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On the podcast this week I caught up with translation tech expert Carlos La Orden Tovar.  

Carlos is close to hitting the milestone of 25 years providing language services and training for organizations, professional associations, and individuals all over the world. 

Over these years, he has worked with hundreds of international clients such as Amazon, Microsoft, 3M, Cisco, United Technologies, SDL/RWS, and Nokia, to name a few. Along with his lecturing and teaching gigs at University of Bologna, ISTRAD and Trágora Formación, he is a regular speaker at international translation industry events and loves sharing knowledge with fellow professionals to build a better, more human, yet tech-oriented industry led by happy people.

He currently lives in a beautiful village near Pisa, Italy.

Here are the notable nuggets from our wide-ranging conversation:

- Childhood hobbies can have a big impact on future life
- The advent of LLMs has completely altered how translation processes are integrated by companies
- Any disruptive process needs to be embraced and understood to move forwards
- Companies seeking global business growth need to fully understand and optimize translation processes
- memoQ, SDL Trados and Bureau Works all have cloud-based TMS

Tool mentioned in this episode
Notepad ++ is free and open source software that replaces Windows notepad

Grab your headset and please enjoy!

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This week on Freelancer Training, I had the great pleasure of speaking with David Shriner-Cahn—former chemical engineer turned business strategist, podcast host, and sought-after consultant for high-performing professionals making the leap from corporate careers to entrepreneurship.

David is the founder of Smashing the Plateau, a podcast and online community designed to support professionals navigating the shift into business ownership. Named a “Podcast To Power Up Your Ultra-Lean Business” by Forbes and recognised by Inc. Magazine as an Entrepreneur Who Will Change the Way You Communicate, David shares proven frameworks, grounded insights, and a deep understanding of what it takes to build a purpose-driven business.

💡 Highlights from Our Conversation:

✅ Create a clear goal statement rooted in what matters most to you
✅ Work in 90-day business sprints to drive measurable, focused progress
✅ Upselling is easier than constant client acquisition—nurture existing relationships
✅ Offer tiered pricing to improve conversions and appeal to different client needs

Whether you're just leaving corporate life or building momentum in your business, David’s guidance is practical, encouraging, and grounded in decades of experience.

#DavidShrinerCahn #SmashingThePlateau #FreelancerTraining #BusinessStrategy #EntrepreneurMindset #CorporateToConsulting #LifestyleBusiness #BusinessTips #ProfessionalGrowth #SmallBusinessSuccess #CareerChange #PodcastInterview #BusinessPodcast #EntrepreneurialJourney #ExpertInsights #BuildYourBusiness #ClientSuccess #90DaySprints #PodcastRecommendations

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This week on Freelancer Training, I had the pleasure of catching up with the one and only John Di Rico, a certified French–English translator and interpreter based in Nice, France.

John works with the French police and justice system as a sworn interpreter and has a long-standing career in translation technology. He recently made a strategic career move from his sales role at Wordfast (the go-to CAT tool for Mac users) to Wordbee, a powerful cloud-based TMS and CAT tool all in one.

💡 Here are some standout takeaways from our conversation:

✅ Career Growth Through Change

John believes that every 10 years or so, it's healthy to switch roles. “In your comfort zone, you consume value. Outside your comfort zone, you create it.”

✅ Understanding AI in Translation

We discussed how Large Language Models (LLMs) operate—particularly the “temperature” parameter, which controls how predictable the output is word by word. As John puts it, “LLMs are nothing but clever magic tricks—one word at a time.”

✅ AI Adoption is Non-Negotiable

Translators who embrace AI tools to boost productivity will ultimately replace those who don’t. The message is clear: adapt and thrive.

✅ Smart Work Over Hard Work

We reflected on one of John’s favourite quotes by Abraham Lincoln:
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”

📚 Book Mentioned:
Lean Marketing by Allan Dib

#FreelancerTraining #TranslationTechnology #JohnDiRico #Wordbee #Wordfast #TranslationBusiness #AIInTranslation #LLM #LanguageTechnology #ProductivityTools #CareerGrowth #SwornInterpreter #LocalizationTools #EntrepreneurialTranslator #LanguageIndustryInsights #TMS #MacFriendlyCATTools

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In freelance translation, scaling your business beyond a certain point, usually €36k a year, can seem like a very daunting task. However, by implementing strategic shifts in your approach, you can unlock new levels of growth and profitability. In this blog post, we’ll explore four key shifts that can help you scale your freelance translation business to high 5-figure or yes even 6-figure income. From niching down in your industry to leveraging AI and investing in your growth, these tactics will empower you to thrive in your niche in a competitive market and futureproof your career.

