Recent Posts

digital leadership

Strategystorming, Storytelling, and Digital Leadership – VistaTalks Ep 101

In this episode, Doyle Buehler joins host Simon Hodgkins. Doyle has consulted, coached, taught, and inspired many in the areas of digital leadership and strategy. He is the author of the book #Breakthrough: Unleash Your Remarkable Brand Value, Influence, and Authority. He is an active member of the Grey Swan Guild and has been a judge at the Think Global Awards. Doyle is a Chief Expedition Officer and has worked with organizations worldwide. … Continue readingStrategystorming, Storytelling, and Digital Leadership – VistaTalks Ep 101

familial hypercholesterolemia

Familial Hypercholesterolemia: A “Spelling Mistake” in Our DNA

FH Europe is an umbrella organization of international patient networks that actively work together to secure early identification and diagnosis of Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) and other inherited lipid conditions, including rare forms, to prevent early cardiovascular disease (CVD). FH Europe invites national and regional policymakers across the EU, medical societies, patient and public health organizations, and individual experts to sign and support the Prague Declaration. … Continue readingFamilial Hypercholesterolemia: A “Spelling Mistake” in Our DNA

International Customer Experience – a Model to Identify the Gaps

If you have ever tried to navigate a website in a language you do not understand, you will know how difficult and frustrating it can be. Even with browser-based machine translation, the results can range from quite good to useless. As a result, companies translate their online experience to ensure success. However, they typically only translate about 5% of their website into most languages. This gap in language access leads to a sub-par customer experience as site visitors quickly run out of engaging content that they can read. … Continue readingInternational Customer Experience – a Model to Identify the Gaps

Entrepreneurship and diversity

Celebrity PR, Downing Street, and PURPOSE! – VistaTalks Ep 100

In this episode, Jessica Huie MBE joins host Simon Hodgkins. Forbes describes Jessica as one of ‘UK’s Most Influential Women On True Success.’ Jessica is a PR powerhouse and maverick entrepreneur and has an MBE for Services to Entrepreneurship and contribution to diversity. Jessica’s acclaimed first book, PURPOSE, was published by Hay House and named ‘One of the UK’s Best Business Books Written by Women’ by The Telegraph Newspaper. The PURPOSE Retreats take place twice each year in Jamaica and the UK. Her expertise is sought broadly, from discussions at No.10 Downing Street to company and board-level positions. … Continue readingCelebrity PR, Downing Street, and PURPOSE! – VistaTalks Ep 100

image localization

The Importance of Image Localization

“A picture is worth a thousand words,” and this saying is true when it comes to global marketing. Images displayed on your website or apps are crucial elements that influence how consumers will perceive your brand. Selecting an appropriate image can play a big part in helping you connect with your audience. Conversely, choosing the wrong image can increase bounce rates and lower conversions. … Continue readingThe Importance of Image Localization

Global Considerations From a Unicorn’s Perspective – Vistatalks Ep 99

What considerations does a unicorn company have to take into account when devising its global strategy? In this episode, guest Kristine Sheikh joins host María Roa. Kristine is a customer-centric, high-performing, driven leader with 13 years of experience and a passion for strategy. She is focused on creating globally consistent, yet locally relevant integrated expansion plans and campaigns for tech companies. Kristine is a former Sr. Director of International Expansion at PandaDoc, and the Vice President of Marketing at RedTeam Software. … Continue readingGlobal Considerations From a Unicorn’s Perspective – Vistatalks Ep 99

The De-Globalization Era

The De-Globalization Era: In Conversation with Don DePalma

Founder of CSA Research, thinker, researcher, and deep-dive master Don DePalma joined All Things Global Powered by Vistatec to discuss, well, a lot. Don’s incredibly important blog post, “Mastering Globalization in the De-Globalization Era,” should be required reading for everyone in the localization business, and it serves as the foundation for the conversation. … Continue readingThe De-Globalization Era: In Conversation with Don DePalma

How to Capture and Measure Relevant Localization Metrics

Armed with the right localization metrics, embracing data-driven leadership will reinforce your role as a strategic business partner along the way, and help you position yourself as an idea generator in your organization.
Continue readingHow to Capture and Measure Relevant Localization Metrics

girl in yellow sweater stands next to guy

Tips On Going Global From a Unicorn’s Perspective – VistaTalks Ep 98

Is your company looking to expand globally? In this episode, guest Diana Georgieva joins host María Roa. Diana is the Senior Localization Manager at Pleo. An expanding unicorn company, Pleo is the spending solution for forward-thinking teams everywhere. The Pleo smart company cards empower thousands of businesses across Europe. Diana is responsible for building the localization team and Pleo’s localization program to help scale Pleo internationally. … Continue readingTips On Going Global From a Unicorn’s Perspective – VistaTalks Ep 98

Using Localization to Improve Your eCommerce Success

In theory, expanding your eCommerce business to new markets sounds like a great idea. After all, you don’t need to open new physical stores just to grow your business. But what happens if new markets come with different audiences with different expectations, cultural references, and environments? … Continue readingUsing Localization to Improve Your eCommerce Success

