| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Poll: Have you considered starting your own translation agency? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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gianfranco 
Brazil
Local time: 05:29
Member (2001)
English to Italian
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| We all provide a service, different business size but same value | Mar 21, 2008 |
mediamatrix wrote:
Well, GF, I can understand how you reached that sweeping misconception - but the fact is that as a translator I have never worked 'in the middle' but always as an integral member of a team that is drafting, editing and delivering multilingual content. I know my source text authors personally; their - my - our - readers are the second part of our equation, not the third.
I readily acknowledge that my situation might be an exception in this community, but the fact remains that I'm not - and, indeed, refuse to be - a 'mere' middle-man.
MediaMatrix
To go back to the topic of this quick poll. The poll is about having considered to start a translation agency. Your statement, from a somewhat high caballo, implies that you are proud to be a translator and somewhat dislike agencies, tagging them as "middle-men" in a rather disparaging tone. And I disagree.
An agency (leaving aside unscrupolous or ignorant operators), operates pulling together people with a variety of competences (translators, editors, graphics, project managers, etc.) in a concerted effort to provide a useful service. An agency can do things that no single translator is able to do, and it requires a variety of skills, some investments and a lot of hard labour, so I think they deserve respect.
My point is that a translator produces a service, in most cases directly and personally, for its customers, and an agency also produces a service, with its staff, in part using items produced by translators and adding to them other services.
In the service sector, I don't see any fundamental difference between the value of the service provided by a translator to its customers and the value of the service provided by an agency to its customers, and in this sense, I intended to say, we are all mere middle-men.
bye
Gianfranco
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Marie-Hélène Hayles wrote:
I think Nesrin's husband must have been separated from my partner at birth, mind you.
Then I think they might have been triplets separated at birth - with my husband being the third wheel!
| | | | | Same here: No way | Mar 21, 2008 |
mediamatrix wrote:
I have a strong natural aversion to 'middle-men'.
How could I live with myself if I became one myself?
MediaMatrix
I prefer doing the real work instead of watching while other people do the job. I learn a lot while I'm working. I think I'd stagnate and be bored to death if I had to just the management/ project-management part. And if one of my clients asks for a job that I can't do, I pass it over to other colleagues... not as an intemediary but as a colleague. I win friends and I think that is much more important than other things (of course I have to work to survive but... there are limits).
| | | | Laurent KRAULAND (X)
France
Local time: 10:29
French to German
+ ...
| I would do it... | Mar 21, 2008 |
but only for the sake of educating end clients, i.e. explaining them full-force and in plain English the whereabouts of our trade.
And as a former accounts assistant, I would ask for advance payment so I'd be able to pay my translators in time - as the often-heard excuse for non-payment is 'We haven't been paid so we can't pay you'.
I guess I could close down business after 6 months. But I just wanted to emphasize that neither agencies, nor translators are banks!
... See more but only for the sake of educating end clients, i.e. explaining them full-force and in plain English the whereabouts of our trade.
And as a former accounts assistant, I would ask for advance payment so I'd be able to pay my translators in time - as the often-heard excuse for non-payment is 'We haven't been paid so we can't pay you'.
I guess I could close down business after 6 months. But I just wanted to emphasize that neither agencies, nor translators are banks!
Stay well everybody and Happy Easter!
LJ K ▲ Collapse
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Carla Guerreiro
France
Local time: 10:29
Member (2006)
French to Portuguese
+ ...
| Creating an agency? No way!!! | Mar 21, 2008 |
I'm a "lonesome cowgirl" )) and I LOVE IT!!
I love my independence, because I don't owe any explanation to anyone. I am my own boss.
| | | | Parrot
Spain
Local time: 10:29
Spanish to English
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kpi wrote: Marie-Hélène Hayles wrote:
I think Nesrin's husband must have been separated from my partner at birth, mind you. Then I think they might have been triplets separated at birth - with my husband being the third wheel!
... any chance they distributed quadruplets all over the world? 
| | | | Williamson
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:29
Flemish to English
+ ...
Nesrin wrote:
Personally I don't think agency work has anything to do with translators, it's not a natural progression of our career. But of course if you're business-minded and love dealing with marketing, legal and accounting issues for a living, then go for it!
Unless at international institutions, translators do not have a career and do not progress in terms of climbing the career-ladder and everything that goes with it. They can only increase their volume.
Managing an agency means you create a plusvalue for the "normal" business-world and you that you keep a link with that world. Not everybody stays in translation for the rest of their lives. Question at application interview: "What did your experience as a translator with regard to this job?".
Who is worth more in terms of value: An agency, called TP created by an MBA from Stern U.in 1993 or a lonely translator sitting behind his/her desk.
| | | | | I am of two minds | Mar 21, 2008 |
I would rather translate than manage a company, but I feel that once you work full time at a consistently decent rate with all the productivity tools that you can reasonably think of, then what? Increase rates and productivity, of course.
