Working With Languages

How does a product manager combine tech with languages? And what skills are involved, if not required, to thrive in this career? Today's guest Hélène Sanchez tells us about how she went from Italy to working for the BBC where she discovered her passion for tech. She grew into a strong career as a product manager and discovered how her language skills are an asset when her employer, a British company, merged with a French one, bringing her to forge relationships and nurture communication across languages and cultures.About Hélène SanchezHélène is a product manager with experience launching and scaling products across media, developer tooling, B2B SaaS, crafting and supporting cross-functional collaboration across geographies. She’s recently working in the field of AI Governance, developing a product that shows users the value of adopting AI tools. Her career mantra is: Be fast at learning, fast at failing. Love your users, like your product. Empathy is the best strategy. Hélène is half-French, half-Italian, and has been living in the UK for the past 12 years. She is interested in enology, and doing her WSET education.LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/helene-sanchezInstagram https://www.instagram.com/helycoccy/About Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life. In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

Have you ever wondered what it's like to have a career in tech and work as a customer success manager? Wendy Rendón shares how she went from working in events in Barcelona, Spain to a career in tech working in customer success in tech in Helsinki, Finland. She also shares what makes a good customer success manager and why the role of CSM can be different in different businesses and industries.Key Takeaways:While living and studying in Barcelona she observed the vibrant events scene there and realised she wanted to focus her job and career in this industry.Wendy decided to progress her career in events moving into a career in tech, so she moved to Finland, a vibrant and international tech hub.She believes that successful people in this role are empathetic, proactive, have good communication skills and are good at project management as they sit between the in-house tech team and the end clients.While her working language is English, she regularly uses her Spanish and Catalan to better communicate with her clients.About WendyWendy's journey has taken her from the vibrant hustle of Bogota's city jungle to the cosmopolitan charm of Barcelona, and finally to the green, innovative urbanity of Helsinki. Throughout her career, spanning diverse industries, she gained a wealth of experience and developed a versatile skill set that has shaped her as a professional working with languages.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyvrr/About Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

Today I sit down with Urmi Hossain who grew up in Italy to Bengali parents, studied in England for a year, then moved to Montreal at 19 where she embarked in a career in finance.We talk about the very practical challenge of arriving in Montreal knowing French from school, only to discover that Quebecois is really quite different.She explains how she deliberately worked to master it, not just for everyday life but to be able to do a job interview and eventually have a career in finance, working with languages in a predominantly French-speaking environment. Because while people in Montreal are very open to both English and French in an everyday life environment, she knew early on that professionally she needed to be fluent in Quebecois.Key Takeaways:Moving abroad with an open mind: Urmi embraced learning Quebecois and a different way to grow professionally, with lifelong learning, continuous professional development (CPD) and job hopping as a way to advance her career - a very different approach than in Italy.Reaching out for help and support: from engaging a friend to practice speaking French to finding mentors along the way, she is at ease asking for support from people.Opening up conversations: with her podcast Stories Beyond Borders she share stories of people like her who grew up multilingual, multicultural and moved countries at various points in their lives. And in her YouTube channel she also gives advice on learning languages, passing finance exams and more.About Urmi HossainUrmi Hossain is a self-published author, speaker, podcast host and finance professional based in Canada. She holds the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) and CAIA (Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst) designations and works in the financial services industry, while using her platform to advocate for women’s empowerment, identity, and self-leadership.Urmi is the host of Stories Beyond Borders, a podcast that amplifies diverse voices and stories on identity, migration, language, and what “home” truly means. Her work centers on helping individuals - especially women - embrace their lived experiences as strengths rather than limitations.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/urmihossain/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@urmihossainInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/storiesbeyondborderspodcast/About Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life. In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