Learn How To Localize Your User Experience

User experience (UX) is critical to ensuring that your users are satisfied with the product or service you have to offer them. One aspect often overlooked by the UX evaluation is the importance of localization and how it may improve user interaction and integration. Is your user experience truly optimized? If you haven’t been taking localization into account, it may not be as optimized as you had hoped. … Continue readingLearn How To Localize Your User Experience

Celebrating Vistatec’s 25 Years Within the Localization Industry – VistaTalks Ep 94

How has Vistatec helped shape the localization industry over the past 25 years? In this episode, host Simon Hodgkins is joined by guests Thomas Murray, Vistatec CEO, Patrick Kelly, CCO, Siobhán Gantly, CHRO, Unn Villius, CSO, Phil Ritchie, CTO, Jerry Lane, IT Director, Adam Thompson, CFO, and Yvonne McNamara, COO. … Continue readingCelebrating Vistatec’s 25 Years Within the Localization Industry – VistaTalks Ep 94

Localization – Where Does Linguistic Testing Fit?

Localization (L10n) is a highly collaborative process. Language and cultural experts must work with software engineers, UX designers, and marketing strategists to deliver an integrated product. This interactivity is critical to ensure that the final functionality, aesthetics, and messaging complement one another. Still, with that many moving parts, errors and oversights are inevitable. That’s why every localization effort must be followed by thorough localization testing, including functional and non-functional testing. … Continue readingLocalization – Where Does Linguistic Testing Fit?

Building Brands, Partnerships, and Expanding Internationally – VistaTalks Ep 92

How to build brands, partnerships, and expand internally. In this episode, guest Valerie Brown joins host Simon Hodgkins. Valerie is the CEO of the Val Brown Group, where they work with CEOs, CMOs, Entrepreneurs, and Business Owners to drive company growth through brand strategy. Valerie has helped brands like Hard Rock Cafe, City Winery, Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame, MTV, and many more. … Continue readingBuilding Brands, Partnerships, and Expanding Internationally – VistaTalks Ep 92

Are You Interested in a Career in Localization?

While translation is integral to localization, the industry goes far beyond communicating in the same language. It’s an entire process that provides personalized customer experiences that incorporate culture, languages, lifestyles, financial behavior, and values into promoting products and services. To choose the localization role that would be a good fit for your career goals, learning about the skills and requirements for each position is essential.
Continue readingAre You Interested in a Career in Localization?

Best Practices for Building a Global Center of Excellence

he Director of Localization at Roku, Nicole, draws on her wide-ranging involvement (Paramount, Riot Games, Netflix, Blizzard, Snap) in content and localization to add additional flavor and gravitas. Even if you don’t agree with the nuance of some of her discussion points, you’ll come away with a clear understanding of how she thinks and how she goes about her job. … Continue readingBest Practices for Building a Global Center of Excellence

How Speaking Multiple Languages Benefits Diverse Communities – VistaTalks Ep 91

What are the inherent benefits of being multilingual? In this episode, guest Tatyana Sergeyeva joins host Simon Hodgkins. Tatyana is the Vice President, Credit Cards & Retail Services at Wells Fargo and is on the WorldChicago Board of Directors. … Continue readingHow Speaking Multiple Languages Benefits Diverse Communities – VistaTalks Ep 91

Improve your global customer experience with language quality management (LQM)​​

Improve your global customer experience with language quality management (LQM)​ We are releasing a new series of articles, “Content With Purpose.” Twelve dedicated localization-focused articles on helping you connect and … Continue readingImprove your global customer experience with language quality management (LQM)​​

Is Machine Translation Ready for Life Sciences?

Machine translation is on the rise. As more companies adopt machine translation, there is growing evidence that translating first with a machine and adjusting with human revision is faster and more cost-effective than human-only translation in many domains while still capable of achieving human translation quality where this is the objective. … Continue readingIs Machine Translation Ready for Life Sciences?

Launching and Building Global Brands – VistaTalks Ep 90

Building your brand presence is vital in the digital age, but how exactly do you build a brand effectively? In this episode, guest Carolyn Kremins joins host Simon Hodgkins. Carolyn has played a vital role in launching and rebuilding some of the most well-known media brands, including Epicurious, Condé Nast Traveller, The Week, Cookie, Brides, and Maxim. … Continue readingLaunching and Building Global Brands – VistaTalks Ep 90

Dark, abandoned office lit by a single lamp covered in cobwebs highlighting a cluttered desk

How to Avoid the Great Resignation

The Great Resignation, also known as the Great Reshuffle or the Big Quit, remains in full swing. In February alone, nearly 4.4 million Americans quit their jobs. With unemployment hovering around the 3.6% rate, Employees are considering moving on to other jobs. Many employers are scrambling to find the talent they need to fill open positions. How can you avoid the Great Resignation or decrease its impact?
Continue readingHow to Avoid the Great Resignation

