The Global Marketing Show globalmarketingshow

Rapport International President and Owner Wendy Pease was a recent guest on Michael Becker’s Identity Praxis podcast. Michael is a strategic advisor to Fortune 500s, startups, and non-profits worldwide, with a focus on global marketing and product, new market, and business development. In this episode they discuss the importance of translation and interpretation in this interconnected world. 
Translation can be traced back to the Rosetta stone, considered the first written translation in history and the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs dating as far back as 196 B.C.E. Things got interesting with the introduction of machines, explains Wendy, especially at the advent of WWII and codebreaking and spying. All of it was word-for-word translation, which didn’t work then and still doesn’t today, she adds. Even adding grammar rules and machine intelligence leaves us with problematic options like Google Translate and ChatGPT. 
Think about it: “language is a very dynamic, living thing,” Wendy explains. We’re from New England and California and that’s reflected in our speech patterns, word choices, cultural bents – let alone adding in different languages…. And even large, well-known brands with human translators run into issues; just look up Electrolux, Got Milk?, or Braniff Airlines. 
To do it right in this world we can’t continue to do everything manually but we need to do it right. Michael asks: “Can we build IP along the way and elevate our community, too?” 
The solution, according to Wendy, is to leverage translation technologies – proven ones that exist today as well as those emerging daily – only under the guidance of a “detail-oriented, qualified, professional linguist with subject matter expertise.” 
The efficacy of translation technologies also depends on project requirements – TripAdvisor can use translation memory for certain standardized, repetitive content, for example, like room descriptions and amenities. A large retailer necessarily has more detailed requirements – a handbag to one person is also a purse, pocketbook, satchel, clutch, etc. 
As such, large conglomerates are attempting to create IP in the form of customized large language models (LLMs), Wendy adds, not only for increased efficiency but because common options like ChatGPT and Gemini incorporate faulty Google Translate content, Internet disinformation, and even false content in the form of hallucinations. 
In fact, the world changes so vastly, and so quickly, that even fundamental services like translation – for the written word – and interpretation – for the spoken word – are now intermingled in the form of live chat, says Wendy. Unlike chatbots and AI chats that rely on translation, translator-interpreters are facilitating a real-time conversation in the written format. In that light, guest and host agree that the future of computer-aided translation is clearly promising, and it’s simply beneficial to proceed with caution. 
 
Links:  
Website: Identity Praxis, Inc. 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/privacyshaman/  
Tinderbox: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6MVDtSfcKxd2XLpenMAd9H4VknDyn6oz  
 
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/ 
Connect with Michael - https://www.linkedin.com/in/privacyshaman/ 
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com 

Waseem Kawaf has built over 400 websites and is an expert in global user experience (UX). He’s currently the co-founder of Seicho Syndicate, where he and his partners design and develop great user experiences for their clients. 
Prior to Seicho, Waseem served as Global VP of Digital Experience for Stanley Black & Decker and worked in marketing agency roles. 
“Seicho” means exponential growth in Japanese, says Waseem, and his company is aptly named. When prospects and clients have good user experiences throughout their journeys, they stay longer and generate more revenue. 
UX optimization can be a daunting prospect for companies of any size –Waseem suggests breaking the project up into small steps, to gain insight into your users. Pick data from the call center, chat, trade shows, or your website to analyze and build the “voice” of the customer. 
The goal should be to keep every interaction “simple, connected, and frictionless,” he advises. “And rather than starting UX strategy meetings with brainstorming, try an ‘Outside-In’ philosophy instead, which works from the customer’s perspective and gives clear direction for your initial moves, an important lesson he learned while earning an MBA from MIT. 
Throughout his career, Waseem has worked in the global arena. That broad experience made it clear to him that companies must consider local markets – not all users around the world consume information, interact, or buy the same way. By taking a collaborative approach rather than an authoritative one, teams can take all users into account. It may take longer but will lead to greater success. 
And in the end, the Pareto principal will apply – 80% of the work can be globalized and 20% localized. The Stanley Black & Decker team created content in English and then translated any material deemed important or helpful into local languages. 
Waseem’s best advice: “Stay hungry and humble. Develop your emotional intelligence, stay curious, and respect the ‘Power of WE.’ Consider yourself the stirrer in a lovely drink – by bringing all the different tastes and flavors together, you create a magical experience.” 
 
Links: 
Website: https://seichosyndicate.com/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kawaf/  
 
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/ 
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com 