In this episode I talk to Martina Abagnale, a financial translator and co-founder of the business-management software tool Lemon Twist for freelancers like her.She speaks candidly about why she launched a second business, how she combines it with her main revenue-generating work as a translator, and how translation work differs from being a co-founder (and product manager, marketer and overall face of the Lemon Twist brand).Key Takeaways🍋 Finding her own niche in translation: after a while she realised she wanted to become a financial translator and started actively marketing her services to banks, financial institutions and venture capitalists in need of multilingual reports and documents🍋 Solving her own problem: after years of complaining about the same irritating admin stuff she convinced her husband to create a business management toolAbout Martina:Martina Abagnale is an Italian financial translator. Active since 2019, she has also worked as a trainer, industry speaker and event organizer, sharing her passion and knowledge about finance, translation and anything in between.About Lemon Twist:Lemon Twist is a management software created by freelance translator Martina Abagnale and software developer Julio Greff. What began in 2020 as a personal quest for a fast and intuitive way to organize her translation work, turned into a fully fledged company in May 2024. Our mantra is: Every click counts. We’re building a system that saves you time on boring tasks and puts a smile on your face with its clean, playful design.E-mail: [email protected]: https://lemontwist.ing/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/italian-financial-translator/Newsletter: https://stats.sender.net/forms/aAD9A1/viewDiscount code: LT15 (15% off for new subscriptions)About Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people who want to work with languages. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

Today I sit down with Alastair Budge, the creator of Leonardo English and the podcast English learning for curious minds.Alastair created a fantastic resource for people coming back to learn English - skipping the heavy grammar lessons, he digs deep into British issues and conversation topics that people may find themselves talking about at work or in social settings. He also developed tools to help people refine their written English.Key TakeawaysLearning French, Italian and Chinese: at university Alastair studied first French and Italian then Chinese, with a view of preparing for an international careerLiving in different European countries: he first moved to Malta where he launched his podcast English learning for curious minds. After that he moved to Sweden, taking is work and business with him and developing it into a thriving community of language learners.'I never thought I would be working with languages': that's the thing about languages - they are an asset, and you never know where they will take you!About Alastair Budge & Leonardo EnglishAlastair Budge is the founder of Leonardo English and the host of English Learning for Curious Minds, a podcast for intermediate-advanced English learners.Leonardo English: www.leonardoenglish.comEnglish Learning for Curious Minds: www.leonardoenglish.com/podcastsFixMyEnglish: www.fixmyenglish.aiLeonardo English membership: use the code WWL10 for a lifetime 10% discount. Sign up here: leonardoenglish.com/subscribeAbout Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life. In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

Adrian Probst has 10 years' experience as a translator and YouTuber, specialising in sports translation and working also on the multilingual communication at the Winter Olympics and World Cup events. His YouTube channels is his only source of inbound leads and has 38,000 subscribers.Key TakeawaysHe translates into German as well as Swiss German: when clients request a translation into Swiss German, he checks whether they mean German for a Swiss audience or actual Swiss German.Specialisation: initially he specialised in technical translations but realised that those with a more specialised degree have a competitive advantage. In the meantime he specialised in sports translations, a niche that is close to him and were this imbalance is felt less.YouTube and Freelanceverse: born as a marketing tool for his business, it has made it known and recognisable in the industry and now at times he get recommended by people he doesn't know, but they know him from his channel.About Adrian Probst and FreelanceverseAdrian is a professional Translator and YouTuber in the sports industry working from English and French into (Swiss) German. He regularly works with ecommerce businesses as well as translating some of coverage for the Olympics, Winter Olympics and World Cup.Six years ago he launched his YouTube channel Freelanceverse which has become a powerful source of inbound leads for him.Website: https://adrianprobst.com/YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Freelanceverse/videosLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianprobst-freelanceverseAbout Sonia KampshoffSonia is an experienced, multilingual digital marketing consultant focusing on Google Ads and advertising on social media.Languages are integral to her identity and career. She hosts this podcast, telling stories of people building a career with languages, and inspiring many more to learn languages and build a career on these valuable soft skills.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

