Episodes
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Dennis Ford is founder and CEO of Life Science Nation, a sourcing platform for market intelligence and prospect pipeline development for life sciences companies.
An expert in the art of international fundraising, he is also the author of The Life Science Executive’s Fundraising Manifesto. In this episode, Dennis shares real-world insight into how fundraising in life sciences has evolved, and why you’ve got to “go global” to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace.
The Four Pillars of Life Science
Put simply, the life sciences industry can be broken down into the “four Ds”: Drugs, Devices, Diagnostics, and Digital Health. Each category has its own timeline and development path – from the lengthy 15-20 year process for drugs to the relatively quick development cycle for digital health solutions. Typically, startup companies need to target 600 to 800 potential investors to run an effective 9-18 month fundraising campaign. This number isn’t arbitrary – Dennis has seen even established health tech funds vetting 800 companies just to make three investments in a year.
Similarly, the global life sciences market can be divided into three main regions:
Asia Pacific (including China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, and Australia) Europe and the UK North America (U.S. and Canada)While there is activity in other regions like Africa and South America, these three markets represent the primary playing field for life sciences innovation and investment.
This new reality means going global isn’t an option, it’s a necessity. Dennis explains: “There just aren’t enough investors in a particular region to allow them to play that numbers game.” Even in rich ecosystems like Boston/Cambridge or Silicon Valley, staying local severely limits opportunities.
The Language Myth
One common concern about going global is the language barrier. Dennis easily counters that notion as an obstacle, explaining that English typically serves as the universal language in the field, particularly among academic and research institutions. Investors, licensing partners, and other stakeholders are often comfortable communicating in English, “and I have not seen in my conferences or any of my trips that me not speaking the native language is a deal killer,” he adds.
Interestingly, while language should never stop you from expanding globally, Dennis discovered an unexpected cultural challenge: the persistence required in following up with potential investors. Entrepreneurs from certain cultures are hesitant to make multiple attempts to reconnect, viewing it as inappropriate or “spammy.” Dennis emphasized that success often comes after numerous attempts – sometimes even on the twentieth contact.
He describes in detail how syndicated investments typically work, with a lead investor taking primary responsibility for oversight and management of the company through regular meetings and milestones. Even with a diverse group of investors from different countries (e.g., Chinese, European, and American investors), the lead investor – often chosen based on geography or similar criteria – handles the day-to-day management while other investors participate at key milestones and funding calls. To facilitate these international connections, Life Science Nation holds RESI (Redefining Early Stage Investment) conferences every few months, providing regular engagement beyond one’s local region.
Once a company secures international funding, Dennis advises companies to source investors from different regions because they have “footprints” in a particular region; more than just capital, diversity provides valuable regional expertise, connections to distributors, and insights into local markets when it’s time to commercialize.
True Stories Translate
Ultimately, what matters most to investors? While scientific validity is crucial, Dennis explains, investors are equally – if not more – interested in the human story behind the science. He shares a powerful story of an experienced pharma executive who was initially reluctant to share the story of how her son’s illness inspired her work. Once she finally embraced the storytelling, she went on to win Australia’s top entrepreneurial pitch competition.
Key Takeaways for Global Success:
Start with a comprehensive target list of 600-800 potential investors Implement a proper CRM system to manage relationships Develop a compelling narrative that can be told in various time frames (5 seconds to 3 hours) Don’t limit your reach to the local region or even your home country Prepare for a 9-18 month fundraising journey Be persistent in follow-ups, regardless of cultural norms Balance technical expertise with personal storytellingThe Global Life Sciences Opportunity
The life sciences industry has entered a golden age, with innovations emerging from research institutions worldwide. The global distribution of talent and innovation means that neither the best technologies nor the best funding opportunities are confined to any single region.
For entrepreneurs in the life sciences space, the message is clear: thinking globally isn’t just about expanding your market – it’s about survival. Whether you’re developing a groundbreaking drug in Boston, a medical device in Minneapolis, or a diagnostic tool in Singapore, your fundraising strategy needs to be global from day one.
Check out the links below to learn more about global fundraising in life sciences and his book, The Life Science Executive’s Fundraising Manifesto.
Links
Email: [email protected]
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Science-Executives-Fundraising-Manifesto/dp/0990325105
Website: www.lifesciencenation.com
RESI Conference: https://resiconference.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2775813
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Robert (“Bob”) Sinner is President of SB&B Foods, the largest grower of “identity preserved (IP), non-GMO food-grade” soybeans in North Dakota. In this episode, Bob tells us how his family’s 5th generation farm identified a need for soybeans in Asia and how he pursued and won that business.
Bob’s father George served as governor of North Dakota from 1985 to 1992. During his tenure, George Sinner resolutely tried to attract Japanese investment into the state, which inspired Bob to help US companies export into Japan to develop relationships and accelerate the creation of new opportunities.
To start, Bob embarked upon a trade mission to Japan, alongside a hired interpreter. Once there, he found mature markets looking for a consistent and reliable supply of soy beans, the agricultural product needed to produce uniform product like tofu and soy milk.
At Rapport International, we encourage our clients to employ interpreters as “cultural conduits” – native-speaking interpreters are valuable sources of in-country information. In that vein, upon his return, Bob enlisted the help of North Dakota State University professor Dr. Sam Chang, originally from Taiwan, who had previous experience working with soybeans.
Together with a visiting Taiwanese trade team, the group conducted sensory testing, a scientific method for evaluating a food's characteristics – taste, texture, odor, and appearance, for example – to determine which product was of the highest quality. After their visit, the Taiwanese group donated the sensory testing equipment to the N. Dakota State University, which is still in use today!
SB&B is now operating in 16 countries, most of them within Asia because of the high per capita consumption of soybeans. Its customers manufacture over 25 different foods – including the Japanese “natto,” a healthy, fermented food that helps with heart and brain functioning.
Bob says their success is due simply to always paying attention to what the customers want and catering to those wants. The best marketing, he adds, is accomplished by:
Being yourself Staying honest Treating people like you want to be treated Knowing your products Understanding local culture Building trusted relationshipsHis biggest, ongoing challenge involves shipping containers. Most containers coming into the US are 40 feet long and carry bulky yet lightweight consumer products into metropolitan areas.
Shipping heavy agricultural products from a rural area to Asia, where they prefer smaller containers, presents a twofold problem. First, containers are parked in US metro areas and require transport to rural areas. Second, the smaller containers Asian buyers want are closer to 20 feet long, half the size of standard containers, because they unload within smaller and tighter spaces. Bob continues to work with US and foreign officials to find solutions.
His best advice to new exporters:
Understand the market Operate under a set of core values that include integrity, honesty, fairness, and trust Be patient yet persistent in building trust Keep educating yourself Reap the rewards!Listen to the full episode to learn more.
Links
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://sb-b.com/
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bob-sinner-a058322a
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Episodes manquant?
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Andrew Jason is Director of Ecosystems at Grand Farm in Fargo, North Dakota, which describes itself as “a collaborative network of growers, corporations, startups, educators, researchers, government, and investors working together to solve problems in agriculture through AgTech and innovation.” Gone are the days when farming was synonymous with the image of a forlorn couple, pitchfork in hand, à la Grant Wood's American Gothic.
