Q 1. Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business. Please include what your business is all about, in which city you are located and if you have offices in multiple locations/ cities.
Ans: Global YNS is a translation, interpretation, American Sign Language, and localization agency. We are a local firm with a Global reach based in Washington, D.C. We offer onsite and immediate and accessible remote interpretation services.
At Global YNS, we produce the work ourselves using human resources and human talent to ensure consistency, accuracy, and continuity in all projects from start to finish. Our approach is simple: get to know you and craft the best language solutions tailored to your unique needs.
We are focused on helping you reach, engage, and communicate with wider audiences in their languages. From a certified document translation to an international conference, we have the experience and in-house capability to deliver superior and high-quality translation services. We go above and beyond to help you to achieve your goals.
Global YNS is different. We live and breathe what we do and relish the opportunity to break language barriers and help you communicate successfully with your clients and audiences.
Q 2. Kindly give us a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).
Ans: My name is Laura Castro. I am a licensed Colombia attorney. I have lived and worked in France, Spain, Senegal, and South Africa. I have an M.A degree in Human Rights (France) and an M.A degree in International Studies (U.S), and a Graduate Certificate in Gender and Women’s Studies (U.S). I am fluent in Spanish, French, and English.
My interest in becoming a language provider is rooted in my 15-year career as a professional linguist serving in different capacities: translator, bilingual tester, Spanish teacher, and registered court interpreter. My portfolio includes clients in the U.S, Latin America, Africa, and Europe. I am proud to serve some of the biggest purpose-driven organizations in the U.S., and I am always looking for opportunities to amplify the work and voice of leaders and social justice advocates. I am a trauma-informed interpreter and member of the American Translators Association. In addition, I offer pro bono services to several local organizations located in Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia, especially those dedicated to supporting immigrants, women, and children.
Q 3. What inspired you to (start a new business venture) or (to make significant changes in an existing business)? How did the idea for your business come about?
Ans: GLOBAL YNS was conceived on my experiences and reflections on what is missing in language services. Inspired by my background and personal experiences as an immigrant, woman, and Latina, I founded Global YNS, to provide the best language solutions driven by the desire to build connections through languages and to include more people, families, and communities in more ways.
My approach to language services is based on quality and respect to all the parties involved in an interpretation encounter because when trained and qualified linguists provide language services, all parties feel more valued, understood, and empowered. I do not see the world in a vacuum. I see families, communities, and societies whose main desire is to become visible, be heard, be part of the conversation, come together, and be counted. There is no a better time to connect with each other and amplify new voices.
Q 4. What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
- Ans: Reach out to your friends, mentors, and network, do not be shy! There are many people around you willing to help you and support your dream. Do not struggle alone. Get connected!
- Do not let others discourage you. Be ready to ignore negative vibes. If you genuinely believe in your idea, you will be capable of executing it. Investors or business consultants may tell you that you are not ready, that your vision is weak, that your business plan does not make sense, be prepared to ignore them, and move on.
- Share your experience with others, be honest with fellow entrepreneurs – I went public with my story (struggle) when I opened Global YNS. I am pretty sure I was not alone. I shared my experience because I wanted (and still want) to help others in my position. I passed down all the tools, resources, and advice I earned from my mentors. You can still access my story here, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/i-am-sure-who-needs-read-laura-castro/
Q 5. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Ans: I think a successful entrepreneur needs both hard and soft skills. Hard skills are essential, but I personally value soft skills. In my opinion, the top three soft skills are:
– Self-motivation
– Networking
– Patience
Q 6. How many hours do you work a day on average?
Ans: I work Monday-Saturday. I work 6 – 7 hours a day
Q 7. To what do you most attribute your success?
Ans: To a combination of several factors such as work-work, dedication, luck, passion, and those amazing individuals who support me and allow me to do what I love.
Q 8. How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
Ans: Word of mouth marketing has always been our most valuable form of marketing. We see our clients are part of our family; therefore, our communications and marketing campaigns are customized to them and their language needs. I see marketing as a way to be in touch with clients and network.
Q 9. Where did your organizations funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
Ans: 100 % from its founder
Q 10. What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Ans: By growing stronger
Q 11. Where you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
Ans: I see myself and Global YNS growing at their own pace but growing stronger. Global YNS is the most incredible resource I have to show others how to conduct business. I hope that in 5-10 years, Global YNS becomes the translation agency that invites people to care about language access and care about building inclusion through the power of languages.
Q 12. Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
Ans: I admire Patagonia, and I respect its founder. His vision and values inspire me every day.
Q 13. How important have good employees been to your success?
Ans: An excellent employee to me matches the culture of Global YNS. We are a small team of linguists by design, and we like it that way. Our core team is small, close-knit, and devoted to our clients. Our team is a critical element of our success.
Q 14. How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
Ans: I do not give up on ideas easily. If an idea does not come to fruition, I do not discard it right the way. On the contrary, I add it to my journal and let it rest there for a while.
Q 15. What motivates you?
Ans: Global YNS’ mission fuels me. Our mission is to provide the best language solutions, driven by the desire to build connections through languages and to include more people, families, and communities in more ways.
Q 16. What are your ideals?
Ans: My ideals to build connections through languages and to include more people, families and communities in more ways. I like to think of us as people who believe the world can get better and are committed to doing our part to improve it. I attempt to do so by breaking language barriers, closing the language gap and building communication bridges along with a network of like-minded linguists, purpose-driven organizations, and individuals.
Q 17. How do you generate new ideas?
Ans: The best ideas come to me when I am working out or meeting with my team. I also get ideas after my daily meditation or when I am taking a shower. For example, I recently got a marketing idea when listening to one of my favorite podcasts related to psychology research.
Q 18. How do you define success?
Ans: In business, it’s all in how we do business and how much we influenced other companies to do something similar.
Q 19. How do you build a successful customer base?
Ans: By treating them with respect and caring about them. When you respect your customers, you provide them with the absolute best experience and services. At Global YNS, we meet with our clients from the outset to understand their overarching needs. We listen to the why not just the when and where. From language to technical needs, we walk with our clients through the entire process and help them to communicate successfully with wider audiences.
Q 20. What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Ans: Having a resource, Global YNS, allows me to instill my values in the world on a larger scale. Global YNS has allowed me to show others how to conduct business. Global YNS has allowed me to break language languages, advocate for language access, and create a network of organizations that invest in inclusion and diversity.
Q 21. What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Ans: When we got our first client ever, our first client gave us the confidence we needed to reach out to other organizations we dreamed of collaborating with
Q 22. What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
Ans: I have been both, and to me, the main difference is that as an entrepreneur, each client is our boss. We now have several bosses, and we must deliver equally to each of them. So, the level of responsibility and commitment is higher when you are an entrepreneur.
Q 23. What kind of culture exists in your organization? How did you establish this tone and why did you institute this particular type of culture?
Ans: A company where diversity and inclusion are the norms. Where everyone is treated right and where you are trained to treat other people right. We see each other as a network of interpreters and translators who respect each other and help each other. We love to spend as much time as possible breaking language barriers or advocating for language justice. Our recruiting process is designed to enable us to find the right team members.
We are a close-knit and hand-picked team of translators and interpreters united by our passion for language and international communication. We are the best, nicest, and most awesome language lovers.
Q 24. In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.
Ans: Commitment
Company Detail:
Company : Global YNS
Contact : Laura Castro
Address : 200 G ST NW, SUITE 800
City : Washington
State : DC
Zip : 20005
Phone : 202-241-8471
Email : info@globalyns.com