Today I chat with Elena Carpanese, a Localization Manager at DeepL, about her multilingual background, her career in localization and the language technology industry, and the future of language AI. Originally from Italy, Elena studied English, German, and Spanish in the UK and joined DeepL as one of its early employees, working on both translation quality evaluation and content localization.Elena's work involves leading a team of in-house linguists, managing localization across 13 languages, and consulting product teams to ensure the company's products reflect linguistic accuracy and provide an intuitive user experience across different markets. She also tells us how DeepL collaborate with a wide network of external linguists to maintain translation quality across all its languages supported (over 100).Lastly she talks about agentic AI and its potential impact on language workflows, including early experiments her team has run and how these tools can reduce repetitive tasks across industries like legal, healthcare and manufacturing.Key TakeawaysLocalization at DeepL is both linguistic and strategic: Elena and her team use language AI to localize everything from UI to marketing copy but also advise product teams on terminology, user journeys, and language-specific UX decisions.DeepL supports over 100 languages with a focus on customer needs and data quality. They release new languages based on market demand and whether high-quality data exists to train reliable modelsAgentic AI is opening new possibilities beyond translation such as auditing localized interfaces automatically, gathering terminology from large datasets, and automating repetitive tasks in industries like legal, manufacturing, and techAbout Elena CarpaneseElena is a professional localisation manager at the language AI-pioneer DeepL, having worked there for 5 years in both the Cologne and London offices.Elena on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-carpanese-b70574112/DeepL's website: https://www.deepl.com/enAbout Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

Leadership mentor Maria Rush shares how emotional intelligence, connection, and clear communication can reshape modern leadership. She reveals why traditional 'command and control' approaches no longer work, why deeper connection, vulnerability, and emotional awareness matter more than ever, and how expanding our emotional vocabulary can transform both professional and personal relationships.Key TakeawaysToday’s leadership needs are changing: many people feel disconnected in their relationships - at work, at home, and with partners. Maria sees a strong desire for more emotionally intelligent, people-centred leadership.A shift away from old models of authority: traditional 'do as you're told' leadership no longer resonates. People now seek inclusion, trust, and a sense of being valued.Emotional vocabulary is a language of its own: Maria highlights the need to expand our emotional vocabulary to express needs clearly. She even created word lists in English and later Swedish to better articulate feelings.About Maria RushFor the past 25 years Maria has worked as a leadership mentor, entrepreneur, and an international employee in state organisations and private businesses promoting self-leadership, emotional intelligence, and solution-focused communication.Maria's website: mariarush.co.ukWomen Don't Rush podcast on IG: @womendontrushpodcastOffer for this podcast's listeners: Maria is offering you all, my lovely listeners, a 15% discount on her online group programme starting in April called The Connected Leadership Programme: https://www.mariarush.co.uk/the-connected-leadership-programmeUse discount code WWL15 to claim your 15% off. Valid till 13th April 2026.About Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life. In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/

Our guest today is Elizabeth Prokorny, the Head of Content and Brand at Weglot. After exploring Elizabeth's journey in language learning and her career path from the UK to The Netherlands and then France, she discusses Weglot's AI-powered website translation tool, all that goes into translating websites and the importance of tailoring content for each country.Elizabeth also gives us examples of translating websites (some have 800,000 words!) to SEO elements and the importance of content localization. And she shares insights into the company's structure, culture and future developments, emphasizing the role of customer feedback in shaping their offerings.Lastly she shares that Weglot is developing directory of multilingual SEO experts to support Weglot's clients in making their translated websites feel more local.Key TakeawaysElizabeth tells about different working cultures in the UK, The Netherlands and France, including giving and receiving feedbackWeglot uses AI to enhance translation speed and quality when translating websites while maintaining human oversight.Content localization is crucial for effective communication in different markets. Elizabeth gives the example of 'trainers' and 'sneakers' - they mean the same but 'trainers' is used in the UK while 'sneakers' is used in the US, so ecommerce websites need to ensure they use the correct terms in each country to match what people search for online in each country.About Elizabeth PokornyElizabeth Pokorny is Head of Brand and Content at Weglot, where she leads global brand storytelling and content strategy around international expansion. With over a decade of experience in B2B content, SEO, and brand positioning, she focuses on building clear, confident narratives that help companies grow across markets.About WeglotWeglot is an AI-powered website translation tool that instantly translates your site.Put your translation quality on autopilot and let Weglot effortlessly generate translations that reflect your brand tone and style. Weglot’s AI learns from your past edits, brand tone of voice, and target audience to give you quality website translation, fast and hands-off.Weglot: https://www.weglot.comWeglot events: https://www.weglot.com/eventsInternational expert directory: https://www.weglot.com/international-expert-directoryElizabeth Pokorny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-p-442a5939/About Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

