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Back to podcast episode listDoes your marketing copy talk about your business rather than your customers? If so, you might be missing an important component of the story that attracts customers to buy from you. That’s what I’m discussing with my good friend Mark Laughlin on the episode today.Mark writes marketing copy for the fitness industry, and he’s a master at connecting with customer’s needs and showing them the value of the companies he works with. We discuss how companies can build trust by focusing on their customer’s needs first and foremost, whether in the form of free downloads, email series, or strong website copy. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:1:28 - Intro to Mark and what he does6:01 - Creating a funnel by talking about customer needs13:48 - Structuring the story of your emails / lead magnet21:13 - Tips on building your business storyEmail Mark at ma.a.laughlin@gmail.com - Mark has been instrumental in helping me write my own 5-lesson email course, and I can happily recommend him to anyone struggling to write content that connects with their customers on an empathetic level rather than sounding “sales-ey”.Find more information about the StoryBrand method here: https://storybrand.com/ . And check out Donald Miller’s seminal book - Building a Storybrand - here: https://buildingastorybrand.com/ .Lastly, as always, you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com .

Back to podcast episode listJoining me on the show today is Maryse Benhoff, president of BG Communications, a translation firm focused on providing quality linguistic services for over 25 years. Maryse is also the Chair of the ISO/TC37/SC5 committee, which handles standards for translation and interpretation.We talk about the importance of structure and standards to translation workflows, how ISO has been instrumental in helping the translation industry self-regulate worldwide, and how Maryse and her team have coded their own translation ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:1:42 - The history of BG Communications7:41 - What is ISO?15:49 - How BG Communications coded their own translation toolEmail BG Communications at info@bgcommunications.ca, or find their website at https://www.bgcommunications.ca/.Find more information on the ISO / TC37 / SC5 standards for translation here: https://www.iso.org/committee/654486.htmlAnd get in touch with AILIA, the Canadian Language Industries Association, at https://www.ailia.ca/And as always, you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listJoining me on the show today is Ben Froedge, who helps design and marketing agencies go from data-bankrupt to data-driven, and in the process, prove to clients the value they’re delivering.We go in-depth with Google Analytics, and Ben explains how this free tool can be used to measure and demonstrate the bottom-line results that agencies deliver to their clients. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:2:22 - Intro to Google Analytics4:55 - Why invest time in using Google Analytics?13:57 - Examples of the power of Google Analytics18:36 - Getting started with Google AnalyticsCheck out Ben’s website at https://www.benfroedge.com/, and his guide to Google Analytics.And as always, you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listJoining me on the show today is Tim Stringer, founder of Technically Simple. For 16 years Tim has worked to coach, teach and consult with businesses to find their organizational purpose, and to help them thrive with modern technology.We talk about a shared passion, the Getting Things Done method - a system that clears your head and clarifies your commitments. We also talk about useful productivity tools for teams in the workplace, and how to go about implementing them effectively. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:4:19 - The Getting Things Done method (GTD)15:01 - Using the GTD philosophy for teams20:18 - Productivity tools - Asana and Airtable27:42 - Setting up new productivity tools effectivelyCheck out Tim’s websites at https://technicallysimple.com and https://learnomnifocus.com. He’s also put up some resources for GTD, and more information on Asana, Trello, and Omnifocus, along with how his team can provide consulting and training.You can also find Tim on Twitter @timstringer And as always, you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listDo you feel awkward or afraid to ask clients for a testimonial or to participate in a case study? That’s what I’m discussing on my episode today with Meg Cumby, a consultant focused on getting her clients effective testimonials that build trust with potential prospects.Meg discusses how to elicit natural stories from clients by guiding them through a series of questions. She also covers how to go about collecting testimonials, and how Kanban boards both physical and digital have helped her stay on top of her work. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:3:12 - How to get effective testimonials13:11 - The 9 questions to ask for effective testimonials18:02 - Tips for collecting testimonials22:37 - The tools Meg uses - Rev, Calendly, a physical Kanban board, and TrelloCheck out Meg’s website at https://megcumby.com/, and check out her article delving into the testimonial questions we talk about on the show in more detail: www.megcumby.com/questionsYou can also find her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/megcumby/, and Twitter: http://twitter.com/megcumby The tools we talked about today on the show were Rev (https://www.rev.com/), Calendly (https://calendly.com/), and Trello (https://trello.com/).Lastly, as always, you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listOn this episode I’m talking to Bryan Montpetit, founder of Montlingo, a translation agency based in Quebec, Canada. Montlingo provides language businesses and other language service companies.Bryan shares his unique journey, originally hailing as a programmer analyst before bringing his expertise to the translation space. We talk about advice for picking translation tools, whether to code your own, and the benefits of automation to enhancing customer service. