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Poll: Have you ever considered starting your own translation agency?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
Monika Rozwarzewska
Monika Rozwarzewska  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:31
Member (2006)
English to Polish
+ ...
Exactly my point Jul 15, 2013

Helen Hagon wrote:

Running an agency requires a different set of skills which I don't really have. I am much better at managing documents than people.


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 21:31
English to Spanish
+ ...
Very informative set of answers Jul 15, 2013

I'm a natural introvert, and I prefer association with things (books, concepts, art) and animals (wildlife birds, cats, for example) because the interaction is calmer and more relaxed, giving me time to absorb new knowledge and contemplate a new being (like the chipmunks raiding my bird feeder).

However, this introversion comes as a surprise to those who know me, even family members, because I am very gregarious on a one-to-one basis or in very small groups, or groups of people with
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I'm a natural introvert, and I prefer association with things (books, concepts, art) and animals (wildlife birds, cats, for example) because the interaction is calmer and more relaxed, giving me time to absorb new knowledge and contemplate a new being (like the chipmunks raiding my bird feeder).

However, this introversion comes as a surprise to those who know me, even family members, because I am very gregarious on a one-to-one basis or in very small groups, or groups of people with shared interests, like students or the audience to a presentation.

I didn't know this side of me for many years, which caused me trouble whenever I tried to do something I'm not naturally suited to...like selling stuff. I tried selling books and encyclopedias before going to college. I hated it. I dislike everything about convincing a stranger to buy something he probably doesn't need.

When it comes to concepts, radical ideas, etc., I'm a natural persuader, though. That's why I enjoy teaching translation.

Now, I never wanted to be a translation agency in the sense it is commonly known by us. That would have required time to administer, cold call, find human resources to outsource translations, etc. I enjoy writing and translating much more than administering things. Plus, I didn't like the idea of having to struggle with marketing and selling translation agency services.

On a more biased note, I never wanted to be an agency because I'd become part of the problem: poorly trained project managers, owners who do it because it's just another business, people who are very poor people managers, bad payers, etc.
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Andrés Ureta
Andrés Ureta  Identity Verified
Chile
Local time: 22:31
English to Spanish
+ ...
I thought about it... Jul 15, 2013

Mary Worby wrote:

... and rejected the idea.

Running an agency is so wholly different from actual translation and requires completely different skills. I'm happy doing the actual translation work and letting someone else to the client management and administration.


Same idea here, I thought about it and decided I won't.

[Edited at 2013-07-15 16:06 GMT]


 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 01:31
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
No way! Jul 15, 2013

One reason I'm a freelancer is because I couldn't stand working for bosses who weren't perfect. I'm not perfect either and I'd hate to think others were thinking that way about me.

 
Triston Goodwin
Triston Goodwin  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 19:31
Spanish to English
+ ...
Yes Jul 15, 2013

I've run a few different businesses over the years, so moving from freelancing to an agency happened very naturally for me. My wife and I just recently made the move, but I really like it so far.

We focus primarily on helping small businesses grow and expand internationally. We offer consulting, translation/localization services, graphic art design, website design, and a marketing. We've partnered with other companies like our own to offer services that we can't cover. We're also w
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I've run a few different businesses over the years, so moving from freelancing to an agency happened very naturally for me. My wife and I just recently made the move, but I really like it so far.

We focus primarily on helping small businesses grow and expand internationally. We offer consulting, translation/localization services, graphic art design, website design, and a marketing. We've partnered with other companies like our own to offer services that we can't cover. We're also working on one main project that we've named "Project Chu" ("Chu" being our dog's nickname), that combines graphic design, cell phones and translation.

Aside from freelance translators, I have three graphic artists, a marketing guru, a website guru, a dozen actors, and an accountant. We're working with a few companies in Argentina right now and they've all been very happy with our work so far.
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Allison Wright (X)
Allison Wright (X)  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 01:31
Not my cup of tea Jul 15, 2013

I am quite capable of coordinating a fair number of people and activities, and have proven this outside of the translation world.

It is not my preferred manner of being, however. I would rather work well with agencies as a translator, than be shouldered with the stress of "my dog has vomited on my translation", or whatever the disaster of the day might be.

Introvert at heart.


 
Edward Potter
Edward Potter  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 02:31
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Upchucking canines Jul 16, 2013

"my dog has vomited on my translation"


LOL

That is a quaint description of one of the many things that might go wrong with a translation.


 
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Poll: Have you ever considered starting your own translation agency?






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