8 Language Translation Service Success Stories [2024]
Language translation services bridge the linguistic barriers, helping businesses reach a wider audience outside of a single language. A language translation job is an opportunity to cover a wide range of topics and meet people from different cultures.
To become a language translator , master a second language and earn some experience so you become fluent in the second language.
In this list, you'll find real-world language translation service success stories and very profitable examples of starting a language translation service that makes money.
1. DEMAN Übersetzungen ($6.6M/year)
Cédric Sigoire, the owner of DEMAN Translations, had always wanted to have his own company and create value. After searching for 8 years, he acquired DEMAN Translations in 2015 and used his own financing to grow the business from 6 employees and a turnover of 1.5 million euros to 17 team members and 3.5 million euros in sales in 2020. With a target of reaching 6 million euros in 2021 and 10 million euros in 2022, Sigoire plans to expand into France and the United Kingdom.
How much money it makes: $6.6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.25M
How many people on the team: 35
DEMAN Translations grew from 6 employees and 1.5 million euros in turnover in 2015 to 17 team members and 3.5 million euros in sales in 2020 after acquiring 12 other translation agencies, with a goal to reach 6 million euros this year and 10 million euros in 2022.
2. GMR Transcription Services, Inc. ($2.4M/year)
Frustrated by the lack of pricing transparency while transcribing seven hours of audio, Ajay Prasad saw a market gap and launched GMR Transcription. The company now serves over 12,000 clients and generates over $1 million annually, with just three employees.
How much money it makes: $2.4M/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
How many people on the team: 5
This case study article showcases the success of GMR Transcription, a company that generates over $1 million per year with only three employees, by providing accurate transcription services with pricing transparency and efficient file delivery.
3. Transcription Outsourcing, LLC ($1.2M/year)
Ben Walker, the founder of Transcription Outsourcing, was inspired to start his business after hearing about a friend starting a medical transcription company. He saw an opportunity in the healthcare industry and decided to join forces with the founder to create a transcription service that catered to not only medical professionals but also the legal, law enforcement, financial, academic, and general business industries. Through effective advertising, SEO, and a commitment to exceptional customer service, Transcription Outsourcing has been able to attract and retain clients, leading to their success as a $100k/month company.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $150K
How many people on the team: 5
How this founder started a $100K/month guaranteed transcription service for medical, legal, law enforcement, financial, academic and general business industries, winning the NASPO ValuePoint transcription services contract over 26 other companies and learning valuable lessons about getting a coach and getting as much PR as possible.
4. TRANSLIT ($600K/year)
TRANSLIT founder Alex Chernenko came up with the idea for his business after realizing the challenges faced by language service providers and agencies in managing interpreters and bookings. Inspired by the ease of booking an Uber cab, Chernenko designed a platform that centralized management and scheduling, eliminating the need for time-consuming emails and phone calls. After six months of designing and prototyping, TRANSLIT secured €500,000 in seed capital and launched its online platform and marketplace in 2019.
How much money it makes: $600K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300K
How many people on the team: 20
TRANSLIT is an ISO-certified translation and interpreting service, which has grown organically to now include an online platform and marketplace that allows users to find, book and manage interpreters across the world with over 2,500 users and recently launched a Remote Simultaneous Interpreting technology available through a mobile app and web interface.
5. The Happy Beavers ($480K/year)
The founder of The Happy Beavers initially started as a freelance translator, but after experiencing success with SEO-focused content creation, they transitioned into building a company. They utilized platforms like Upwork to gain clients and focused on personalizing their sales approach to stand out from the competition. They are now scaling their business growth and working on developing an AI that can analyze the quality of written content.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 10
The Happy Beavers is a content creation company specialized in SEO investments through content creation, with a team of 10 full-time employees and around 150 freelancers, boasting an excellent track record, which they build up through Upwork.
6. Lotuly Ltd ($480K/year)
Robert and Mariona Bolohan, a married couple with a passion for languages, started their own translation business, Lotuly. They began as freelance translators and gradually expanded their team to handle more languages. With a focus on human translation and a commitment to quality, they have grown their business to over 500 translators and offer services in over 90 languages. They are now experiencing monthly revenues of $40k and are looking to expand further with a subscription version of their services.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How many people on the team: 2
Lotuly is a remote translation agency with over 500 translators across the globe, offering translation & localization services in over 90 languages and 40 subjects for e-commerce, e-learning, software & marketing companies, universities, and legal firms.
7. voice over mehak ($108K/year)
Sandeep Salwann, the founder of VoiceOverMehak, came up with the idea for his voice-over marketplace after realizing his talent for observing people's voices and finding the right casting for projects. Through freelance work and connecting with other voice talents, he saw the opportunity to work as a casting director globally. With a website created using free resources and a focus on customer satisfaction, VoiceOverMehak has seen success, attracting clients such as a Hero group, and aims to expand its services and target American markets in the future.
How much money it makes: $108K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 5
Voice-over marketplace, VoiceOverMehak, has reached almost $100,000 in sales this year, operating with premium voice talents worldwide in almost all major spoken languages, having taken inspiration from leading competitors to build its own business model of no joining fees or commissions from voice talent in order to make affiliate marketing services more profitable.
8. Gritty Spanish ($60K/year)
Eldon Mirjah, the founder of Gritty Spanish, came up with the idea for his business after a trip to the Dominican Republic where he realized he needed to improve his Spanish skills. Frustrated with existing language-learning products, he decided to create his own program with entertaining audio stories and dramatic readings, launching the website in November 2014. However, gaining customers proved to be a challenge, requiring him to experiment with digital marketing platforms and invest $20k in advertising.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 0
Gritty Spanish, a Spanish-language learning program created by Eldon Mirjah, has grown steadily since launching in 2014, with over 1,560 new customers and more than $70k in sales in 2021, largely due to investing in a high-quality blog, iOS/Android app, and web app.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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