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:7:19 - Advice on choosing translation software11:35 - Is it worth coding your own translation tool?19:57 - Automating the client feedback process24:58 - AILIA, The Language Industry Association of CanadaWant to reach out to Bryan? You can find Montlingo at http://www.montlingo.com/.The tools we talked about today on the show were Memsource, SmartCat, and Zapier.And for more information on AILIA (The Language Industry Association of Canada), visit their website: https://www.ailia.ca/.Lastly, as always, you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listOn this episode I’m talking to David Hutcheson, founder of Voice and Tone (formerly known as London Support), a customer support agency that helps businesses plan, execute and manage their customer support strategy.David shares his expertise on how companies from small to big can implement customer support, the technology that helps make interacting with customers easier, and a fantastic initiative to help those with jobs displaced by automation. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:5:44 - Supporting customers once they’re in the door8:07 - How to hire someone for customer support13:36 - The role and limitations of customer support tools23:47 - Helping people whose jobs have been displaced by automationWant to reach out to David? You can find Voice and Tone’s website at https://voiceandt.one/. And find notbots, David’s online job site and resource centre for those seeking remote customer support roles, here: https://www.notbots.co/.Looking at building an FAQ for your business after hearing David’s recommendation? Check out Voice and Tone’s FAQ Template.And as always, you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listOn this episode I’m talking to Céline Imbaud, founder of ITC Translations, a language translation company celebrating their 20th anniversary.Céline discusses her experience growing a successful team with offices across three countries, as well as how taking a big risk with technology has paid off for both ITC’s staff and clients. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:3:18 - Managing the expansion of a team to three offices around the world7:43 - Challenges and payoff of implementing a new project management tool18:30 - The evolution of clients to expect greater transparency21:35 - ITC’s 20th anniversaryWant to reach out to Céline? You can contact ITC at https://www.itcglobaltranslations.com/ or on LinkedIn. And check out the set of bite-sized interviews they’ve put together to celebrate their 20th Anniversary.The project management tool that Céline mentions in the interview is called XTRF.And as always, you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listOn this episode I’m talking to Aron Sawyers, founder of AS Visuals and a video content strategist.Aron has some handy tips for creating video to explain and sell business services and brands. For example, imagine having a video business card that you could send out or even just put in your email signature, that more authentically explains what your company does than text ever could. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:1:49 - The power of video for complex services4:31 - How a video business card helped Aron’s client charge more for personal training9:02 - Tips for any business to get started with video12:02 - What to look for when working with a video production providerWant to reach out to Aron? You can contact him via his website at https://www.asawyersvisuals.com/.And as always, you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listOn this episode I’m talking to Anja Jones, Managing Director of AJT, a translation and localization agency based in the UK.AJT was recently recognized by ITI (The Institute of Translation & Interpreting) for contributions to the translation community through their Graduate Junior Translator Scheme, so I was excited to learn more about what Anja had created. We also talk about some handy tools - one called Smartling, which is bringing greater transparency to translation, and TimeTac, an app that makes it much easier for Anja to keep track of her remote team. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:1:17 - Intro to AJT’s business5:26 - AJT’s internship scheme for junior translators9:39 - Building a culture of remote collaboration using technology like Slack, Smartling and TimeTac16:20 - Staying on top of everything when it comes to softwareWant to reach out to Anja or AJT? You can contact them via their website at https://www.anjajonestranslation.co.uk/. And to find out more about their junior translator scheme, take a look here: https://www.anjajonestranslation.co.uk/jobs/graduate-translator-support-scheme/Want to learn more about the software Anja talks about on the show? Check out these links: Slack, Smartling and TimeTac.And as always, you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listOn this episode I’m talking to Brittany and Chris Clarke, owners of Midnight Drive Apps. As a husband and wife team, they build affordable apps to local businesses in British Columbia, Canada.We talk about the kinds of apps small businesses can benefit from, some tips for figuring out what would make a great app, and a time-saving set of tools for social media marketing. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:1:34 - The apps that Midnight Drive Apps builds for local businesses9:20 - How a business can find out if a custom app is the right fit for them11:03 - Saving time from creating and scheduling social media posts using Buffer, Later, and Canva13:49 - Using Evernote to store business cardsWant to reach out to Chris or Brittany? You can contact them via their website at https://midnightdriveapps.com/. Want to learn more about the apps Brittany uses to save time with social media? Check out these links: Buffer, Later, and Canva.And as always, you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listOn this episode I’m talking to William Guzzo, Managing Director at Inspiration Education. Inspiration Education offers tutoring to high school students across New Zealand that goes far beyond exam preparation - it builds long-lasting mental and personal skills for future success.We talk about the learnings of growing from a small to a medium-sized business, thoughtfully implementing new communication tools, and a cool little app called Donut that helps employees get to know one another. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:1:24 - What does Inspiration Education offer students7:07 - Learnings growing from a small to a medium company11:45 - How Inspiration Education uses Slack (and Donut) for team communication21:39 - How Inspiration Education uses Asana for team task managementTo learn more about the tools discussed in this episode, check out the following links: Slack, Donut, Asana.Want to reach out to Inspiration Education? You can find them at https://inspirationeducation.co.nz/. And as always, you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listOn this episode I’m talking to Patrice Embry, a digital project manager with over 20 years of experience across a variety of industries. Patrice also offers project management consulting to help companies figure out how project managers can fit into their businesses.We talk about the benefits a project manager brings to an agency, how to go about hiring and working with one successfully, and useful project management tools for planning ahead. