I think one of the reasons I like the translation/interpreting/language services business is that almost everyone involved is an entrepreneur of sorts. Besides our in house people, the vast majority of the translators, interpreters, linguists, trainers, etc. are freelancers, meaning that they work for themselves. Even if we can keep some of our subcontractors busy most of the day every day, they are still running their own businesses. Personally, I love entrepreneurs, I love the entrepreneurial spirit, I have been one myself since I was a child running around my neighborhood trying all kinds of things to earn money and leverage my little brothers and sisters. It takes a special kind of person to not work for anyone else, some people cannot do it. In fact, I think most people cannot do it. No one tells me to get out of bed in the morning, no one makes me work all day, the results of my business are mine alone. If I want to take the day off, I can, but, if I miss a rush job because of it, there is no one else to blame!!
I spent today and will be spending tomorrow at a small business matchmaking conference for government contractors. While talking to people all day, the disparity between those that want to be there and those that do not becomes very obvious. I personally spent the day talking to the agencies and people I had mapped out to see, I am trying to make the connections I need to make and soak up as much information as I can. I am there because I want to be there!
This morning, as I was in line for registration, a girl around my age got in line behind me, and we immediately started conversation. The convention center was crowded and we decided to stick together, trying to figure out where to go next. After making our way to the giant room, we sat down at a table, waiting for the first speaker, and we talked about our businesses. The girl although she was friendly, was very unenthusiastic about her business, even telling me that she had “accidently left her business cards in the car.” Because I am chronically early, we had plenty of time to chat and get to know each other. My new friend started to tell me about her job, for a large manufacturing company. However, not even 10 minutes into conversation, she said to me, “There is no way my boss will ever know if I was here or not, right?” Sure enough, she asked me to meet her again tomorrow and she left!!
I don’t begrudge her leaving at all, I don’t even care, it just made me feel like I was in high school for some reason. It highlighted for me the difference between working for someone else and working for myself; I was there because I wanted to be there, and I listened and networked and shook hands, I made the most of my day. If I was getting paid by the hour, or on salary, I would have left too.
Straight out of college I worked at Fidelity Investments for 3 years as a trader. They paid for my MBA, a beautiful thing, but it was a very large business. There were layers and layers of management, one had to CC someone else on every email, one was not allowed to implement their own ideas in any way, and one had to get permission for everything. When I first started to work for a small business, it was hard to break myself out of the habit at first, I couldn’t believe I was allowed to think of an idea and then act upon it. I couldn’t believe I was allowed to find more efficient ways for things and I couldn’t believe I could try new things to bring in business or promote the business. Even my MBA classes taught me to be an employee, they did not teach me to think, or to be an entrepreneur for sure.
Translators and interpreters work hard, I know they do. Some work harder than others but that is a personal choice depending on their circumstances. I love the spirit of people that go against the norm and choose to be their own boss. It takes a certain type of person and it takes a degree of discipline. I respect those that handle their business.
I have not yet begun to write about my experiences in the world of federal contracting. I have worked in language services for years, but never with a company that did a large amount of state or federal work. There is a learning curve but I am well on my way!! There is the good, the bad, and the very very ugly. Stay tuned!!
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