Today I talk to Mair Garland who after 10 years shifted from the corporate world into leading non-religious baby naming ceremonies, weddings and funerals ceremonies as a humanist celebrant.Mair shares how she grew up in Wales speaking both English and Welsh. After studying French and Linguistics at the University of Oxford, which included a year abroad in France, she found work at an international organisation where she could pursue a career with languages. What started as a part-time side project, her work as a celebrant has become a business she loves which brings many referrals through word-of-mouth.Key TakeawaysHer decade-long corporate career allowed her to integrate language skills in unexpected ways, building a career with languages within a multinational company.As a humanist celebrant, Mair now blends languages and cultural traditions to create deeply personalised ceremonies for weddings, funerals, and baby naming ceremonies.Her work is highly collaborative and creative: she co-creates scripts with couples or families, crafting personalised stories, vows, and symbolism.There is growing demand for multicultural and multilingual ceremonies, even outside Wales and France, especially among mixed-background couples and families.About Mair GarlandOriginally from Wales, Mair is a proud native speaker of Cymraeg (Welsh) and works as a humanist celebrant in London, offering non-religious baby naming ceremonies, weddings and funerals. Mair specialises in bilingual ceremonies in both Welsh and French.Website: www.garlandceremonies.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/garlandceremoniesAbout Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

In this conversation Fiona Gray, a translator and Chair of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting, shares her journey in language learning and translation.Fiona shares her experiences studying multiple languages, her transition into professional translation and her passion for tourism and creative translation. Fiona also highlights the importance of community within the translation profession, the impact of AI on the industry, and the role of the ITI in supporting translators. She offers valuable insights for aspiring translators and emphasizes the need for continuous professional development.Key TakeawaysFrom in-house to self-employed - early in-house roles guided Fiona into freelancing, where she now specialises in lifestyle, travel, tourism, premium brand translation - with Luxembourg becoming an unexpected niche.The value of community - community is central to her work, and she has taken on increasing leadership roles at the ITI, now serving as its chair.AI is transforming translation, but it’s also a tool - Fiona sees AI as both a disruptor and a tool, with many translators looking to understand and adapt to the changes it brings. ITI offer support and courses around AI and changes to the translation industry.About Fiona GrayFiona Gray MITI helps brands and businesses based in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg to find their voice in English through creative copy and compelling content that makes their German words travel. Fiona is Chair of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), having served on the ITI Board of Directors since 2022. She won the ITI Mentor of the Year Award in 2023 and was named Linguist of the Year at the ATC Language Industry Awards 2024.Website: https://www.fionagraycreative.co.uk/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/fiona-gray/Institute of Translation and InterpretingThe Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) is the only UK-based independent professional membership association for practising translators, interpreters and all those involved in the language services sector.Website: https://www.iti.org.uk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-of-translation-and-interpreting/About Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

In this episode Sonia speaks with Jamie Brown, a linguist, composer, and former Chief Language Services Officer at what3words, the company that makes it easy to identify a specific location.Jamie shares his journey from growing up with a stammer to managing the development of 61 language versions of what3words across the world.Key TakeawaysOvercoming barriers through curiosity - Jamie’s stammer led him to study how language works beneath the surface, eventually becoming his career’s foundation.Language as connection - his transition from music to linguistics highlights how both are a form of communication.Building languages at scale - at what3words Jamie led teams creating 61 language versions, each built from scratch to reflect local linguistics and culture.Cultural sensitivity matters - from Tamil beliefs about turtles to Spanish dialectal differences, linguistic nuance is crucial in localisation.Resilience and opportunity - saying yes to unexpected chances - like a Facebook post about 'languages and Excel' - can shape an extraordinary career.About Jamie BrownJamie is a composer, linguist, localisation consultant and TEDx speaker.From early on he was interested in languages and how they work. As a stutterer from a young age he says he was trying to find a language he would stutter in less - which led him to music and composing, a language where few words are spoken.After living in Brazil for a year, he completed a Masters in Linguistics and thanks to a friend's Facebook post he started working at what3words as their Chief Language Services Officer where he managed the creation of the language system in 61 languages.Jamie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-brown-8a436540/Jamie's website: https://www.jamiebrown.info/What3words: https://what3words.com/About Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

