Want to know how I inched MUCH closer to posting 6-figures as a niche specialist freelance translator?  By upskilling my direct client marketing game.  That's right. ALL I did was figure out how to hone a robust, AI-proof system to gain more clients at the top end of the market. And that's how I made myself much LESS dependent on bottom feeder/mid-market agencies.  Now I want you to benefit from the same operating system that worked for me.  Say hello to my brand new direct client marketing...

In this episode I caught up with a former beta student on Become a Booked out Freelance Translator. Monica Caldeiro very kindly made some time to share with us how the course and its 1-2-1 sessions led to making some positive career changes. Here are the main takeaways from our conversation:  Most translators at Monica's stage of the business journey are interested in moving away from agencies up into the direct client marketLinkedIn is a great place to prospect for direct clientsPersonal...

In this episode I talk to social media expert and my business coaching colleague Brittany Worthington from The Social Brittify.  Brittany teaches us how to optimize our social media profiles for sales. Here are the 3 main takeaways from our conversation:  Batch creation of content is not mandatoryRemove fake bot accounts on your profilesConsider working with other brands as an affiliatePlease enjoy! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2025705/episodes/13705773 On-page SEO worksheet FREE...

In a nutshell, becoming a linchpin freelancer means positioning yourself as an indispensable and highly valued professional in your industry. By doing so, you can attract more clients, charge premium rates AND build more long-lasting working relationships. Here are a few strategies to help you become a lynchpin freelancer:  Master your niche: Focus on a specific niche or industry where you have a deep understanding and expertise. Specializing allows you to provide unique solutions to clients'...

In this episode I caught up with Mireya Perez, host of the Brand the Interpreter podcast and our podcast ad swap partner until year end.  Mireya Pérez began her career as a certified medical interpreter and has since gained over a decade of experience breaking down language barriers in healthcare and education. After honing her skills as a medical interpreter in both a general and children's hospital, Mireya spent nearly a decade as a staff interpreter in a K-12 public education school...

Honing in like a laser on your ideal client avatar (ICA) is absolutely essential for freelance translators running an expertise-based or lifestyle business as this leads to more satisfying and profitable working relationships. Here are the five signs of an ideal client I always look out for in my own business:  Clear Communication: An ideal client communicates their needs, expectations, and project details clearly from the beginning. They provide a well-defined project scope and are open to...

In this episode I catch up with Judy Jenner, co-author of the popular translator business book, The Entrepreneurial Translator. Judy is a Spanish and German conference interpreter and federally certified Spanish court interpreter in the US. She has an MBA in marketing from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, a master’s degree in conference interpreting from Glendon College at York University in Canada, and runs her boutique translation and interpreting business, Twin Translations, with her...

Over the last 12-13 months I´ve had such amazing business success after giving just a little tender loving care to my online visibility and presence. I also recently rebranded my business with a new website. This has: raised my visibility no endresulted in a helluva LOT more people interested in my products and servicesNow I am so excited to teach you about this!  The Online Presence Blueprint is a mini-course for freelancers and small biz owners struggling with their brand awareness and who...

Here comes yet another truthbomb.  The Significance of a Personal Website: yeees, while LinkedIn offers a valuable platform for professional networking, language professionals should ALSO consider establishing their own personal websites. Here's why:  Enhanced Professional Image: A personal website acts as a centralized hub where language professionals can showcase their work, expertise, and accomplishments. It provides a more personalized and professional image compared to a social media...

My podcast guest joining me this week is my industry colleague Susana Rodriguez.  Susana is a freelance conference interpreter based like myself, in Madrid, Spain. She is an independent language technology researcher. Her areas of interest include blockchain-based business models and the future of work, and she is a UPM (Universidad Politecnica de Madrid) expert on R&D&I projects. She has also been an activity leader for SmarTerp (EIT 2021, Neotec 2022).   Grab your headset and tune...

Truthbomb.  In today's digital era, having a strong online presence is vital for professionals across all industries. But it's especially important for language professionals who rely on effective communication to connect with clients, build their reputation, and build out their professional network. This 2-part episode explores the significance of a robust online presence for language professionals, with a special focus on two powerful platforms: LinkedIn and personal websites.  Here's the...

My podcast guest joining me this week is my colleague Helen Williams. With a background in Modern Languages from Bristol University and St Anne’s College, Oxford, Helen joined the life sciences world in 2010. She led language services at a Global CRO and at a real-world evidence consultancy specialising in patient-facing smartphone and web applications. She has subject matter expertise in linguistic validation, a robust methodology for patient-reported outcome measures. In 2023, Helen...

New podcast episode: Insights from Nimdzi Insghts My podcast guest this week is Renato Beninatto from Nimdzi Insights. Renato Beninatto brings decades of experience everywhere he goes, including his current role as chairman and cofounder of Nimdzi Insights. With extensive experience in international consulting, market research, sales and marketing, he provides strategic direction that helps Nimdzi serve clients better worldwide. Renato has done a ton of stuff with a ton of companies but...

