, square footage in Paris isn't just given away.
JohannaKa wrote:
I actually do work in a coworking space here in Berlin,
@JohannaKa
Hi Johanna, like Gul Kaya asked, I'm also interested in how much this space costs. It'd be helpful to know what some may consider a worthwhile expense.
Another idea:
Maybe, it could be set up like a normal co-working space, but half-off for declared translators/interpreters, for example like for people who are Proz members or members of a group where their profession can be verified in a directory. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Nothing is lost yet! | Jun 26, 2013 |
N.M. Eklund wrote:
In an ideal world, I would have inherited old family money
Nothing is lost yet, you should have no trouble try marrying into it.
My only egotistical desire in all this is to build something, and potentially meet and work with other cool people. Basically, from talking to different people, I thought I had identified a need and was wondering if this need was universal enough to generate a big enough response to sustain a solution (if someone spent the time to build it).
Sounds good; well, in a way, that's similar to how lawyers have worked. Barristers and inns and whatnot. (Lawyers generally have an affinity with inns, bars, fridges etc.) People are more productive when they get to go to work instead of staying home. It improves their feeling of having a professional life, and it inspires solid, professional work. Generally emphasis on 'professional' throughout.
Having workmates without having a boss would be pretty cool, I must say. Plus, few translators can generate enough workload to keep a secretary busy, while this shouldn't be a problem for three of them. Plus, you could jointly hire a DTP specialist or hire an assistant that knows some basic DTP, so you could just translate (and in some cases, perhaps, dictate translation, to give your fingers some rest). You could also co-rent a conference room to impress your potential clients with. You know, some black leather and all, an assistant walking in with coffee for your client. Hard to speak about €0.01 per word in a setting like that.
For the record, what I mentioned above does resemble a form of partnership known to the law (professional partnership with admin shared but professional responsibilities/income accruing individually).
| | | | JohannaKa
Local time: 00:07
English to German
+ ...
are of course always a difficult issue and difficult to compare. For a coworking place I would consider something between 100 and 150 euros per month as okay. But then again prices in Paris would not be the same, I think:) Generally there are also flexible solutions, like a day ticket or a week ticket, so that you would only pay for the time that you actually spent there.
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| Sounds like a bargain, actually... doubt you'd ever find that price range in Paris | Jun 27, 2013 |
JohannaKa wrote:
are of course always a difficult issue and difficult to compare. For a coworking place I would consider something between 100 and 150 euros per month as okay.
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