In this episode host Sonia Kampshoff speaks with Wesley van der Wille, a Dutch language and culture coach whose unique career path took him from the Dutch Air Force to founding his own language coaching business, Talk Dutch Today. Wesley shares how his 16 years in the military and his experience working with NATO shaped his understanding of communication, culture, and adaptability - skills that now define his empathetic, human-cantered approach to language coaching.Together, they discuss cultural nuances, Dutch quirks, personal transformation, and how Wesley helps expats not only learn Dutch but feel at home in it.Key TakeawaysLanguage coaching goes beyond grammar - it’s about mindset, confidence, and connection.Personalized learning works best - every student’s goals, background, and learning style matter.Cultural awareness is key to learning Dutch authentically and communicating effectively.Empathy and understanding are the most valuable tools for any teacher or coach.About the guestAfter spending 16 in the Dutch Air Force and at NATO, Wesley decided to move on when he realised he was burning out. After a gap year he stumbled into language learning. Since then he set up a flourishing language tutoring business aimed at expats in The Netherland wanting to pass certifications, progress at work or simply integrate better in the local community.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesley-vendevielle-879968239/Website: https://www.talkdutchtoday.nl/About Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast on your podcast platform.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

In this conversation, Anders Hansen shares his fascinating journey through language learning, cultural immersion and career transitions across various countries. From his early years in Denmark and Portugal to his experiences in the UK, Singapore, China and now Italy, Anders emphasizes how languages create opportunities and build connections..He discusses his sales career, the challenges of adapting to new cultures, and his eventual move to Sardinia, where he embraces the local language and culture while working in the solar power industry and as a hiking guide. The conversation also touches on the role of AI in language learning and business, culminating in Anders' reflections on life lessons and future aspirations.Key TakeawaysLanguages create opportunities - Anders shares the career opportunities he had thanks to his languages skills.Learning from mistakes - he arrived to Shanghai in China with a busy job, communicating in English, and didn't prioritise learning Mandarin Chinese - and left the country 8 years later when he realised the lack of the local language was a disadvantage in his private and professional life.Making his own opportunities - with solid experience in sales and speaking multiple languages, he was able to work and thrive in various different industries by being intentional in what he chose to do.Fluency is a feeling - the moment you stop 'buffering' when speaking in a foreign language - when thoughts and language flow naturally - marks a turning point in confidence and belonging.About our guestAnders Hansen is a sales leader and certified Italian hiking guide (Guida Ambientale Escursionistica) based in Sardinia, combining more than 25 years of international business experience with a lifelong passion for the outdoors.Born in Denmark and raised between the forests of Northern Zealand and the coastline of southern Portugal, Anders developed an early love for hiking and the natural world - a passion that has accompanied him through studies in London and Sydney and professional chapters in Europe, Asia, and now Italy.Known for his optimism, empathy, and trustworthiness, he helps people and businesses grow, whether by promoting renewable energy solutions with Vivisolar or by guiding hikers through Sardinia’s wild landscapes.Anders on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/anders-hansenAnders Hikes Sardinia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andershikessardiniaAnders and Caroline's rental holiday home in Sardinia: https://airbnb.com/h/villabuonasperanzaAbout Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast on your podcast platform.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

