Poll: Do you consider yourself a good business person? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you consider yourself a good business person?".
View the poll results »
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John Cutler 
Spain
Local time: 18:41
Spanish to English
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In most respects, except for accounting. I leave that up to a professional.
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 18:41
Spanish to English
+ ...
| In some respects | Aug 9, 2011 |
But not others. Like John, I leave my accounting and admin to someone more capable.
On the plus side, I like to think I do a good job and do my best to keep the customers satisfied, meeting deadlines and other commitments on time. However, I tend to be rather impulsive and am apt to tell awkward or overly-demanding clients to ....(ahem) take their business elsewhere rather than argue with them over points of order, which is not good business practice, however good it may make me fe... See more But not others. Like John, I leave my accounting and admin to someone more capable.
On the plus side, I like to think I do a good job and do my best to keep the customers satisfied, meeting deadlines and other commitments on time. However, I tend to be rather impulsive and am apt to tell awkward or overly-demanding clients to ....(ahem) take their business elsewhere rather than argue with them over points of order, which is not good business practice, however good it may make me feel at the time.
I do consider myself to be basically honest, and expect my clients/colleagues to be too, which is sometimes a failing in business. Generosity of spirit can also be construed as weakness when negotiating deadlines or rates and I know that I often undersell myself. I also tend to take things personally, which is never a good idea. ▲ Collapse
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slmxyz
Ireland
Local time: 18:41
Turkish to German
+ ...
| what is a good business person anyway | Aug 9, 2011 |
I mean if we all were good business people, we would not be in the translation business to begin with.
[Değişiklik saati 2011-08-09 11:53 GMT]
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David Wright
Austria
Local time: 18:41
German to English
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I consider myself to be a good translator and in 99% of cases can meet the deadlines I have agreed - but my accounts are in a mess and I am hopelss at selling myself, which is the sort of thing I presume the poll is about
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Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 18:41
English to French
+ ...
| In some respects | Aug 9, 2011 |
I am successful enough to make a decent living doing what I like. I am realistic enough to know my limits and outsource accountancy and other chores.
The quality of my services built my reputation and my marketing technique(s) seem to work fine
I am a good business person according to my own criteria and goals, but I am not for those who consider a good business person must double his/her sales and profits every year ... See more I am successful enough to make a decent living doing what I like. I am realistic enough to know my limits and outsource accountancy and other chores.
The quality of my services built my reputation and my marketing technique(s) seem to work fine
I am a good business person according to my own criteria and goals, but I am not for those who consider a good business person must double his/her sales and profits every year or so: I am not interested (as a “good business person” is generally supposed to be) in developing my company just for the sake of it and becoming rich(er). I am not a "good business person" if this means more and quicker, at any cost. ▲ Collapse
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| same here and.... | Aug 9, 2011 |
David Wright wrote:
I consider myself to be a good translator and in 99% of cases can meet the deadlines I have agreed - but my accounts are in a mess and I am hopelss at selling myself, which is the sort of thing I presume the poll is about
I prefer doing the translations rather than selling them and myself.
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wonita (X)
China
Local time: 12:41
because I don't want to do business with clients whom I don't like as people.
A spoiled freelancer.
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Angus Stewart
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:41
Member (2011)
French to English
+ ...
| A professional person | Aug 9, 2011 |
Interlangue wrote:
....I am not for those who consider a good business person must double his/her sales and profits every year or so: I am not interested (as a “good business person” is generally supposed to be) in developing my company just for the sake of it and becoming rich(er). I am not a "good business person" if this means more and quicker, at any cost.
I couldn't have said it better myself, since for me the emphasis is more upon being a "professional person" than a "business person". After all I became a translator, because I have a passion for languages and enjoy translating, rather than to run my own mini-business. I think it is important not to lose sight of that important fact.
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Angus Stewart wrote:
After all I became a translator, because I have a passion for languages and enjoy translating, rather than to run my own mini-business.
Same here. I'm a freelancer because I'd rather translate this way than in-house (which I've also done), not because I wanted to create some kind of business empire.
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Williamson
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:41
Flemish to English
+ ...
| In some respects. | Aug 9, 2011 |
In some respects: I have left I love translatinglong ago. See a sample first, read the conditions, calculate how much a translation might generate and decide on to make it yes/no.
If i ain't worth it, I'd rather save myself the trouble.
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William Murphy
Italy
Local time: 18:41
Member (2009)
Italian to English
+ ...
| I make a profit | Aug 9, 2011 |
I'm certainly not rich by any stretch of the imagination but I have managed to come out on top of my debts each year since becoming a professional translator. While I leave my accounting to a professional in that field, I like to think that my acumen (such as it is) plays as much a part of my career success as anything else.
I measure that success by only two things: repeat business from satisfied customers and the ability to support my family from that business.
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Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 18:41
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| In some respects | Aug 9, 2011 |
I always meet the deadlines I have agreed to and am keeping my customers happy.
And I try to keep the accounting side of the business up-to-date - with "decent" success. The same applies to "selling myself" as a good business person is supposed to do.
There's still a lot of progress to be made. And one of them is to stop arguing with clients about ... well, those "best rates".
The main thing is, I enjoy translating - which makes out at least a quarter of "the rent".![]() ... See more I always meet the deadlines I have agreed to and am keeping my customers happy.
And I try to keep the accounting side of the business up-to-date - with "decent" success. The same applies to "selling myself" as a good business person is supposed to do.
There's still a lot of progress to be made. And one of them is to stop arguing with clients about ... well, those "best rates".
The main thing is, I enjoy translating - which makes out at least a quarter of "the rent". ▲ Collapse
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dasein_wm wrote:
I measure that success by only two things: repeat business from satisfied customers and the ability to support my family from that business.
I agree with you!
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| Yes, in the ways that count the most | Aug 10, 2011 |
I am reliable, I follow instructions, I have a good product, I deliver it on time and in the format and condition promised, and I retain my clients over the years. I have had more than 50 clients, and almost all of them have come back.
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I don't sell myself short, I don't accept low rates, and I make sure that my well-paying clients are taken care of first.
P.S. I don't worry about whether or not I like a client. I run a business; it's not a dating site.
[Edited... See more I am reliable, I follow instructions, I have a good product, I deliver it on time and in the format and condition promised, and I retain my clients over the years. I have had more than 50 clients, and almost all of them have come back.
AND
I don't sell myself short, I don't accept low rates, and I make sure that my well-paying clients are taken care of first.
P.S. I don't worry about whether or not I like a client. I run a business; it's not a dating site.
[Edited at 2011-08-10 06:53 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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