In this episode, Jason explains how AI and innovation has inundated the farming industry as much as it has every other, spurring advancements in international agriculture, especially when it comes to sustainability, data collection, and the use of drones and robotics to increase efficiency and production.
Farming is also near and dear to the host, Wendy Pease, whose father was a professor of international agriculture at Penn State in the 1970s. Then, “high tech” meant setting up a computer to monitor her father’s potato research storage facility at Black Moshannon State Park in Pennsylvania. If the temperature dropped, for example, the computer called him at home to alert him. Late one night, Wendy sleepily received a phone call from an old-fashioned computer voice saying: “There is a power outage at the Potato Storage area,” which she found amazing!
Grand Farm sees vast potential in connecting global communities to share ideas and technologies, with the aim of advancing agriculture production. Of late, Andrew has seen a lot of development in AgTech out of Brazil, Ukraine, Europe, Australia, and Japan. In fact, Grand Farm recently announced a partnership with Fukaya City, Japan, whose Deep Valley Initiative is an AgTech thought leader. The collaboration marks a major step toward an international approach to innovation in agriculture.
Every partnership comes with its challenges, and Andrew shares the ones he’s discovered that are particular to international connections:
Cultural balancing act: Integrating local cultural needs with Grand Farm's global vision proved tricky. It's a common tension in multinational ventures, yet it can be managed by enabling cross-functional teams to work together. Navigating time zones: Communication across time differences requires flexibility. Andrew often connects with Japanese partners around 10 p.m. Fargo time, after his kids are in bed. While they've explored asynchronous options like video messages and chat, sometimes a real-time conversation is necessary. Patience in partnership building: The Japanese collaboration took years to finalize. While there's often pressure for quick results in the US, many cultures prioritize building relationships and trust over time. Bridging language gaps: In-country contacts helped set up interpreters to facilitate communication. Andrew notes the importance of employing professional interpreters and translators, especially in Japan and other Asian countries. Finding support: It can be hard to know where to start. The North Dakota Trade Office provided invaluable advice and international introductions. Andrew recommends tapping into your local trade experts for guidance and other free resources.Learn more about Grand Farm and their initiatives by listening to the full episode. And click here to donate to this worthy organization.
Links:
https://grandfarm.com/calendar/
Website: https://grandfarm.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grand-farm/
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Connect with Jason - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-jason-09755161/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Navigating cultural differences while building a company culture or consistent brand voice can be challenging, but it is not insurmountable, says Carole Copeland Thomas, a recent podcast guest on The Global Marketing Show (episode 131), especially with support from knowledgeable experts and a willingness to learn.
Carole is founder of C. Thomas & Associates, a full-service speaking, training, & consulting firm specializing in multiculturalism, diversity, and women’s issues (http://www.tellcarole.com/). In this episode, she outlines how culture – and cultural differences – affect relationships, and she provides real-world advice on successfully navigating and incorporating those differences into local and larger communities.
Carole has found that the definition of “culture” can be nebulous; when asked, we all instantly know what it means, but it’s hard to define. By her description, the concept encompasses the social norms, behaviors, knowledge, arts, beliefs, customs, and habits of a group of people. As an expert in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for over 40 years, she likes to explain it using the “Iceberg Model of Culture” developed by Edward T. Hall in 1976.
The top of the cultural iceberg stays visible to everyone. It contains the community’s fine arts, literature, music, food, games, and dress. People outside the culture see these superficial elements.
The bottom of the iceberg, the biggest part of any culture, hides beneath the surface and influences less quantifiable aspects like:
Eye Contact: In the US, children learn the importance of direct eye contact whereas in Japan, children are taught the opposite, that direct eye contact is considered rude, aggressive, and disrespectful. Time: Some cultures are strict about time and others allow for more flexibility. In Germany and Denmark, for example, meetings start at the appointed time, yet in Japan and China, it’s customary to arrive 15 to 30 minutes early. In Latin American and Latin European countries, flexibility is more common. Personal Space: People have varying levels of comfort with touching, standing close together, and holding hands with friends. In North America people typically hold each other at “arm’s length,” while Europeans tend toward “wrist length” and those in the Middle East prefer “elbow length.” Gestures: In India, people will shake or “bobble” their head to mean “I hear you” or “I don’t know,” or to say “yes” or “no.” The closest conversational response in the US would be simply “hmmm.”The examples above illustrate only a small number of all the cultural components that might affect company culture and co-worker relationships. Other areas of potential contention commonly include:
Approaches to problem solving Notions of leadership Tempo of work Patterns of group decision-making Status mobility Ideas about logic and validity Conversational patternsTypically, people understand their own cultural norms yet underestimate how much cultural differences can affect relationships. Listen to the full episode for additional details on these real-world culture-clash situations Carole has managed.
In one instance, a client company’s employee hailed from an island in the Caribbean where non-intimate physical contact was acceptable in the workplace, among all genders. Issues arose when others misconstrued the behavior as inappropriate. By helping the team understand the employee’s cultural context and setting clear expectations, Carole was able to restore respectful, solid working relationships and a unified company culture.
In another instance, a young manager was hired to lead a team of about 25 people, including a dozen employees older than the new hire. Unbeknownst to the new manager, the older Black members of the team expected the manager to address them as “Mr.” or “Ms.” to show respect for the age difference. Resentment within the team grew, until Carole and the manager uncovered the issue and found appropriate ways for the manager to address the workers. As Carole puts it: in some cultures, age commands respect and in others, it’s about one’s status or position. Navigating through this can be difficult.
And even with her expertise in cultural issues, Carole has encountered cultural challenges in her personal life. When she became a grandmother, she wanted a special name instead of being called "grandma" like her mother. Since she frequently travels to Kenya, Carole decided she liked “nyanya,” Swahili for “grandma.” Only after years of her granddaughters calling her nyanya did she learn that the familiar name for grandma in Swahili is actually “bibi.” Throughout, her granddaughters were actually using the formal term for "grandmother,” which is also Swahili for "tomato"!
Solutions
In every cross-cultural situation, Carole first aims to build rapport and alignment. She assesses the manager’s awareness and willingness to improve relationships and if she can work with the individual, she collaborates with them to enhance the team, starting with fundamentals such as:
Developing rapport individually with each team member. That doesn’t mean “getting into that person’s business”; she simply finds it beneficial to get to know each person on an individual and professional basis. Carole recommends scheduling time with people for coffee, lunch, or a conversation, with no set agenda. Even if there are 40 people on the team, it is always worth the time to meet with each person. Reflecting upon the strengths and weaknesses of the team to understand what people contribute. Consider creating a SWOT analysis of personalities to get a bigger picture of the group’s dynamics. Communicating the vision that rallies the team to work together toward shared goals. A shared vision unites people as they focus on achievements together, depend on each other for diverse contributions, and celebrate as they reach milestones.Ultimately, Carole’s best advice for working cross-culturally starts with you:
Learn about your own culture. Raise your awareness about your native culture. We aren’t often aware of the way we do things naturally, without thinking, and how those instincts impact the ways in which we approach every situation. Culture is most invisible to its own participants – just consider any stand-up comedian’s material about “Americans”! Keep trying. Network with others to keep learning. Contact colleagues, ask for introductions at local embassies, companies, or associations to get tips about cultural differences and how to navigate them. Interpreters are a great resource for facilitating conversations and often serve as a cultural conduit to assist with communication beyond words, in real-time. Ask for forgiveness! Reach out, engage, and try, try again. People readily forgive mistakes made by anyone who is friendly and curious.Carole’s experiences are real-world proof that these strategies work to bridge cultural divides and build thriving, cohesive teams and communities. Listen to the full episode for even more excellent advice!