Niche Down in Your Industry:

As a freelance translator, specializing in a specific niche can significantly enhance your marketability and command higher rates. Rather than trying to be a jack-of-all-trades talking to everyone, identify a niche where your language skills and subject matter expertise intersect. Whether it’s legal, medical, technical or marketing translation, niching down allows you to become a trusted shoulder-tapped expert in your specific field.

By lasering in on a niche, you can tailor your marketing efforts to target clients within that industry, demonstrating your understanding of their unique language needs and terminology. This specialization not only makes you stand out from the competition but also enables you to charge premium rates for your specialized services.

By way of example consider a health coach. Perhaps he or she wants to serve men (far too broad a market). Let’s say he wants to serve men over 50 (soon to be my case). Narrower but still too broad. What about men over 50 recovering from heart failure (also my specific case). Fewer and better. Now that’s a well-defined niche he or she can quite easily target.

Use AI to Leverage and Automate Processes:

I´m a technophobe and I was reluctant to embrace AI at the start. I still think machine generated output is quite mediocre. However, in today’s digital age, AI-powered tools can quite simply revolutionize the way freelance translators work, allowing them to streamline processes and increase productivity. From machine translation and CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) tools to project management software such as Click-Up or Trello, AI can automate routine tasks, such as file formatting, terminology management and quality assurance.

*
Listen to the full episode for all 4 strategies

#FreelanceTranslation #BusinessGrowth #ScalingBusiness
#TranslationIndustry #NicheSpecialization #AIinTranslation
#AutomationTools #DelegationStrategies #ProfessionalDevelopment
#Mentorship #HighIncomeFreelancing #LanguageServices

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This week's podcast episode stars DE/EN chemical translator Sarah Silva of Business Translated.

Sarah is a specialised chemical translator working from German into her native English at ChemicalTranslator.com. She’s also been supporting translators with the business and marketing side of translation since 2019 through her weekly emails, courses, and within The Expedition Group, a membership for translators that offers a new marketing adventure every month. Her latest book Your Ticket To Explore – Essential Preparation For Your Translation Marketing Adventures is a practical guide to developing a successful marketing mindset illustrated with personal stories.

Here are just a few of Sarah's hacks for marketing to a sceptical audience (part of her BP24 conference presentation). 

• show evidence of your work
• always be transparent
• demonstrate credibility

If you didn't attend in person you can catch Sarah's session again at BP24 online. 

Fortunately, Sarah showed herself as optimistic about our industry's future and she says there are always opportunities to be seized upon no matter how bleak the outlook. 

Ideal Customer Avatar exercise:

• Consider the companies and types of text you want to work with  
• Identify your industry's movers and shakers and strive to learn from them

Buy the Clever Fox Planner (non-affiliate link).

Finally, always remember that there is no magic bullet to finding your perfect clients! 

Put on your headphones and please enjoy!

*
Download Sarah's strategies to reduce scepticism
Download Jason's niche down to dominate worksheet

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This week on the podcast I caught up with Virginia Katsampiri of V Mentoring (Business Coaching for Translators). 

Virginia Katsimpiri, PhDc, is a certified translator & translation business owner at vtranslations.gr and business strategist and mentor at vmentoring.com with over 15 years' experience. Holding an ΜA in translation and an executive MBA in client acquisition strategies, she has helped hundreds of freelance translators/interpreters and small business owners worldwide to attract international high-quality clients and rapidly build their profitable business through her mentoring programs.
Virginia is the creator of the Fully Booked Translator Formula & the Ultimate LinkedIn Prospecting System, the first comprehensive, results-oriented Business Mentoring Programs for Language Professionals. She is also the founder of the Ask Your Mentor Anything initiative; a virtual live show where she and other experts discuss translation business-related issues on a weekly basis. Virginia teaches translator mentoring methods and provides seminars, webinars, eBooks and free resources such as “60 Ways To Get Clients As a Translator”. She gives talks at the industry’s biggest international conferences and has appeared in numerous online publications, podcasts and marketing shows. Currently, Virginia studies translators/interpreters’ business performance at PhD level and runs two businesses: www.vtranslations.gr & www.vmentoring.com.

Virginia and I discussed the hot topic of LinkedIn for robust freelance translator personal branding. LinkedIn is an efficient way to directly find clients by leveraging the platform. After she saw results for her own freelance translation business Virginia started teaching her strategies to other industry colleagues. 

Virginia tells us that content marketing (the best way to nurture an audience) takes 6-12 months of consistent effort to see results. However, her own teaching focuses mostly on strategic outbound marketing methods. 

Her ULPS programme also includes specific automation tools and sales navigator to contact ideal target prospects at scale. 

NB: remember that sales navigator is not a mandatory purchase and there are always special offers available if you hunt them down after signing up for a trial version. 

Business management tools help you increase productivity and automate processes. Some good examples are XTRF, lsp.expert and Plunet (a tool very commonly used by many agencies these days). 

Don’t forget that a sound money mindset is a must have before you build out your entrepreneurial skills. 