Lead Beyond The Edge, The Bold Path to Extraordinary Results – VistaTalks Ep 88

What is impostor syndrome and how do you deal with it? In this episode, guest Frederique Murphy joins host Maria Roa. Frederique is a highly engaging, leading global voice around mindset transformation. … Continue readingLead Beyond The Edge, The Bold Path to Extraordinary Results – VistaTalks Ep 88

Insights Into Event Management, Marketing, and Podcasts – VistaTalks Ep 86

n this episode, guest María Roa joins host Simon Hodgkins. María is an enthusiastic marketing professional specializing in events and communications with over 17 years of experience. She has worked across B2C and B2B companies such as GRUPO PRISA, the global leader in Communication Media in Spanish, and SModa Magazine … Continue readingInsights Into Event Management, Marketing, and Podcasts – VistaTalks Ep 86

From Localization to Product Management – VistaTalks Ep 85

How do you integrate localization into your product management strategy? In this episode, guest Ulrika Fuchs joins host Simon Hodgkins. Ulrika is an experienced localization professional with proven strong leadership skills and a track record of building high-performing teams of motivated individuals. … Continue readingFrom Localization to Product Management – VistaTalks Ep 85

Agile Remote Work – Is It the Future?

The pandemic may have accelerated the worldwide trend of working remotely, but the concept traces its roots back to the 1970s. Amidst the oil crisis of 1973, Jack Niles, a NASA engineer, pitched the idea of telecommuting as an alternative to the central office. Fast-forward to 2020, and 88% of businesses worldwide went remote during the pandemic—with 74% of them planning to shift at least some teams to permanent remote.

Continue readingAgile Remote Work – Is It the Future?

What Impact Has Technology Had on the Localization Industry? VistaTalks Ep 84

Has technology caused rapid shifts in the localization industry? In this episode, guest Michael J. Asquith, Global Solutions Executive at Vistatec joins host Simon Hodgkins to discuss technology in the localization industry. Coming originally from a financial industry background, Michael discusses his interest in global business, and what impacts technology will continue to play within the localization industry. … Continue readingWhat Impact Has Technology Had on the Localization Industry? VistaTalks Ep 84

Globalize Your Content With Localization

In a competition for the most used word in the marketing world, personalization would be a medallist. Personalized content is the key to serving your offer on a silver platter and pushing clients down the sales funnel. Personalized content marketing doesn’t just involve creating content aimed at narrow segments of the target audience, but it also involves careful localization.
Continue readingGlobalize Your Content With Localization

The Importance of Having an Agile Mindset – VistaTalks Ep 83

What is the world’s leading framework for business agility? In this episode, guest Yuka Kurihara, Director of Globalization Services at Scaled Agile, Inc., joins host Simon Hodgkins to share her experience in helping teams to design and build software products, websites, marketing, and communication content with a global audience in mind. … Continue readingThe Importance of Having an Agile Mindset – VistaTalks Ep 83

Beyond Borders – Around the World Flight

Sponsored by Vistatec, Beyond Borders shares the journey of Louis Cole and Pilot J.P. Schulze as they travelled around the world. With just 90 days to complete the project, Cole and Schulze took advantage of the opportunity to connect with people from different cultures and ask them a critical question: Which is more important: what divides us, or what holds us together? … Continue readingBeyond Borders – Around the World Flight

How Does Sleep Deprivation Affect Your Health? – VistaTalks Ep 82

Are you getting enough sleep? What is a Chief Sleep Officer? In this episode, guest Alen Juginović, M.D., Harvard Medical School Postdoc (Sleep Neurobiology), joins host Simon Hodgkins to discuss his role in sleep medicine, more specifically, the effects of sleep medicine and sleep deprivation on health. … Continue readingHow Does Sleep Deprivation Affect Your Health? – VistaTalks Ep 82

Global Business, Language and LocWorld – VistaTalks Ep 80

Why is LocWorldWide heading to Africa? How did the Localization Institute, LocWorld, and Brand2Global get started? In this episode, guest Ulrich Henes, President, Localization Institute, joins host Simon Hodgkins to discuss Localization World, The Localization Institute, Brand2Global, LocWorldWide Africa, Multilingual Magazine, and other language industry topics. Ulrich is one of the most recognized names in international business and localization. … Continue readingGlobal Business, Language and LocWorld – VistaTalks Ep 80

Maximize Your Brand Growth with Localization

Entering new geographical markets is one of the most popular ways to grow, second only to mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Yet, to succeed, brands typically need to adapt their products or services to appeal to buyers in those regional markets. And that requires undergoing a process known as localization. … Continue readingMaximize Your Brand Growth with Localization

How Has The Pandemic Affected TV Advertising? – VistaTalks Ep 79

What are the latest CTV advertising trends? How are brands addressing advertising fraud and brand safety? Guest Calvin Scharffs joins host Simon Hodgkins to discuss the latest global connected TV Advertising Supply Chain Trends and the Top 100 Programmatic Supply Chain Insights reports. … Continue readingHow Has The Pandemic Affected TV Advertising? – VistaTalks Ep 79