Links:
Website: www.CaroleCopelandThomas.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolecopelandthomas/
Iceberg Model of Culture: https://bccie.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cultural-iceberg.pdf
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Issa Kildani is the founder of Ambrosia Ventures, a life sciences consultancy that provides strategic, regulatory, and quality compliance solutions. He’s consulted with pharma giants, yet over the last 10 years has used his experience to guide startups and small companies toward global market entry with his project management, quality assurance, and regulatory affairs expertise.
In this episode, Issa describes taking M Biologics, a pharma company with a manuka honey-based pet pain reliever, into Canada and Brazil. He advises early-stage companies to evaluate global markets and competitors to determine a way to stand out from competitors. Because Michigan is geographically close to Canada, for example, expansion into Brazil instead might be a better strategy. And always validate the market research, even if it’s your own.
Interestingly, studies show that CEOs that speak other languages or come from other countries are more likely to export. And M Biologics is a case in point – its CEO, born and raised in Egypt, was Issa’s college classmate!
Building blocks for quality and regulatory requirements
For early startups every endeavor must be cost-effective, so Issa has created a regulatory strategy with built-in cost savings. His approach is to streamline and standardize international regulations to reduce redundancies: “instead of doing several independent audits we clump them together methodically,” he says, which in the end saves cost while acquiring customer brand trust, limiting liability, and standing out from the competition.
Issa describes the European Medicines Agency (EMA) as the “international gold standard” for regulatory framework; their requirements are the most stringent and control quality, safety, and efficacy of a device throughout the product lifecycle.
“How I like to approach this, aside from the market credibility of getting the ISO 13485 certificate,” says Issa, “is to take advantage of expanding past that by aligning it with other international standards.” Depending on a company’s maturity, Issa will determine whether to take a risk management approach using ISO 14971, adopt a more stringent European MDR/IVDR strategy, or incorporate WHO requirements for less regulated markets.
Issa adds that pinpointing initial markets provides a roadmap for meeting regulatory requirements, which leads to a more comprehensive audit. The process ultimately positions the brand as a serious player in the industry while “enhancing credibility and attractiveness to eventual strategic partners and global distributors.”
It’s a key differentiator, according to Issa, unlike the common pitfall of starting with less-regulated markets, which “doesn’t help in terms of establishing consumer trust, or even brand reputation.”
Similarly, approach global marketing from a position of solid regulatory compliance to “signal a commitment to quality and safety.” Messaging should emphasize:
Rigorous compliance. A track record of successful compliance boosts a company’s reputation. Consistent interaction with regulatory bodies. Open lines of communication fosters trust with consumers, creating loyalty.The goal is to create messaging with a global eye view, which then makes adherence to ISO standards for translation that much easier.
“Translation is its own beast,” Issa says. He relies on study groups that mirror target populations to ensure that messaging is “global friendly” – messaging used in the US should resonate in Brazil and the EU, for example. Generative AI can be helpful for gist translations, Issa says, but “there are certain words that aren’t easily translatable, and AI won’t register that.” So always consult with an expert to ensure accuracy.
Issa speaks four languages! His favorite word, among the lexicons of English, Spanish, Arabic, and Jamaican Patois is “na’eeman,” an expression generally used to denote cleanliness – “I just had a shower, na’eeman” or “I just got a haircut, na’eeman” – but can also stand in for other, unrelated situations, like “I’m late for a meeting, na’eeman.”
“There isn’t a real definition or description, that’s why I love it so much,” he says, “you can just use it and input it in so many different instances, for ‘that sounds right’ or ‘that makes sense’.” Call it the “lah” of Singapore or the Hawaiian “da kine” – IFKYK!
Links:
Website: www.ambrosiaventures.co
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ikildani/
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Christy Brown is CEO of Dr. Noze Best, an innovative pediatric healthcare company committed to bringing hospital-grade respiratory devices into the home. After only two years with the company, Christy already has a plan to launch their direct-to-consumer medical device in 10 countries. She’s a mover and shaker!
The company’s mission is to make sure that every child can breathe – and for parents to feel “confident and supported” when caring for their child’s health. Current offerings include nasal aspirators and accessories, and a full product line designed to help children breathe better is also in development.
To launch globally with purpose and intention, the Dr. Noze Best team developed a proprietary tool – the “Complexity Calculator.” The Calculator measures various elements that could affect a product launch in a new country – population and birth rates, economics, legal frameworks, regulatory requirements, and logistics, for example – so the team could prioritize the countries by opportunity and ease of doing business.
At the outset, Christy describes feeling “isolated” by her lack of connections in global trade – she didn’t know who to turn to for advice and guidance, or how to find partners. A fortuitous post on an Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) WhatsApp chat group connected us – my brother Scott suggested Christy reach out to me.
Thereafter, the company worked with the US Commercial Service (USCS) in Atlanta to make connections in their initial target countries. Christy raves about the services they received from both USCS Atlanta and the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). With assistance from both agencies, Christy connected with consulates within initial target countries to acquire valuable information about how to enter local markets.
There will be challenges along the way, Christy says. Her team struggled to meet projections when faced with unanticipated and uncontrollable issues and with setting up direct-to-market shipping from their Asian manufacturer, finding capable distributors, and steering the medical device through the various regulatory bodies.
Regardless, her first and best advice for others starting the export journey is simple: “Do it!” Once you do:
Have patience: it can take time for success. Build a good team: you are only as good as your team. Stay tenacious. Find your resources: agencies like the USCS, GDEcD, District Export Councils, and Chambers of Commerce can direct you to meaningful services, support, and in-country connections.Christy’s favorite foreign word is “bonjour”! It’s a welcome “hello” in France and other French-speaking countries, she says, and to share the joy in Atlanta she’s localized the phrase to “bonjour y’all”!
Links:
Website: www.drnozebest.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christy-brown-a54aa0/
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Steve Becker is committed to improving human health by unlocking the power of molecular diagnostics. In the world of medical devices and diagnostics, you might think the latter falls under the purview of the former, says Steve, yet: “from a regulatory standpoint, diagnostics is covered by a lot of the medical device rules.”
Unlike medical devices like implants, however, “diagnostics is really the ability to measure your body, whether you’re healthy or sick; and if you are sick, what’s making you sick. Helping to uncover your health status and what you can do to improve is really the heart of diagnostics.”