In this episode, Sonia Kampshoff welcomes Fritz Oberhummer, Head of Solution Architecture for EMEA at Sabre Corp, to share his fascinating journey through languages, cultures, and technology in the travel industry. From growing up in an Austrian ski resort to navigating life and work in London, Madrid, and beyond, Fritz reflects on how language shapes not only communication but also cultural understanding and business relationships. He also explores how AI is transforming the travel industry, from booking experiences to biometric travel, and what this means for the future of travellers worldwide.Key TakeawaysLanguages for conflict resolution in business: cultural nuances, workplace dynamics, and even mealtime conversations vary widely across countries and must be adapted to.Living abroad is the best way to learn a language: it takes three to four years of immersion to deeply understand both the language and its cultural context.AI is reshaping travel: from facial recognition at airports to AI-driven personal travel agents, technology is making journeys more seamless and personalized.AI will disrupt jobs as well as industries: while AI brings efficiency and convenience, it also poses challenges for global workforces, especially in industries like customer service and call centres.The resurgence of hand-made goods: the AI revolution will bring us to want and purchase more hand-made, authentic goodsAbout the GuestFritz Oberhummer is the Head of Solution Architecture for EMEA at Sabre Corp, a global leader in technology for the travel industry.Originally from Austria, his family runs a hotel in the third generation. From early on he was surrounded by international visitors, sparking his lifelong passion for languages and cultures.His career has taken him across the US, UK, Spain, and Germany, giving him first-hand experience of how language and cultural understanding shape global business. Today, he combines his deep knowledge of technology and strategy to bridge the gap between commercial needs and technical solutions, while also exploring how innovations like AI and biometrics are redefining the travel experience.Fritz on LinkedIn: Fritz OberhummerHis personal website: oberhummer.comAbout Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.LinkedIn: Sonia KampshoffInstagram: WorkingWithLanguagesWebsite: MorePerfect.DigitalIf you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

Today Sonia Kampshoff speaks with Marina Koleva (linguist and developer) and Manuel Augustin (product owner and plugin release lead) from Yoast. Together, they explore how linguistics, technology and multilingual SEO intersect.From mastering multiple languages to building features in the Yoast SEO plugin, Marina and Manuel share insights into how language expertise drives better search optimization tools. They also discuss the challenges of adding new languages like Japanese to the plugin, the role of AI in SEO, and why human editing is still essential for high-quality online content.Key TakeawaysLanguage knowledge doesn’t need to be perfect to be useful - even partial familiarity with a language can open career opportunities and problem-solving approaches.AI enhances SEO tools by suggesting improvements like optimized titles, but still requires a human eye for originality, nuance, and tone.Working with languages builds adaptability - the more you get used to linguistic 'discomfort' the easier it becomes to tackle new systems.Not all AI replaces traditional methods - rule-based processing remains essential, especially in areas like counting words and sentence structure.Human creativity remains central to SEO - automation assists, but originality and cultural context still define high-quality, optimized content.About the GuestsManuel and Marina both work at Yoast on their multilingual SEO plugin for WordPress and other website building platforms. They are linguists and also developers - as they tell us in this conversations, at Yoast all linguists need to know about web development, and all developers need to know a bit about languages and linguistics.Yoast website: yoast.comManuel on LinkedIn: Manuel AugustinMarina Koleva' profile on Yoast: Marina KolevaAbout Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.LinkedIn: Sonia KampshoffInstagram: WorkingWithLanguagesWebsite: MorePerfect.DigitalIf you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

Dominique van Werkhoven is a London-born copywriter now based in the Netherlands. With Dominique we explore the intersections of languages, culture and entrepreneurship. From growing up in a multicultural household to immersing herself in French, Dutch and (Austrian) German, Dominique shares her journey of learning languages and working in multilingual copywriting.She also opens up about co-founding The Werks, a multilingual copywriting and web development business she runs with her husband, and how they support small businesses, solopreneurs, and nonprofits in being seen, heard, and valued. Together, they discuss the realities of moving countries, the role of patience and persistence in language learning, and how technology like AI is reshaping the future of copywriting.Key TakeawaysImmersion is key: Dominique emphasizes that the fastest way to learn a language is by living in the country and using it daily.Building The Works: Combining multilingual copywriting and web development creates a streamlined service for small businesses that need strategy as much as execution.Collaboration over transaction: Dominique values partnerships with clients, working alongside them to bring their vision to life rather than just delivering outputs.AI as a support tool: Rather than replacing copywriters, AI can provide inspiration and structure - human creativity and strategy remain essential.About Dominique van WerkhovenDominique is a multilingual copywriter who co-founded the agency The Werks with her website developer husband Gideon. She grew up in the UK and has lived in Paris and Vienna. Currently she lives in The Netherlands with her husband and three children.The Werks website: thewerks.nlThe Werks on Instagram: WeAreTheWerksThe Werks on LinkedIn: The-Werks-NLDominique on LinkedIn: Dominique-van-WerkhovenAbout Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguagesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/Website: https://moreperfect.digital/If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