Then, the natural upscaling path would be to broaden the scope of services by offering DTP, typesetting/printing and/or more language combinations; and therefore employ people and/or subcontract jobs (or learning it all by yourself and allow for a ... See more I would rather translate than manage a company, but I feel that once you work full time at a consistently decent rate with all the productivity tools that you can reasonably think of, then what? Increase rates and productivity, of course.
Then, the natural upscaling path would be to broaden the scope of services by offering DTP, typesetting/printing and/or more language combinations; and therefore employ people and/or subcontract jobs (or learning it all by yourself and allow for a loooong return on investment).
I find this actually appealing as an evolutionary step in the industry, but then I would have to give up knowing everything about what goes out of the company and reasons why deliverables were sent in this form rather than that. And probably give up translating as such.
My control-freak tendency tells me I am not prepared to lose control over quality and deadlines. Standards may still be met, but I wouldn't be aware of it in Korean, for instance.
Rather than opening an agency, I may want some day to divert from translation agencies (my major source of income by default) and focus on small to mid-sized end companies, to be more involved in managing translations (setting up client termbases, client TMs...) and consulting (formatting, recycling...), while still translating and knowing what goes out. Becoming a kind of outsourced translation department for a few companies.
So that would deepen my services rather than broaden them.
But I am just dreaming out loud.
Happy Easter,
Philippe ▲ Collapse
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Rebecca Garber
Local time: 04:29
Member (2005)
German to English
+ ...
| not in my future | Mar 21, 2008 |
I truly admire the people who run agencies and organize translators and clients, but I wouldn't want to be them. I'm more a text person: me, my computer and I are enough for me to organize, not to mention my family. I'm not so much a people person, and I think I would be very unhappy trying to do that.
That said, I know a woman who runs an agency who would not trade places with me, either. So I guess we're both doing what is best for us.
And my partner is very sup... See more I truly admire the people who run agencies and organize translators and clients, but I wouldn't want to be them. I'm more a text person: me, my computer and I are enough for me to organize, not to mention my family. I'm not so much a people person, and I think I would be very unhappy trying to do that.
That said, I know a woman who runs an agency who would not trade places with me, either. So I guess we're both doing what is best for us.
And my partner is very supportive of my freelance status. Are there any others like him out there? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Carla Guerreiro
France
Local time: 10:29
Member (2006)
French to Portuguese
+ ...
| supportive partner | Mar 21, 2008 |
Rebecca Garber wrote:
And my partner is very supportive of my freelance status. Are there any others like him out there?
My partner is very supportive too and, even if he works in public administration, he also wants to become a translator. Maybe he'll be here in Proz soon!
| | | | | I, for one, have a career! | Mar 21, 2008 |
Williamson wrote:
Unless at international institutions, translators do not have a career and do not progress in terms of climbing the career-ladder and everything that goes with it. They can only increase their volume.
Obviously, we all have different points of view and our work is different. However, I certainly feel that I have a career! I am building a reputation. With each book or academic article that I publish, each university department for whom I translate academic papers and accreditation documents, each documentary film that I translate for subtitling, my name is seen and heard in the circles where I want to get more work.
As a result, I now have a degree of professional prestige (medium-sized frog in a small but classy pond!) and am charging 80% more than I did 18 months ago. True, I'll never be a Bill Gates, but then, who is? I have a very satisfying career that I enjoy enormously, and I expect to continue to progress in skill and prestige.
Of course, I was nearly 50 when I started as a translator, so my perspective may well be different from that of my 20-something colleagues.
Jane
I forgot to mention: My husband is delighted with my work and income, bless him! He never pushes me to do anything differently, though he occasionally gripes because I don't have time to watch as many movies with him as I used to. Have to be careful to still make time for important people in my life!
[Edited at 2008-03-21 15:47]
| | | | Carla Guerreiro
France
Local time: 10:29
Member (2006)
French to Portuguese
+ ...
| career, family, health... | Mar 21, 2008 |
JaneTranslates wrote: Williamson wrote:
Unless at international institutions, translators do not have a career and do not progress in terms of climbing the career-ladder and everything that goes with it. They can only increase their volume. Obviously, we all have different points of view and our work is different. However, I certainly feel that I have a career! I am building a reputation. With each book or academic article that I publish, each university department for whom I translate academic papers and accreditation documents, each documentary film that I translate for subtitling, my name is seen and heard in the circles where I want to get more work. As a result, I now have a degree of professional prestige (medium-sized frog in a small but classy pond!) and am charging 80% more than I did 18 months ago. True, I'll never be a Bill Gates, but then, who is? I have a very satisfying career that I enjoy enormously, and I expect to continue to progress in skill and prestige. Of course, I was nearly 50 when I started as a translator, so my perspective may well be different from that of my 20-something colleagues. Jane I forgot to mention: My husband is delighted with my work and income, bless him! He never pushes me to do anything differently, though he occasionally gripes because I don't have time to watch as many movies with him as I used to. Have to be careful to still make time for important people in my life! [Edited at 2008-03-21 15:47]
I agree with Jane.