In this episode, Steve shares the lasting lessons learned during his stints at Thermo Fisher, Quest Diagnostics, Agilent, and GE Healthcare, where he directed sales, global marketing, business development, and licensing. Learn how to navigate within a constantly changing healthcare business landscape, from the first steps toward launch to the regulatory requirements and cultural differences that can affect development, distribution, and product adoption.
Going to market on one’s own is a big task, says Steve – find the right partners to mitigate the commercial regulatory tasks and technical risks. Ultimately, the company whose name is on the product assumes the liability – “they’re the ones on the hook” – but relying on specialists along the way improves your chances of a streamlined launch.
During his tenure at Quest Diagnostics, the company built a “global diagnostics network,” pooling the capabilities, diagnostics insights, samples, testing and sharing of leading companies into one place. In the end, Quest brought the first Zika test to market, reliant upon colleagues.
In fact, choosing your initial target audiences can come into play even during development, as “diseases become more localized and companies are made for those markets,” Steve adds. Pay attention to “how to get paid for what you do,” your reimbursement strategy. In diagnostics, for example, ask yourself:
Is it going to measure what we say it’s going to measure? (Analytic or clinical validity) Can we do anything with the information? (Utility)Interestingly, reimbursement can often become political; for example, in the US it’s widely accepted that breast cancer can come with a genetic indicator (the BRCA gene) – and the patient can take prophylactic steps or opt for watchful waiting. In contrast, Steve says that:
In a single-payer system, if you were 49 you could take the [BRCA] test; if 50, no test. The calculation includes risk, quality of life, total cost – someone makes a decision, snapped the line, and that’s where it landed.
Add to that differences stemming from culture and tradition, and it makes sense to work with local, in-country partners to navigate your go-to-market strategy, especially with regard to regulatory requirements.
To date, Steve says that European companies would often launch first domestically and then in the US because it was easier, but that’s starting to change as the EU changes its regulatory stance.
Regulations are stricter now in Europe, with liability going as far back as the manufacturer – for translation quality, for example. Diagnostic tests are now treated more like a medical device, including review by regulatory bodies, etc. – it’s a lot more work but it’s a good thing.
Think globally but act locally, Steve adds. You may use the same assay (investigative procedure for qualitatively or quantitatively measuring the presence, amount, or functional activity of an element) as in the US but a local company can handle the technology, packaging, regulatory requirements, approvals, and clinical evidence and market under THEIR brand, with their own branding and local language. This happens consistently, across IV diagnostic companies – Abbott, Siemens, Roche, Thermo Fisher – and all of them have to treat each of their launches “locally,” working with in-country regulatory bodies to get approvals.
And vice versa: one of the first Covid tests distributed in the US was manufactured by a Korean company but marketed as a known American brand. In fact, working with companies around the world has interesting and complex effects on branding – “you’ll get a multi-national brand but lose some efficiencies,” according to Steve.
In the end, Steve’s advice is ever so simple: “You don’t want to take risks in the healthcare world.”
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevebecker/
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Rapport International President and Owner Wendy Pease was a recent guest on Michael Becker’s Identity Praxis podcast. Michael is a strategic advisor to Fortune 500s, startups, and non-profits worldwide, with a focus on global marketing and product, new market, and business development. In this episode they discuss the importance of translation and interpretation in this interconnected world.
Translation can be traced back to the Rosetta stone, considered the first written translation in history and the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs dating as far back as 196 B.C.E. Things got interesting with the introduction of machines, explains Wendy, especially at the advent of WWII and codebreaking and spying. All of it was word-for-word translation, which didn’t work then and still doesn’t today, she adds. Even adding grammar rules and machine intelligence leaves us with problematic options like Google Translate and ChatGPT.
Think about it: “language is a very dynamic, living thing,” Wendy explains. We’re from New England and California and that’s reflected in our speech patterns, word choices, cultural bents – let alone adding in different languages…. And even large, well-known brands with human translators run into issues; just look up Electrolux, Got Milk?, or Braniff Airlines.
To do it right in this world we can’t continue to do everything manually but we need to do it right. Michael asks: “Can we build IP along the way and elevate our community, too?”
The solution, according to Wendy, is to leverage translation technologies – proven ones that exist today as well as those emerging daily – only under the guidance of a “detail-oriented, qualified, professional linguist with subject matter expertise.”
The efficacy of translation technologies also depends on project requirements – TripAdvisor can use translation memory for certain standardized, repetitive content, for example, like room descriptions and amenities. A large retailer necessarily has more detailed requirements – a handbag to one person is also a purse, pocketbook, satchel, clutch, etc.
As such, large conglomerates are attempting to create IP in the form of customized large language models (LLMs), Wendy adds, not only for increased efficiency but because common options like ChatGPT and Gemini incorporate faulty Google Translate content, Internet disinformation, and even false content in the form of hallucinations.
In fact, the world changes so vastly, and so quickly, that even fundamental services like translation – for the written word – and interpretation – for the spoken word – are now intermingled in the form of live chat, says Wendy. Unlike chatbots and AI chats that rely on translation, translator-interpreters are facilitating a real-time conversation in the written format. In that light, guest and host agree that the future of computer-aided translation is clearly promising, and it’s simply beneficial to proceed with caution.
Links:
Website: Identity Praxis, Inc.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/privacyshaman/
Tinderbox: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6MVDtSfcKxd2XLpenMAd9H4VknDyn6oz
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Connect with Michael - https://www.linkedin.com/in/privacyshaman/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Waseem Kawaf has built over 400 websites and is an expert in global user experience (UX). He’s currently the co-founder of Seicho Syndicate, where he and his partners design and develop great user experiences for their clients.
Prior to Seicho, Waseem served as Global VP of Digital Experience for Stanley Black & Decker and worked in marketing agency roles.
“Seicho” means exponential growth in Japanese, says Waseem, and his company is aptly named. When prospects and clients have good user experiences throughout their journeys, they stay longer and generate more revenue.
UX optimization can be a daunting prospect for companies of any size –Waseem suggests breaking the project up into small steps, to gain insight into your users. Pick data from the call center, chat, trade shows, or your website to analyze and build the “voice” of the customer.
The goal should be to keep every interaction “simple, connected, and frictionless,” he advises. “And rather than starting UX strategy meetings with brainstorming, try an ‘Outside-In’ philosophy instead, which works from the customer’s perspective and gives clear direction for your initial moves, an important lesson he learned while earning an MBA from MIT.
Throughout his career, Waseem has worked in the global arena. That broad experience made it clear to him that companies must consider local markets – not all users around the world consume information, interact, or buy the same way. By taking a collaborative approach rather than an authoritative one, teams can take all users into account. It may take longer but will lead to greater success.
And in the end, the Pareto principal will apply – 80% of the work can be globalized and 20% localized. The Stanley Black & Decker team created content in English and then translated any material deemed important or helpful into local languages.
Waseem’s best advice: “Stay hungry and humble. Develop your emotional intelligence, stay curious, and respect the ‘Power of WE.’ Consider yourself the stirrer in a lovely drink – by bringing all the different tastes and flavors together, you create a magical experience.”