Today I have a special conversation with Claire Lutton, the US team lead for member support at HomeExchange, a French B Corp company. As a member myself for the past three years, it was a pleasure to delve into how this platform creates such personal and unique multicultural travel experiences. We discuss how swapping homes is not just about finding a place to stay, but about connecting with people, living like a local, and even finding support in unexpected situations.Key TakeawaysA Personal Way to Travel: Home swapping offers a more personal, respectful and multicultural travel alternative to hotels, allowing you to immerse yourself in a local culture and connect with your host.More Than Just Holidays: The platform can be a vital resource for more than just travel, providing accommodation for emergencies, family reunions, or even as a temporary workspace with a change of scenery.A Strong, Supportive Community: With a very low cancellation rate, the platform is built on a foundation of mutual respect. In the rare event of a cancellation, the support team successfully finds a replacement in over 90% of cases.Bridging Language Gaps: HomeExchange effectively supports its global community by using integrated translation tools and a 24/7 SOS service to handle urgent issues in any language, ensuring members always feel supported. I also integrates with a very easy-to-use and helpful chatbot.About Claire Lutton & HomeExchangeClaire Lutton is the Team Lead of the Member Support Team for the US at HomeExchange. Originally from France, she is passionate about multicultural travel and has lived in the US for over two decades and has always worked in roles that utilise her bilingual skills.HomeExchange: homeexchange.comIf you'd like to sign up, feel free to use this referral code to earn some Guest Pints: sonia-daeb9 (or use this link: https://www.homeexchange.com/?sponsorkey=sonia-daeb9)About Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.LinkedIn: Sonia KampshoffWebsite: MorePerfect.DigitalInstgram: WorkingWithLanguagesIf you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may like it too, and subscribe to the podcast.✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

In this engaging conversation, Victoire Galtres shares her journey from a multicultural upbringing to her current role in leadership and culture within a casual dining restaurant chain. She discusses the importance of language, cultural experiences and how her background in acting enhances her leadership skills. Vic also emphasizes the significance of diversity, inclusion, and empowering women in the workplace, while exploring the impact of technology and AI on modern work environments. The discussion concludes with reflections on the power of human connection beyond words.Key TakeawayLanguage learning is influenced by age and environment: we discuss how language learning in childhood differs from later in life, and how frequency of use and environment affect not only the language but grammar mistakes and saliva production.Acting skills enhance leadership and communication: through acting we can learn the ability to stand in front of a crowd and articulate well , to appear confident when we are not. Vic now uses these skills through role play in her leadership development workshop.Diversity and inclusion are crucial for workplace culture: in any organisations culture happens through leadership which in turn creates a brilliant team. And at the heart of every exceptional team is psychological safety.Coaching helps women navigate career transitions: through Tomorrow's Daughter Vic supports and empowers women in the workplace, especially through transitions including becoming a mother and how that affects our identity, our perception of life and work, and our priorities.AI can improve efficiency in leadership development and private life occasions: from idea generation for leadership workshops to private use like creating creating a wedding celebrant script that merges English and French to accommodate multilingual guests, Vic brings us wonderful examples of ChatGPT use.About Victoire GaltressVictoire Galtress is the Head of Leadership & Culture a casual dining restaurant chain, and the founder of Tomorrow's Daughter where she offers bespoke executive and life coaching for women one-on-one and in a small group setting. Originally from France, she spent her childhood between France and Australia with her parents and three sisters. She now lives in the UK with her British husband and three sons.LinkedIn: Victoire Galtress nee MazounieTomorrow's Daughters - Vic's bespoke executive and life coaching: tomorrowsdaughter.co.ukAbout Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.LinkedIn: Sonia KampshoffWebsite: MorePerfect.DigitalInstgram: WorkingWithLanguagesIf you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may also enjoy it and leave a 5* rating and review!✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

