Create a thriving freelance translation business

The Team OC Business of Translation course is the best investment I’ve made in my business to date.

As a distraction-prone introvert, the small group format and ‘short, sharp shock’ approach of five sessions (plus homework) over three weeks was ideal. The dual freelance translator/agency owner perspective was a killer combination and provided real insights into what clients are looking for and how best to convince them that it’s me!

The presentation sessions were clear, comprehensive and above all, of real practical relevance. Olivia and Clare worked hard to foster a group dynamic that encouraged us all to participate, sharing our experiences, asking questions and learning from each other. I liked the focus on starting with the basics to develop a clear, coherent and attractive CV/LinkedIn profile/website, and really appreciated the detailed (iterative) feedback that was provided to help me produce materials that do my profile justice.

Overall, the course has left me feeling much more confident that my translation business is viable and I now know what I need to do to develop my client base and increase my income. I know I have a skill set to be proud of and I can legitimately charge more for my services than I have done to date. The proof is that in just two weeks since completing the course, I’ve been able to raise my rates with a couple of existing clients and approach prospective new clients - and I've already had a couple of successes!

There is a real need for this kind of training for translators and I have no hesitation in recommending this course to fellow translators who’ve lost their way or don’t know where to start with their business development.

With more and more translators asking us for advice and support when it comes to creating profitable freelance businesses, we are excited to be able to offer courses and consulting sessions to help new freelance translators launch their businesses and practising freelance translators take their businesses to the next level.

The Business of Translation is our course for practising translators looking to improve their businesses. It will include 5 group sessions, a 2:1 individual coaching session, free resources and follow-on support.

Pathway to Success is a unique course designed to help freelance translators who are just starting out make their first 6 months in business a success. It has a highly practical focus on the business skills you actually need to make a freelance translation career work for you.

Our 2:1 consulting sessions are also bookable as a standalone element in blocks of hours to help you troubleshoot issues in your business, navigate a return from parental leave or a period of absence, make major changes to how you run your business or create ambitious but achievable targets for the future. You can use these sessions for any aspect of your business you need some help with.

How can we help you?

Are you a freelance translator looking to make some changes and unsure where to start?

Are you a newcomer to the profession looking for some guidance on how to run a profitable freelance translation business?

Are you aiming to make a career change from teaching, lecturing or a corporate career into the translation field?

Are you struggling to make inroads with agency clients or direct clients?

Do you feel stuck working for a small number of low-paying agency clients?

Have you reached a crossroads in your career?

Do you feel stuck in a rut with your translation business?

Do you lack confidence in the business element of your role?

We can help you create a thriving freelance translation business.

Our courses

We currently offer two courses for freelance translators, as well as 2:1 individual consulting sessions.

The Business of Translation, is best suited to freelance translators with practical experience of freelancing who are looking to improve and build upon their existing business.

Pathway to Success is best suited to newcomers to the translation profession who have good translation skills but would benefit from some support and guidance on building a business.

We also offer 2:1 consulting sessions in which Clare and Olivia both focus fully on your specific business and needs and provide tailored, detailed advice on aspects like pricing, client acquisition, returning from periods of absence and troubleshooting for issues which may arise in your business.

The Business of Translation

Pathway to Success

Who are our sessions suitable for?

Our expertise is in the translation industry and we have worked hard to make sure our courses are perfectly tailored to freelance translators looking to build upon their existing business knowledge.

Our expertise is in translation and closely-related services so we won't encourage you to diversify outside the industry to build a successful business.

We want to show translators at all stages of their careers how to capitalise on their brilliant skills and make a good living from their passion for languages and translation.

If you are unsure about whether our services are a good fit for you, please send us an email for more information and we'll be more than happy to help.

What makes Team OC stand out?

Team OC is a winning combination of an agency owner and freelance translator that really gets results for translators when it comes to providing practical and actionable advice on building a successful translation business.

We offer unique 2:1 consulting sessions where we both immerse ourselves in the realities of your business and help you uncover where you need to make changes and how to make this happen.

We won't just provide you with generic advice but we'll tailor it to your specific circumstances and needs.

We're not just giving a webinar and then leaving you to it. We're invested in helping each translator we work with to optimise their business on their terms without losing the flexibility they love about freelancing.

We won't focus on encouraging you to diversify outside the industry unless you tell us that's what you want. We want to help you make your translation business a success because you love being a translator and you want to use your hard-earned skills to make a good living on your terms.

We have a wealth of industry experience on both sides of the agency/translator divide and we know our stuff when it comes to the business of translation. We're practical and honest and we care about translators' wellbeing.

2:1 consulting sessions

We offer unique 2:1 consulting sessions to translators looking to overhaul their businesses and we provide translators with external perspective and expertise on challenges they may be facing in these valuable sessions.

If you book our The Business of Translation course, you will have a 60-minute 2:1 consulting session included in your course package. You can add on extra hours in blocks as you wish. If you are unsure how many additional hours you may need to book, please feel free to send us an email outlining the issues you would like to cover and we can advise you on this.

If you book our Pathway to Success course, you can choose to add 2:1 consulting sessions in blocks of hours, starting from one hour, as an optional extra. This can be really useful for discussing business-related matters that you may not feel comfortable discussing in a small group setting or if you feel you would benefit from some very targeted individual support for your business.