Links:
Website: https://seichosyndicate.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kawaf/
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Ivo Verhaegh, founder of Powerhouse AI, came to entrepreneurship through an interesting path. He knew he wanted to start a company, work with a co-founder, and live abroad from his home country, the Netherlands. Since he didn’t have an idea for a business and couldn’t find a co-founder on the same timeline for starting a business, he applied to a program called Entrepreneur First. The organization screens hundreds of applicants, accepting only 1% of the people who apply; a group of 80 are ultimately accepted and work with each other to find co-founders. Venture capitalists sponsor the Entrepreneur First program, through which they find viable businesses with co-founders that click, elevate each other and the business, and are productive.
While in the program, Ivo met his co-founder (and now Powerhouse AI’s Chief Technology Officer) Kushal Pillay – together they worked toward an affordable and manageable robot-driven warehouse environment.
Ultimately, they created an app that automates the counting and checking of inventory and pallets in warehouse storage, maximizing productivity. Since the launch, they’ve won clients including DHL, Unilever, and numerous logistics companies.
Funded and guided by investors, Ivo and Kushal were encouraged to think BIG and globally from the start. Being based in Singapore, which has a small domestic market, they assumed they would sell into Southeast Asia. Market research showed, however, that labor is plentiful and inexpensive in the region, so warehouse operations were satisfactory as-is, unlike in the US, which embraced the technology.
Currently, Powerhouse AI offers its technology solely in English, but will soon translate for their Spanish, Chinese, Malay, and Hindu target markets. Ivo understands how important translation is and that Google Translate or AI are unreliable, so he plans on using professional translators.
Some of the bumps in the road Ivo met along the way include:
Not understanding the southeast Asian market well enough from the start took time away from early success. Not focusing on specific industries or geographies with targeted messaging slowed sales success. Not having in-person meetings with certain clients slowed the closing of sales. The logistics industry is traditional and prefers face-to-face meetings.Currently, the company’s ideal client has over 100,000 square feet of warehousing space and requires precision in inventory management, making Powerhouse AI a clear fit for companies in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, consumer product, and automotive industries.
Ivo’s best advice:
Think Big – surround yourself with other entrepreneurs to open your eyes to possibilities. Build a Superstar Team – hire people that are ambitious, curious, accountable, responsible, and knowledgeable.Ivo’s two favorite foreign words are good ones:
“Bolleboos” – a Dutch word that literally translates to “bright hat” and refers to a “smart person.” “Introspective” – an English word that represents “the superpower of knowing yourself.”Ivo certainly represents both of those words! Engaging, creative, smart, driven and very self-aware, he is a podcast guest to remember!
Links:
Website: https://www.powerhouseai.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivoverhaegh/
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Liz Fendt is Global Chief Marketing Director of TÜV SÜD, which specializes in testing, certification, auditing, and advisory services for different industries. There exist only 10 major players in the compliance industry, which ensures safe practices around both goods and services.
As an example, think about airport safety. Proper testing, inspection, and certification means the airport management company must connect all relevant suppliers and vendors – elevator companies, airway manufacturers, builders, and countless other stakeholders – with quality managers to meet and guarantee compliance with safety standards.
Prior to her current role, Liz worked in communications and sales and marketing at TÜV SÜD, with a focus on local, regionalized marketing. Inspiration struck the day she analyzed existing collateral and recognized a critical lack of uniformity in marketing materials for the company’s global markets; the difference in colors, branding, messaging, and myriad other content and design elements pointed at once to the inefficiencies of duplicated efforts and a missed opportunity for global branding.
Senior management agreed and, in that way, Liz created her own Global Chief Marketing Director role, with the goal of increased efficiencies based on a unified corporate global marketing effort and a cohesive international team.
At the start, Liz worked with 120 associates to develop consistent processes and brand/style guidelines. She envisioned the company’s German headquarters as the hub of her global marketing team, with satellite offices as its spokes, deliberately building teams that could move along those spokes, simultaneously integrating her team and realizing larger corporate strategies.
A second hub in Singapore followed and Liz saw opportunity there, too – as one global marketing campaign wound down, the next would begin. The fabric supporting every effort: people. She built her teams by elevating associates from within, and with intention and according to detailed specialty – pay-per-click, social media, website, document management systems – no associate, role, or team was overlooked, resulting in talented and diverse representation within each group.
Liz’s advice on developing global teams with high retention rates: look for people with a positive outlook that like to solve problems. Two associates who started as interns are now heading global teams – if it’s a complex industry get them in and train them so that they can progress. Energized, excited people with a can-do attitude will thrive with support, contributing new ideas and fostering a healthy work environment.
With that approach, in the first five years and with the same budget, the global marketing team increased leads via the on-hand readiness of standardized, culturally appropriate, marketing “in a box.” Content and campaigns could be used globally, and Liz also consolidated the company’s website, from 7-10 countries with 42 separate sites to a single, unified one.
Lessons Learned
Throughout her career, Liz has always turned to her team for inspiration and new ideas. Her best advice is to always do business with a growth mindset, and to keep networking – even with people in different fields and industries – because you will always benefit from expertise and diversity of thought.
The TÜV SÜD community of experts spans the globe, and in 2016, Liz co-founded the Global TÜV SÜD Women's Network – a 1000+ strong network of women across the company, to support and nurture global and local networking, professional mentoring, and role model programs.
Other lessons learned:
One size doesn’t fit all: global marketing for campaigns “in a box,” requires a different mix for different markets. Some audiences want white papers while others value human, face-to-face interaction. Start small: at the start, the company’s largest website was the German one – after starting with that site Liz realized that you should first make sure technology challenges are ironed out, something more easily done in a smaller market. Stay connected with customers and employees: Provide a seamless customer journey by understanding how each department affects the customer experience, and that personas come with variables. Similarly, gather your team periodically for all-hands meetings and marketing sessions and provide channels through which to share information.Liz adds that technology-driven companies tend to underestimate the value garnered from sales and marketing. A unified global strategy reaps greater benefits when viewed as a “general business propellant” rather than an afterthought. Other common challenges may include:
Technology: it’s hard to find tools and IT components for an already robust marketing tech stack. Finding good service providers: Companies will often claim “global influence” but in effect have only regional coverage and loose partnership and affiliations. One-stop solutions are hard to find.Today, Liz’s 120-person marketing team is a global marketing operation equipped with the supports and material to enter any new market. Listen and learn from a global marketing expert!
Links:
Travel photography - https://www.instagram.com/liz_fendt/?hl=en
Website: https://www.tuvsud.com/en
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tuvsud/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizfendt/?originalSubdomain=de
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Faruk Heplevent is founder and CEO of The Scope, a company specializing in computer-generated imaging (CGI) for the automotive industry. He is a pioneer in the industry, leading the charge for a more sustainable process for new car reveals; his client list of brand-name manufacturers throughout the world is proof of how The Scope’s approach and technology have inspired change.
The process for planning and executing new car reveals has historically been laborious, costly, and time-consuming, requiring at least six months simply for planning. Since the 90s, when photographers relied on “wet” film rather than “dry,” digital film, every catalog and commercial for every new car launch campaign required what Faruk calls the “cost and time of ‘real life.’”
