Global YNS was conceived on our founder’s background and personal experiences as an immigrant, woman, and Latina. When you read about the Global YNS’ mission, it is hers you are reading. She is the heart of Global YNS. Her vision is to build connections through languages and to include more people, families, and communities in more ways. Last month, Laura Castro sat down with A. Wilson to spoke about the beginnings of Global YNS, how it came to be, and its culture.
You can read the interview in full, here
Meet our Founder, Meet Global YNS
Kindly give our readers an introduction to Global YNS
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. 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.
Kindly give us a brief description of yourself
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 nonprofits located in Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia, especially those dedicated to supporting immigrants, women, and children.
What inspired you to create Global YNS? How did the idea for your business come about?
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 better time to connect with each other and amplify new voices.
Where you see yourself and Global YNS in 5 – 10 years
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.
How important have good employees been to your success?
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.
What kind of culture exists in your organization? How did you establish this tone and why did you institute this particular type of culture?
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.
How do you define success?
In business, it’s all in how we do business and how much we influenced other companies to do something similar.
How do you build a successful customer base?
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 communicate successfully with wider audiences.
What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
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
Global YNS
Offering superior language solutions,
Where quality is our priority