Most late payments usually fall into one of the following 3 categories:  The sprawling company customer. We sometimes fall foul to long-winded bureaucratic processes that delay our payments. To mitigate this, try and pin your contact down on a company’s pay cycle and time your invoices to get paid as soon as possible. Be aware a lot of companies will purchase from you as soon as one cycle has ended to maximize their cash flow leverage. For example I see a lot of agency buying going on at the...

My podcast guest joining me this week is my business coaching colleague Carmen Chesson.  Algorithmic Justice League (Coded Bias) https://www.ajl.org/  Recommended Writing and Copywriting Courses   https://www.clevercopywritingschool.com/  https://www.ship30for30.com/  https://www.verygoodcopy.com/#welcome-1  https://pwriting.org/  https://www.selfauthoring.com/  Sales without Socials  https://www.digitalconversations.com.au/podcast/  Ethical Marketing  www.marketingforhippies.com  Carmen’s...

The mindset shifts high-earning translators have made usually fall into one of the following three categories: They diversify into other revenue streams. At this level some colleagues will have more entrepreneurial offers such as books and consulting or training courses. Remember that this is on top of their client services income. They command premium fees. Most 6-figure translators I know have made a special effort to niche down and book out: the most popular niches are law, medicine...

My podcast guest joining me this week is my client and business colleague Concha Ortiz.  Concha holds a BA in Translation and Interpreting from the University of Granada. She trained further at Heriot-Watt University and the University of Cordoba where she completed a PhD.  She is a member of the Spanish Conference Interpreters Association, Colegio de Doctores y Licenciados de Madrid and the Andalusian Association of Women in Audio-visual Media. During this episode Concha and I...

During a recent webinar I gave for ATA translators called Pricing for a Profit Playbook we had a spirited debate on my poll question whether or not to include prices on your website. There were 3 responses: Yes, No, It depends  Here are 5 reasons in favour of publishing your prices… Trust: a lot of companies may not do business with a company not forthcoming with its fees.  Pricing range: prospects want to know a ballpark figure of how much they will pay for your services Unaffordability...

My podcast guest joining me this week is both a friend and business partner. I first met Andrew Leigh at the ITI annual conference in Newcastle back in April 2015.  Andrew is a legal translator from French, Spanish and Italian into English, with over 20 years of experience in the business.  His company Allegro Legal Translations offers specialist legal, business and commercial translation services principally to law firms, businesses and private individuals.  Andrew is a partner in the joint...

The cover letter didn’t even become a thing until around 1990 (when I was 15 years old!).  Nod your head if you have ever sent a generic: “please find my cv attached to this application”. You’re not alone as we’ve all been there.  So here are 3 things to include in your cover letter.  1. Work experience Be sure to mention how your current projects tie in with the agency or direct client application at hand. The work history you mention on the cover letter should have a direct bearing on the...

My podcast guest joining me this week is - for the first time - a family friend. I first met Nicholas Eyre whilst singing Bach cantatas in a Baroque chamber choir.  Nicholas currently lectures part time at Rey Juan Carlos I University in Madrid on the international tourism masters’ programme. He is also a longstanding former British Council manager. In this episode Nicholas and I discussed:  His university lectures on leadership at Rey Juan Carlos I University in Madrid How he empowers his...

Here are my 5 best recommendations as you start to build out your VIP professional translation-interpreting network. Institute of Translation & Interpreting (ITI). Head office in Milton Keynes, UK. 2-3k global members. Most useful for selling certified translations. 240 GBP annual membership approx.Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL). London, UK. Good for a chartered linguist qualification. MCIOL and FCIOL categories. 140 GBP annual membership approx. 50 GBP for CL...

My podcast guest joining me this week is my business colleague and client Arancha Caballero. Arancha is the Managing Director of Nuadda, a company based in Madrid (Spain). She holds a degree in Translation and Interpreting from the University of Granada and has completed a General Management Program at IESE Business School in Madrid. Currently the President of ANETI (Spanish Association of Translation and Interpreting Companies), she previously served on the Board of Directors of ELIA...

Time management is an essential ingredient to success. Here are just some of the ins and outs to becoming an effective time manager:  Learn to set the RIGHT priorities: no longer focus on things that don’t matter and laser in on things that do. Double your creative output: get the important tasks done asap to spend more time doing what you love.Eliminate procrastination, distractions and guilt: learn how to optimize your time and make space for both work AND down time. Increase your energy...

My guest joining me this week is the inimitable Paul Urwin.  Paul Urwin is Head of Training at ProZ.com, where he dedicates his time to helping freelance translators and interpreters succeed. He creates and sources interactive courses that are designed to take freelancers on a journey to achieving a quantifiable end result, one that will help them further their careers.  Paul performed his first paid translation in 1996, graduated with a Master’s in aeronautical engineering from Imperial...