Locations, permits, staff, meetings, logistics, weather/vegetation changes, sustainability issues due to excessive travel and shipping requirements all came into play in the process, starting with:
At least 6 months for planning Security teams to maintain secrecy Logistics around wrapping the car, shipping it out, and receiving it on location, without it being seen (when a new car was on location, it was referred to as “code red.”) Flying a crew of 5-6 people to the location – typically either Los Angeles, South Africa, or Spain Hiring a local support crewAnd last, but certainly not least, the crew would simply hope for – or wait for – good weather. Altogether a complex, expensive, and time-consuming process, with no privacy guarantee.
The traditional shoot locations were versatile, reliable insofar as terrain and backdrop options, with agreeable weather. Localization and globalization requirements, however, meant the output – the “film” – needed to service launches from countries throughout the world, with cultural understanding. In other words, the images had to stay on-brand while accounting for cultural leanings in Asia, which are markedly different from those in Europe or the US, and be conscious of even regional differences.
Hollywood was the first to adopt CGI technology, for special effects in movies and television; for the latter, it meant using the same sound stage for multiple shows, simply by altering the backdrop. The automotive industry was not far behind and Faruk helped lead the charge.
He spent about 8 years perfecting CGI technology for vehicle images, ones matching the quality of a live, on-site shoot. The advancement meant no more worries around weather or location; and, once the “digital twin” – a 3D representation matching visual fidelity and quality of the car – is rendered, it takes just one week to create a final, working prototype image for the decisionmaker’s review.
The result is “possibly even better” than an actual photograph, says Faruk. You can incorporate “creative choices” and the editing process, previously constrained by weather and other factors, is now relatively instantaneous so even “micro-edits” are incorporated.
The Scope is based in Germany and Faruk’s multilingual, international background means he is well aware of the cultural nuances so important to car advertising. Any global launch first addresses a country’s cultural sensitivities; thereafter, the images and messaging are customized to specific markets.
For example, some generalizations remain consistent across continents:
Europe wants “authentic, not artificial” imagery. What’s accurate and true? Look for “rugged, tangible backdrops” and details. Asian countries prefer pristine, fresh air, clean, “aspirational,” high-end photos, in direct contrast to current climate issues such as smog in Beijing. The US looks for authenticity mixed with idealism. The culture differs enough from English-speaking European countries that it requires attention. What’s accurate and true, but with a hint at perfection.“Authentic – that’s the big word these days,” says Faruk. “It’s not supposed to look artificial. Because everyone’s afraid that CGI is going to look artificial because it is artificial by nature.”
The technology easily adds authenticity, toggling among a library of backdrops and details (like colors, flags, currency, people) that can be instantly implemented (or dismissed). Localization and globalization efforts can be even more tailored to a specific audience or geographic region, as a result – white cars in the southern US, more black cars in the north, and no desert or Nordic forest backdrops in the UK, for example.
Throughout, despite superior technologies and our increasing cultural awareness, Faruk is emphatic about having local people review content for cultural propriety, underscoring the never-ending complexity of translation and cultural adaptation.
Links:
Website: www.TheScope.studio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farukheplevent/
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Josh Medow is CEO of Mercury, a healthcare and life sciences shipping company. After years as a leader in the Army Infantry and living abroad, he knew that he had an interest in running a global company. In this episode, he tells the compelling story of how he searched for and found the right company to buy and build.
At first glance, Mercury met Josh’s requirements – global reach, a good culture, clear opportunity for growth, and a trustworthy reputation.
The company specializes in logistics for medical device, diagnostic kit, biotech, life science research, and pharmaceutical companies, offering every shipping option in every geographic location. They are specialists in customs, packaging, import permits, harmonization codes, and dry ice, and positions itself as a dependable partner.
Josh recognizes that many customer recipients have the potential to become Mercury clients, so Mercury is set up to handle shipments around the world, via an active partner network. The company finds potential shipping partners by attending industry trade shows such as the World Cargo Alliance, and also regularly fields inquiries from interested companies, vetting each one by learning about their experience and capabilities, then testing and tracking initial shipments. Companies are thereafter audited periodically to be sure they’re performing to Mercury’s high standards.
Tune in to find out more about the world according to Josh, which includes advice from his lessons learned:
His biggest challenge – running operations globally around the clock. His biggest piece of advice – stay curious. His biggest success – hiring a diverse team. His next steps – to expand Mercury’s marketing into other countries and languages.Links:
Website: www.shipmercury.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-medow/
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Have you ever heard the saying: “Not my circus, not my monkeys”? I use it all the time, yet never realized that it is translated from Polish.
Dr. Lynne Bowker, professor of translation technologies and information systems at the University of Ottawa, recently returned from Poland, where she was collaboratively researching ways to make academia more language inclusive. Scholars from around the world are encouraged to publish and attend conferences in English, yet fewer than 10% of the researchers in the world are Anglophones. In fact, for many it’s their second, third, or even fourth language.
Imagine being a world expert in a subject but unable to share your findings and learn from others unless you speak English. With pressing global issues such as food insecurity, global warming, refugees, war, and more, Dr. Bowker set out to find ways in which AI translation or Machine Translation (MT) could help.
Dr. Bowker specializes in language technology. In her recent book, “Demystifying Translation,” she explains why AI and MT translation are today not yet able to solve the issues related to cross-lingual communication – there are limits to what the technology can do and it’s not trustworthy.
The biggest challenges facing authors in academia are the ability to:
Read others’ writings. Write in English.Leveraging AI/MT varies for each of these situations. To tackle the first challenge, the researcher can use automated translation to get the “gist” of what an article says and, with their specialized knowledge, do a pretty good job of figuring out its meaning.
In the second scenario, non-English speaking researchers typically don’t possess English writing skills strong enough to clearly write their findings. This means that they would need to pay someone to write it or have a highly skilled translator edit their original draft. To simplify access to research, the academic community must get to the point of accepting publications in a researcher’s native language, with readers relying on AI/MT for gist translations. Lacking this option, many researchers will continue to opt out of publishing or presenting at conferences to share important research.
At the same time, Dr. Bowker stresses the importance of recognizing that language technology is not perfect and ultimately requires nuanced discussion and experienced judgment regarding where and how to use it. It’s not merely a discussion as to whether AI/MT will replace humans in translation.
Ironically, automated machine technology is old tech. In the 1940s during World War 2, experts developed tools to decipher what the enemy was saying – spying tools, essentially. The technology relied on dictionaries and linguistic rules for grammar to translate, and had particular trouble with synonyms (two meanings for one word) and polysemies (words with more than one meaning – for example “pen,” as in a writing pen or play pen). Ultimately, the technology was used only by professional translators because it was not good enough to release.
Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, the technology in general improved – it became faster, smaller, and required less storage. Programmers started thinking of new ways to process language – by using data-driven approaches instead of linguistic rules. Translation quality improved in general but still fell far short of high quality.
Current advances have changed from data-driven analysis to pattern identification, whereby machine language learning develops a memory by ingesting vast amounts of multilingual text. Without the large amounts of data, the technology is useless.