In this episode, I chat with Stefanie Mellano, a UK-native now based in Northern Italy, who works as a film and TV subtitles translator.Stefanie shares her journey from studying law to pursuing her passion for the Italian language and building a freelance career in subtitling. We explore the technical and creative skills required for subtitling, the importance of specialisation, and how she balances translating for large streaming services with working with independent producers.Key TakeawaysThe Power of Specialisation: much like doctors specialise, translators are more effective when they focus on specific industries they know well, such as tourism, business, or in Stefanie's case, the creative industries. This ensures a deeper understanding of the subject matter and accurate use of terminology.The Subtitling Process is Both Technical and Creative: subtitling isn't just about direct translation. It involves a technical understanding of character limits and reading speeds, requiring translators to find creative solutions to convey the original meaning perfectly within these constraints.Pivoting to English: many large companies use English as a "pivot language" for translation. Content is first translated into English from the original language (like Italian) and then translated from English into many other languages, partly due to the availability of translators.Human Translators vs. AI: while AI is a growing trend, it currently struggles to capture the nuance, context, and non-verbal elements of language, particularly a language as expressive as Italian. For high-quality, culturally sensitive content, human expertise remains essential.About Stefanie MellanoStefanie is a freelance subtitle translator specialising in the film, TV, tourism, and business sectors.Website: stefaniemellano.comLinkedIn: Stefanie-MellanoAbout Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.LinkedIn: Sonia-KampshoffWebsite: MorePerfect.DigitalInstgram: @WorkingWithLanguagesIf you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may also enjoy it and leave a 5* rating and review!✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

In this first episode, I’m interviewed by podcast producer, Lucy Lucraft. We discuss my multilingual background, growing up speaking German and Italian, and how this foundation in languages shaped my career path from translations to digital marketing and then podcasting. I share my journey from being a translator and localization manager to specialising in digital marketing and advertising on Google and social media.We delve into how cultural nuances are crucial in international marketing, the role of AI in the industry, and my experience working with technology companies. I also explain why I started this podcast: to explore the many ways people use their language skills in their professional lives.Key TakeawaysMy professional journey began as a translator and localization manager, which gave me a deep understanding of the technical side of digital products.After moving into marketing while continuing to work with my languages, I now specialise in paid media (Google Ads and advertising on social media) which allows me to combine my interest in data and numbers with the psychology of consumer behaviour.Cultural and linguistic understanding is essential for effective international marketing, as direct translations for things like SEO often fail to capture local search habits.AI has been an integral part of digital advertising for a long time through features like smart bidding and retargeting, long before it became a mainstream topic.My goal for this podcast is to showcase the diverse career paths available to people with language skills, moving beyond traditional roles like translation and teaching.About Sonia KampshoffSonia is a translator turned multilingual digital marketer specialising in paid media, and now also a podcaster. Growing up bilingual, languages have been a constant in her life.In 2025 she launched a podcast where together with her guests she explores the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities open to people with language skills. She is available to speak on podcasts and stages about marketing, languages, work and podcasting.LinkedIn: Sonia KampshoffWebsite: MorePerfect.DigitalInstgram: WorkingWithLanguagesThis episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft.If you enjoyed this episode please share it with someone who may also enjoy it, and leave a 5* rating and review!✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee

Hello, I'm Sonia Kampshoff, and I'd like to welcome you to Working with Languages.I started this podcast to explore what it really means to build a career with language skills today. It goes far beyond the traditional roles of translation and teaching. I’m fascinated by how languages empower us to connect and achieve specific goals in almost any professional environment.In each episode, I sit down with a new guest to discuss their unique career path. Here’s what we'll explore together:Why languages are a superpower in today's competitive job marketHow they fit into diverse industries and roles you might never have consideredWhere our human skills stand next to the rapid rise of AIHow you can make languages a valuable and meaningful part of your careerIf you're ready to be inspired, I invite you to join our conversations. Listen and subscribe to Working with Languages now on your favourite podcast app!About Sonia KampshoffSonia is an experienced, multilingual digital marketing consultant focusing on Google Ads and advertising on social media. She works with small and medium-sized companies, agencies and charities across ecommerce and lead generation accounts, supporting them from strategy and planning all the way through optimisation and management.Languages are integral to her identity and career, so much so that she launched this podcast in September 2025, telling stories of people who merge their language skills with the work they do - and inspiring many more to learn languages and build a career on these valuable soft skills.Connect with SoniaLinkedIn: Sonia KampshoffWebsite: MorePerfect.DigitalInstgram: WorkingWithLanguagesEmail: [email protected]✉️ Join my free newsletter☕ Support my work, buy me a coffee