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:4:35 - What does a project manager do11:56 - Good signs an agency is ready to hire a project manager18:46 - Recommended tools for project management21:56 - What is resourcing and how can it benefit an agencyGot any comments or questions about the episode? You can find Patrice on Twitter and LinkedIn, or submit the contact form on her website: http://www.patrice-embry.com/. And as always, you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listIn today’s episode of At Capacity, I talk to Ana María Zúniga, founder and president at AZ World Translation and Interpretation. Over the past ~20 years, Ana Maria has focused on building a great team in order to deliver AZ World’s focus of translating quality policy and procedure documentation for corporate clients (among other services). We talk about building a great team to complement your strengths, a trio of tools for continuously generating and managing leads, and the importance of translation for avoiding risk. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:5:40 - How Ana María uses LinkedIn, Hunter and Insightly to generate and manage leads10:00 - Building a strong team who can help with technology12:34 - The risk of not translating policies and procedures14:27 - The importance of translation for disaster reliefAna María was kind enough to detail more of her process for using LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Hunter and Insightly to find and manage leads - download it here.In addition, Ana María recommended building great translation teams by hiring translators and editors with qualifications - 55% of the team at AZ World have Bachelor’s degrees, and 45% have a Master’s degree or higher, in most cases in the field of their language specialization.Got any comments or questions about the episode? You can find Ana Maria and her company AZ World Translation and Interpretation on LinkedIn, and you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listIn today’s episode of At Capacity, I talk to Lise Alain, president at LAT Multilingual Translation and Marketing. Lise has been running LAT for 20 years, and has made big changes to its service offering and technology to adapt to the shifting translation landscape. We talk about the importance of regional translators, the evolution of tools all the way from paper to Excel to cloud-based solutions, and the importance of translation to those looking to break into asian markets. Jump ahead to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:8:12 - The importance of hiring regional translators9:42 - How tools can support teams, and how Lise landed upon Memsource and Flow for streamlining work15:16 - The evolution of LAT’s tools, from paper, to excel, to online app solutions17:36 - Building out a process plan to help make decisions on tools18:26 - LAT’s focus on marketing translations for asian marketsGot any comments or questions about the episode? You can contact Lise at lise@latmultilingual.com, and you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.Lise was also kind enough to point out several popular resources that she and her team have created:The China Ready Guide: tips to help your business welcome Chinese visitors5 Steps for Creating a Multilingual Website: including a downloadable website template

Back to podcast episode listWelcome to the At Capacity Interview Series, where I interview guests to find out how they implement cloud software thoughtfully to improve their businesses.In this interview I speak to David Wheatley, a previous client of mine, about his goal to reduce admin and duplicate data at his translation agency. David owns Dot Comma Translations in the UK, which specializes in legal translations, immigration visa translations, and translations for the private school sector. Their motto is "Translations that just make sense".Listen to the interview below: Feel free to jump to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:4:47 - Why Dot Comma moved from industry software to a set of flexible cloud-based tools9:53 - The benefits of connecting cloud software using an integration tool like Zapier12:37 - The importance of having a clear overview of what’s happening13:42 - Dot Comma’s specialty providing translations for boarding and international schools16:58 - David highlights future trends for the translation industryGot any comments or questions about the episode? You can find Dot Comma at https://dotcommatranslations.co.uk/ , and you can reach me at jacob@jmonash.com.

Back to podcast episode listWelcome to the At Capacity Interview Series, where I talk to guests about how small businesses that are reaching their mental or operational capacity can push past their limits. My focus is on the cloud-based software that businesses use to streamline work, and my guests offer a spectrum of unique experience on business productivity.In this interview I speak to Louisa Rook, a good friend of mine, about how a combination of online tools and paper based methods can help business owners and their teams succeed at getting things done. Louisa owns TenTen, based in New Zealand, that helps companies get organized and productive. Their motto is "get it done". She's also been working on a productivity planner to help female entrepreneurs bring wellness into their lives.Louisa offers some great tips for helping your team adopt cloud-based software, how planning and note-taking with paper can complement the hectic digital world, and the importance of mental and physical wellness for entrepreneurs.Listen to the interview below (once started you can click within the black box to skip ahead): Feel free to jump to the following times if you’re interested in a specific topic:3:12 - Using Evernote to help a CEO and his executive assistant stay on top of tasks and meetings7:07 - Getting teams on board with task/project planning apps like Trello, and the benefits it can have14:38 - Using individual apps to run your business rather than an all-in-one solution17:04 - The benefits of paper for being more focused, and how paper can complement digital apps19:33 - Louisa’s productivity planner for small business owners who want to be more mindful about their wellbeingGot any comments or questions about the episode? You can contact Louisa at louisa@tenten.co.nz, and me at jacob@jmonash.com.