Dr. Bowker recalls a time when Canadian weather forecasters struggled to hire English-French translators because the work was so repetitive – the words and format were always the same. After a few months, even new undergraduate translators quit from boredom. By leveraging AI/MT, the organization could save time, money, and effort.
Technology still struggles with:
Languages that have less content – languages like Welsh and Danish have fewer speakers, thus less content is produced. It’s challenging enough to develop a machine learning (ML) model that can translate from English to Welsh, let alone from Welsh to Danish. Unusual topics – in research, topics are usually novel and don’t have a gathered history of translation. This challenges the technology to find appropriate translations. Hallucinations – one team set out to test whether AI could properly classify an animal as a huskie or a wolf. After training the model on hundreds of pictures, its responses were mostly accurate; however, upon further inspection the researchers figured out that the model had been trained to identify wolves by snowy backgrounds, versus huskies in backyards. Thus, the model looked at the wrong information. Training for proper identification of skin lesions produced the same outcome – the model identified cancerous lesions by looking for a ruler in the picture. Misogynism and racism – models learn and parrot back what it ingests and, simply put, the Internet provides lots of questionable content.The bottom line, according to Dr. Bowker, is that while we are still far away from a world in which automated translation can replace human translation, the language industry will only benefit from educating people on proper and effective translation methods, in the meantime.
When translating your material, remember the iron triangle (aka project management triangle), which illustrates how the balance among three project constraints – scope, time, and budget – affects quality. Adjusting for any one constraint necessarily affects one or both of the other variables:
Fast and cheap = lower quality Fast and quality = very expensive High quality = pricey and slowFinally, we agree that the industry conversation will turn toward the increasing need for experts in global content strategy. Think about the content along your buyer’s (or stakeholder’s) journey – from first encounter to raving fan. A thoughtfully planned strategy alongside clearly defined processes and technologies will guarantee high-quality content for every audience, while saving your employees time and effort.
Links:
Book: https://www.routledge.com/De-mystifying-Translation-Introducing-Translation-to-Non-translators/Bowker/p/book/9781032109244
With a Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-SA) license: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-mono/10.4324/9781003217718/de-mystifying-translation-lynne-bowker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynne-bowker-0112996/?originalSubdomain=ca
Email: [email protected]
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Laurent Kahl is an International Export/Import Consultant at the University of Georgia (UGA) Small Business Development Center (SBDC). He brings years of experience as an export manager, export consultant, and international sales expert to this episode, delving into the abundant US state and federal resources available to anyone looking to conduct business across borders.
These free resources exist because the US imports much more than it exports, so the balance of trade is perpetually off balance; by supporting companies that export, the state and Federal government help to mitigate the imbalance for a healthier economy.
Once business owners realize that exporting companies perform better, it can be difficult to figure out where to start. Every state has an SBDC, under the jurisdiction of the Small Business Administration (SBA). In turn, SBDCs support US Export Assistance Centers (USEACs) that help companies:
Access capitalDevelop and exchange new technologiesImprove business planning, strategy, and operationsAttain financial and human resource stabilityInitiate global marketing and sales, including translation and other language servicesThe agency focuses on areas required for small business growth and expansion, management improvement, increased productivity, and innovation. In addition, USEACs will often maintain an international office to better connect small businesses with in-country distributors, partners, and service providers.
Tune in to the full episode to access even more free resources to get you started on the path to international sales!
Links:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1-678-203-0522
Website:
https://georgiasbdc.org/
https://www.georgiasbdc.org/staff-members/laurent-kahl/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurentkahl/
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Artug Acar, COO of Mercury, knows what it’s like to move to a new country and start fresh. He also knows how to open a new international market for a company.
Mercury supports innovation by simplifying the shipping of time- and temperature-sensitive product for healthcare and life sciences companies. Currently, the management team is conducting due diligence on geographic options for international expansion. Artug talked about all the areas that need to be looked at before launching, including but not limited to:
Regulatory environment Market size and related market research Employment laws Availability of professional employer organizations (PEOs) Accounting and currency Software needs Legal requirements Availability of experienced employees Availability of advisors and consultantsAnd even though a company can be diligent in its research, most of the time there will be unexpected challenges. Before Mercury, for example, Artug worked at Right Hand Robotics, where a prospect from Japan expressed an interest in the company’s robotic pick and pack solutions. While in Japan to install the system, the company learned that, unlike US and European consumers, Japanese consumers consider products with wrinkled packaging to be defective. Company engineers worked with the Japanese client to solve the problem, engineering the robots to operate more gently to avoid damage to the packaging. They pushed the boundaries and made a better product.
The benefits inherent in the process extended beyond increased revenues, profits, and market share, says Artug. It gave the company information vital to making its product more competitive, leading to increased market share both domestically and internationally.
As COO at Mercury, the management team had limited data on top markets, so asked stakeholders from each department (operations, sales, marketing, finance, product management) to analyze each specific area and report on the findings. After consolidating the information and a legal review, the company developed a short list of suppliers to support them.
Ultimately, the company is trying to find out “what can go wrong.” Once successful in its target market, the company will start over to figure out its second market.
It’s all about taking a calculated risk, explains Artug, one offering higher returns than any other growth opportunity.
Artug believes that language must be a consideration from the beginning. Mercury considered English-speaking countries easier to enter, with fewer language barriers, yet only after weighing market opportunity and competition against new markets and translation.
Key to future success in new markets will require translation that respects local language and culture, he adds.
Artug’s favorite foreign phrase will resonate with travelers: 現地 現物 or Genchi Genbutsu is the Japanese phrase meaning “go see for yourself.”
Links:
Website: https://www.shipmercury.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/artugacar/
In the Press:
https://www.businessinsider.com/tb/the-list-of-300-people-transforming-business-in-2020-9/transformers/artug-acar
https://www.businessinsider.com/manufacturing-leaders-discuss-data-and-automation-2021-4
https://www.businessinsider.com/righthand-robotics-exec-automation-is-a-necessity-2021-1
Additional Resources:
Internationalization Readiness Quiz –https://softlandpartners.com/readiness-checklist/
Free consult about Global Content Management - https://www.rapporttranslations.com/request-a-consultation
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Stefan Repin is the founder of LuckBoosters, a company helping B2B companies with complex and long sales cycles grow demand and close more customers through full-cycle marketing and sales practices. He’s worked all over the world, growing companies by adapting sales techniques to meet specific industry needs while respecting local culture.
Stefan helped one client, a Belgian software developer, enter the South African market. The company’s software consolidates data gathered by drones, information critical to the mining, agriculture, and oil and gas industries rife within the country. Stefan advised the company to build relationships with key opinion leaders to help with introductions. To develop the new relationships, prospects were invited to participate in a company podcast. Twenty agreed, receiving a brochure and a customized toy plane as a personal thank you.
At the same time, Stefan knew that mail delivery and Internet service were inconsistent throughout the country, so he worked with the software company to send three copies of the same material to ensure that potential buyers received the information sent to them. Similarly, the company made available an offline version of its software.