Translators have a career, too! When they become more known and clients contact them directly, it's a sign that things are getting better!
As for family life, I also agree with Jane: it's very important to spend some time with our loved ones, even if it's tempting to work a lot in order to get more money. Besides, we must pay attention to our health, an when our body starts to complain, it's time to make a pause...
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Textklick
Local time: 09:29
German to English
+ ...
In memoriam | Dreaming out loud? | Mar 21, 2008 |
Philippe Etienne wrote:
I would rather translate than manage a company, but I feel that once you work full time at a consistently decent rate with all the productivity tools that you can reasonably think of, then what? Increase rates and productivity, of course.
And increase profits, by careful management of your business structure.
Rather than opening an agency, I may want some day to divert from translation agencies (my major source of income by default) and focus on small to mid-sized end companies, to be more involved in managing translations (setting up client termbases, client TMs...) and consulting (formatting, recycling...), while still translating and knowing what goes out. Becoming a kind of outsourced translation department for a few companies.
So that would deepen my services rather than broaden them.
But I am just dreaming out loud.
Happy Easter,
Philippe
It might be 'dreaming out loud' Philippe, but I think it's also very sound common sense (and positive thinking).
Bonne chance and happy Easter
Chris
| | | | Erzsébet Czopyk
Hungary
Local time: 10:29
Member (2006)
Russian to Hungarian
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | little owl in the nest | Mar 22, 2008 |
Yes, I have one.
And for long time ago I had a dream to establish one.
I learn a lot of my own mistakes, met in 3 years a lot of translators and learn a lot from other people: the job is very stressful and I got a lot more from that just money. Money itself - not worth. What is? I wrote not once: I am very proud of my translators, I love my colleagues and I dedicated a lot of my time to organize our nest. Last Christmas, when the "pit" (top10 of the colleagues) were sitting a... See more Yes, I have one.
And for long time ago I had a dream to establish one.
I learn a lot of my own mistakes, met in 3 years a lot of translators and learn a lot from other people: the job is very stressful and I got a lot more from that just money. Money itself - not worth. What is? I wrote not once: I am very proud of my translators, I love my colleagues and I dedicated a lot of my time to organize our nest. Last Christmas, when the "pit" (top10 of the colleagues) were sitting around the table in a good restaurant, I simply begun to cry when the colleagues told me that they are also proud of me, I first time in my life felt me and the work done by me is respected.
I made a lot of mistakes, and now, when I experience a mistakes from others, I became more cognitive. As more I work with different people, I realize how much I still do not know about the translation, I learned new methods, I saw different CAT tools, I saw how they working in a team. I know when they became pregnant, when they divorce, who has financial problems and many other. As closer they accepted me, as more heavy is the cross on my shoulders. I feel I am responsible for the people I work with and I am responsible for the clients too. I cried a lot for unpaid bills, I yelled, I get frustrated - but looking forward in time, I am happy and I believe the dreams comes true some day, if you are able to sacrifice a lot of things for it.
Maybe if I did not divorce, I never begun to deal with (my ex-husband would never let me to establish a company, he highly appreciated financial stability before all things). Dedicated the company name to my father, I think he is looking at me from the heaven and blinking: she did it ▲ Collapse
| | | | Erzsébet Czopyk
Hungary
Local time: 10:29
Member (2006)
Russian to Hungarian
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
I miss one person from this topic. I posted my point of wiew when Henry came to my mind and a small desk in California on the wall of the room of the beloved person: WWJD (what would Jesus do?)
Jesus knew his way, but anyway he came through all the pain of it, he told he is determined. What we should do, it is follow our decisions and perform our daily work according our best knowledge, abilities and confidence and...conscience.
Each time I feel uncertain, I think ofte... See more I miss one person from this topic. I posted my point of wiew when Henry came to my mind and a small desk in California on the wall of the room of the beloved person: WWJD (what would Jesus do?)
Jesus knew his way, but anyway he came through all the pain of it, he told he is determined. What we should do, it is follow our decisions and perform our daily work according our best knowledge, abilities and confidence and...conscience.
Each time I feel uncertain, I think often about Henry, who I never met personally - but think about how great idea was to establish the ProZ.com! Today this is a largest community of the translators and that time, in the real beginning, Henry Dotterer was a "simple" Japanish-English translator, who maybe dreamed about building a worldwide community of translators.
Henry, if you read my post, it is your turn. Are you happy you did it? ▲ Collapse
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