Here’s why I´m more than happy to promote ULPS to colleagues. In short, because Virginia gets very positive business outcomes for her clients. Just see for yourself
Success Stories - VMentoring

Grab your headset and please enjoy!

*Sign up for the next round of ULPS here (affiliate link, I make a small commission at no extra cost to yourself)

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This week on Freelancer Training, I had the pleasure of chatting with Josh Goldsmith—AI expert, multilingual translator, interpreter, educator, and founder of techforword.

Josh is a UN and EU-accredited translator and interpreter, working from Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Catalan into English. Alongside his language work, he’s deeply involved in research, training, and thought leadership at the intersection of technology, interpreting, and education.

As the Chief Educational Officer at techforword, Josh regularly shares tech tips and strategic insights through blogs, summits, workshops, and the techforword insiders community—designed specifically for forward-thinking language professionals.

💡 In this episode, we cover:

✅ How translators and interpreters can leverage AI and tech for business growth
✅ Exciting opportunities for aspiring translators in the digital economy
✅ The future of translation entrepreneurship—and what it means for the next generation of language professionals

Whether you're just starting out or already established, Josh brings clarity and inspiration to help you work smarter in a tech-driven world.

🔗 Explore Josh’s Resources:

• AI in Translation Bootcamp

Affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

#AIForTranslators #TranslationTechnology #LanguageIndustry #FreelancerTraining #TechForWord #BusinessGrowth #AIInTranslation #LanguageTech #InnovationInInterpreting #EntrepreneurialTranslator #Localization #DigitalTools #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #TranslatorLife #InterpreterTech

✅ If this episode hits home, please subscribe and leave a review to support the show. On Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you can easily rate the show and share your feedback.

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This week on Freelancer Training, I had the real pleasure of catching up with my business friend and colleague, Damien Schreurs—Apple consultant, productivity expert, and host of the Macpreneur podcast.

Damien founded EasyTECH in 2013 as a side hustle before going full-time in 2016, offering Apple training and consultancy services in Luxembourg. His mission? To help solopreneurs reclaim time, reduce friction, and run smarter businesses—all from their Mac.

In 2018, Damien launched the Macpreneur podcast, dedicated to helping Mac users boost productivity and streamline their solo businesses.

💡 Key Takeaways from Our Conversation:

🚫 Top productivity killers include too many clicks, repetitive typing, and chaotic file management
 ⌨️ Use keyboard shortcut hacks like Spotlight Search to launch applications instantly
🤖 Mac’s neural engine enables you to run AI tools and models locally—no cloud required

🛠️ Tools & Resources Mentioned:

• Elgato Stream Deck – Customisable shortcuts at your fingertips
• Sophos – Security solution for Macs
• Ollama – Run LLMs on your Mac
• Diffusion Bee – Easy local image generation
• MacGPT – ChatGPT desktop client for Mac
• Writer’s Brew – AI writing assistant for macOS

#MacTips #MacHacks #MacAutomation #SolopreneurTools #ProductivityHacks #Macpreneur #AppleMac #MacOSProductivity #FreelancerTraining #TechForFreelancers #AIOnMac #AutomationForBusiness #TechPodcast #MacTools #EntrepreneurialTranslator

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Join us for our next free translator training webinar, designed to help you grow your freelance business and stay competitive in a fast-changing industry.

🗓 Date: Tuesday 2 April
🕒 Time: 15:30 CET
💻 Format: Live online session (free to attend)

Topics we’ll cover (time permitting):

✅ How to niche down and dominate your space
✅ The challenge of AI in the language industry
✅ Using quizzes and email marketing to attract and convert clients

📩 Sign up now: 

#TranslatorTraining #FreelanceSuccess #LanguageProfessionals #AIInTranslation #EmailMarketing #ClientAttraction #NicheMarketing #EntrepreneurialTranslator #TranslationWebinar #FreelancerGrowth

Support the show

✅ If this episode hits home, please subscribe and leave a review to support the show. On Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you can easily rate the show and share your feedback.

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Send us a text

Ready to level up your freelance translation business?

Sign up for our free live webinar and gain practical strategies to stay competitive, visible, and in demand in today’s changing landscape.

🗓️ Date: Tuesday 2 April
🕒 Time: 15:30 CET
💻 Format: Live online training (free to attend)

Time permitting, we’ll cover:

✅ How to niche down and own your space
✅ The evolving challenge of AI in the language industry
✅ How to use quizzes and email marketing to attract and convert clients

📩 Reserve your spot now: 

Support the show

✅ If this episode hits home, please subscribe and leave a review to support the show. On Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you can easily rate the show and share your feedback.

Just tap the ⭐ at the top of our show page and let us know how we’re doing.

Your support helps us bring you more valueable content! If you'd like to support our show you can now do so below.