Stefan advised the company to be more direct – and more persistent – in its outreach than it would have been in Europe because it’s how business is done, locally. Relationship-building took time, but in the end paid off for the company.
Another client, Platforce, conducted outreach into Southeast Asia via webinars. Stefan knew that local buyers wouldn’t respond to Internet or email invitations, so advised the company to call each prospect with a personal invitation. In the end, webinars combined with dinner and a custom presentation worked to build trust and sales.
Stefan sees increased sales whenever a company supports a local representative and translates company brochures and related information. Many clients have limited budgets for localization so he asks his client companies to translate marketing material after securing at least five prospects, followed by website translation after just one sale. Building a landing page or microsite based on translated marketing material maximizes the investment.
“Trust” is the recurring theme throughout, he adds – translated, localized content builds and nurtures local relationships.
Links:
Website: https://www.luckboosters.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-repin-b2boperations/?originalSubdomain=ie
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Jasmine Martirossian is Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Chief People Officer (CPO) of Mercury, a company simplifying time- and temperature-sensitive shipping for healthcare and life sciences companies. She speaks seven languages and has lived in as many countries, helping a host of well-known companies expand globally along the way. Jasmine shares her wisdom with us on this episode of The Global Marketing Show.
“Bottom line: stay curious.” Jasmine credits her natural ability to stay curious as the reason that she’s had so much success in global marketing. She describes two situations defused by “not staying beholden to the tyranny of war” and instead by looking for alternative solutions to help teams work together.
In China, she felt pushback by one team on developing a new website, so she could not move the project forward. Instead of forcing the issue and demanding compliance, Jasmine stayed curious and learned that the team thought it was just another “flavor of the month” project and didn’t want to engage. Plus, they had connectivity issues.
She understood the culture enough to build consensus, using her connections to find the team a place to work with reliable Wi-Fi. Even though she had been there only two days, Jasmine knew how important “connections” are in China. By taking the time to stay curious and communicate in an appropriate way, she crossed the cultural chasm and got the project done.
In another position, Jasmine was headed to France to meet with a team on a marketing project. She felt resistance from the French team about including a US colleague in the meeting, someone they considered “obstructive.” Again, instead of forcing the issue and demanding compliance, she suggested the co-worker come to France and join them for dinner. She understood the importance of meals to the French who said of course, they couldn’t refuse to “break bread” with another. Problem solved by using cultural empathy and understanding to meet the needs of all participants.
Links:
Website: https://www.shipmercury.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-martirossian/
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Adam Bittlingmayer is CEO and co-founder of ModelFront, a language services technology company striving to “make high-quality human translation radically more efficient” for large enterprises. The ModelFront API helps translators and language services agencies quickly determine the quality of machine-translated content, analyzing content segments for accuracy; with AI and human guidance, the technology’s ability to “predict” quality continues to improve over time.
Adam is an industry expert on automated translation - before co-founding the leading provider of machine translation quality prediction, he worked at Google Translate as an engineer, and founded Machine Translate, the foundation for open information and community for machine translation. Google Translate “makes bad translation free,” he says, adding that because most people can’t access translation the service is great for humanity, but not dependable for high-quality translation.
None of this is new to the language services industry, which has embraced machine translation from the outset. In this episode, Adam and I discuss AI, generative AI technologies like ChatGPT, and the technology’s general unreadiness for quality translation right now. AI-powered technologies are clearly and quickly redefining our concept of the future – what has changed is how we in the industry think about quality and client expectations in relation to potential (or perceived) time- and cost savings.
Adam also lays out a framework to help you decide what type of translation method works best, based on the value and uniqueness of content. Content with the highest “value” impacts a company’s revenue, brand reputation, and legal obligations and still requires human translation.
That need for quality will always be there, he says, even as the quality of AI translation improves. To keep up and stay relevant, the menu of services LSPs offer (and the methods they employ) will have to change, as the demand for services will likewise increase as the capacity to scale becomes greater.
Adam and I agree that there exist extremist viewpoints on whether technology will take over jobs from humans. To maintain a balanced discussion on the topic – he comes from the technological side and I come from the human side – we also agreed that ensuring the quality of any translation project currently requires both technology and humans.
Listen to the full episode to hear more from both perspectives and find out where they coalesce and collide. In addition, we discuss:
LangOps strategies for larger enterprises. How language services agencies manage LangOps for SMEs. The impact of technology on translation automation. The role of ChatGPT in translations and confidentiality issues. Best practices around hybrid approaches to translation. New and changing translator skillsets.Links:
Website: www.modelfront.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bittlingmayer/
Email: [email protected]
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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Inge Carr is the owner of Altair Strategic Marketing, through which she provides Fractional and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) services. Her vast experience consulting throughout the US, Canada, and Europe and fluency in five languages, gives Inge tremendous insight into how companies can successfully align corporate strategy with branding and marketing, especially internationally, to drive revenue.
Inge was a member of the team who created an award-winning campaign focused on marketing Canada to Olympic visitors. She reminds us that people coming from other countries to Canada may connect with different messages. And it’s not dependent so much on a person’s country of origin, but why the person is traveling.
By hiring a market research company, the team was able to determine what experiences people wanted and how they wanted to hear about it. For example:
1. Northern Lights
UK and Germany: “See the grandiose lights with standing room only.”
US: “It’s standing room only for the greatest light show.”
France: “Incredible light show and training of the dogs.” (This was the direct translation but I’m not sure what it’s supposed to mean!)
2. Glamping
The US is the only country interested in “glamping,” or luxurious camping. It’s not talked about in other countries.
3. Sailing Nova Scotia
UK, Germany, and France: “Have a wonderful lunch of lobster and scallops and enjoy the view for dessert.”
US: “Lounge around all day and have a 5-star meal for dinner.”
Inge also mentioned that a great translator simultaneously provides multilingual marketing insight to companies without a hefty Olympics-sized budget. (I certainly agree, at Rapport International our translators do it all the time.)
Among the team’s challenges were initial social media posts that did not perform as well as expected. Yet they knew to keep tweaking them until they increased their response rates.
In another role, Inge worked with an insurance company struggling with 20 different brands and a fractured brand experience. Representatives from each of the brands worked together to build a unified brand that worked across multiple languages. And although there were no language specialists in the meeting, each team member had deep experience with translation, so they resolutely kept translation issues in mind.
If you are interested in seeing how Rotary International unified their brand in multiple countries and how they handled language translation and cultural adaptation, tune in to The Global Marketing Show, episode #17.
Inge’s final words of advice: make sure to hire a professional translation organization to get the support you need. If you can’t clearly communicate your value proposition and messaging, you won’t emotionally connect with your audience. And since 90% of decision making is driven by emotion, you will also miss out on sales and lose opportunities.
Inge’s favorite word is Dutch slang for “ATM”: “Flappentapper" (flappen - tapper)! Just say it to laugh, she says. It literally means:
Flopa: currency or bills
Topper: the server who dispenses the beer at a bar
I’m adding that word to my lexicon!
Links:
Website: https://www.altairmktg.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/icarr
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 760-655-6451
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
- Montre plus