Ivo Verhaegh, founder of Powerhouse AI, came to entrepreneurship through an interesting path. He knew he wanted to start a company, work with a co-founder, and live abroad from his home country, the Netherlands. Since he didn’t have an idea for a business and couldn’t find a co-founder on the same timeline for starting a business, he applied to a program called Entrepreneur First. The organization screens hundreds of applicants, accepting only 1% of the people who apply; a group of 80 are ultimately accepted and work with each other to find co-founders. Venture capitalists sponsor the Entrepreneur First program, through which they find viable businesses with co-founders that click, elevate each other and the business, and are productive. 
While in the program, Ivo met his co-founder (and now Powerhouse AI’s Chief Technology Officer) Kushal Pillay – together they worked toward an affordable and manageable robot-driven warehouse environment.  
Ultimately, they created an app that automates the counting and checking of inventory and pallets in warehouse storage, maximizing productivity. Since the launch, they’ve won clients including DHL, Unilever, and numerous logistics companies. 
Funded and guided by investors, Ivo and Kushal were encouraged to think BIG and globally from the start. Being based in Singapore, which has a small domestic market, they assumed they would sell into Southeast Asia. Market research showed, however, that labor is plentiful and inexpensive in the region, so warehouse operations were satisfactory as-is, unlike in the US, which embraced the technology. 
Currently, Powerhouse AI offers its technology solely in English, but will soon translate for their Spanish, Chinese, Malay, and Hindu target markets. Ivo understands how important translation is and that Google Translate or AI are unreliable, so he plans on using professional translators. 
Some of the bumps in the road Ivo met along the way include: 
Not understanding the southeast Asian market well enough from the start took time away from early success. 
Not focusing on specific industries or geographies with targeted messaging slowed sales success. 
Not having in-person meetings with certain clients slowed the closing of sales. The logistics industry is traditional and prefers face-to-face meetings. 
Currently, the company’s ideal client has over 100,000 square feet of warehousing space and requires precision in inventory management, making Powerhouse AI a clear fit for companies in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, consumer product, and automotive industries. 
Ivo’s best advice: 
Think Big – surround yourself with other entrepreneurs to open your eyes to possibilities. 
Build a Superstar Team – hire people that are ambitious, curious, accountable, responsible, and knowledgeable. 
Ivo’s two favorite foreign words are good ones: 
“Bolleboos” – a Dutch word that literally translates to “bright hat” and refers to a “smart person.”  
“Introspective” – an English word that represents “the superpower of knowing yourself.”  
Ivo certainly represents both of those words! Engaging, creative, smart, driven and very self-aware, he is a podcast guest to remember!  
 
Links: 
Website: https://www.powerhouseai.com/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivoverhaegh/ 
 
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/ 
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com 

Liz Fendt is Global Chief Marketing Director of TÜV SÜD, which specializes in testing, certification, auditing, and advisory services for different industries. There exist only 10 major players in the compliance industry, which ensures safe practices around both goods and services. 
As an example, think about airport safety. Proper testing, inspection, and certification means the airport management company must connect all relevant suppliers and vendors – elevator companies, airway manufacturers, builders, and countless other stakeholders – with quality managers to meet and guarantee compliance with safety standards. 
Prior to her current role, Liz worked in communications and sales and marketing at TÜV SÜD, with a focus on local, regionalized marketing. Inspiration struck the day she analyzed existing collateral and recognized a critical lack of uniformity in marketing materials for the company’s global markets; the difference in colors, branding, messaging, and myriad other content and design elements pointed at once to the inefficiencies of duplicated efforts and a missed opportunity for global branding. 
Senior management agreed and, in that way, Liz created her own Global Chief Marketing Director role, with the goal of increased efficiencies based on a unified corporate global marketing effort and a cohesive international team. 
At the start, Liz worked with 120 associates to develop consistent processes and brand/style guidelines. She envisioned the company’s German headquarters as the hub of her global marketing team, with satellite offices as its spokes, deliberately building teams that could move along those spokes, simultaneously integrating her team and realizing larger corporate strategies. 
A second hub in Singapore followed and Liz saw opportunity there, too – as one global marketing campaign wound down, the next would begin. The fabric supporting every effort: people. She built her teams by elevating associates from within, and with intention and according to detailed specialty – pay-per-click, social media, website, document management systems – no associate, role, or team was overlooked, resulting in talented and diverse representation within each group. 
Liz’s advice on developing global teams with high retention rates: look for people with a positive outlook that like to solve problems. Two associates who started as interns are now heading global teams – if it’s a complex industry get them in and train them so that they can progress. Energized, excited people with a can-do attitude will thrive with support, contributing new ideas and fostering a healthy work environment. 
With that approach, in the first five years and with the same budget, the global marketing team increased leads via the on-hand readiness of standardized, culturally appropriate, marketing “in a box.” Content and campaigns could be used globally, and Liz also consolidated the company’s website, from 7-10 countries with 42 separate sites to a single, unified one. 
 
Lessons Learned 
Throughout her career, Liz has always turned to her team for inspiration and new ideas. Her best advice is to always do business with a growth mindset, and to keep networking – even with people in different fields and industries – because you will always benefit from expertise and diversity of thought. 
The TÜV SÜD community of experts spans the globe, and in 2016, Liz co-founded the Global TÜV SÜD Women's Network – a 1000+ strong network of women across the company, to support and nurture global and local networking, professional mentoring, and role model programs. 
Other lessons learned: 
One size doesn’t fit all: global marketing for campaigns “in a box,” requires a different mix for different markets. Some audiences want white papers while others value human, face-to-face interaction. 
Start small: at the start, the company’s largest website was the German one – after starting with that site L

Faruk Heplevent is founder and CEO of The Scope, a company specializing in computer-generated imaging (CGI) for the automotive industry. He is a pioneer in the industry, leading the charge for a more sustainable process for new car reveals; his client list of brand-name manufacturers throughout the world is proof of how The Scope’s approach and technology have inspired change. 
The process for planning and executing new car reveals has historically been laborious, costly, and time-consuming, requiring at least six months simply for planning. Since the 90s, when photographers relied on “wet” film rather than “dry,” digital film, every catalog and commercial for every new car launch campaign required what Faruk calls the “cost and time of ‘real life.’” 
Locations, permits, staff, meetings, logistics, weather/vegetation changes, sustainability issues due to excessive travel and shipping requirements all came into play in the process, starting with: 
At least 6 months for planning 
Security teams to maintain secrecy 
Logistics around wrapping the car, shipping it out, and receiving it on location, without it being seen (when a new car was on location, it was referred to as “code red.”) 
Flying a crew of 5-6 people to the location – typically either Los Angeles, South Africa, or Spain 
Hiring a local support crew 
And last, but certainly not least, the crew would simply hope for – or wait for – good weather. Altogether a complex, expensive, and time-consuming process, with no privacy guarantee. 
The traditional shoot locations were versatile, reliable insofar as terrain and backdrop options, with agreeable weather. Localization and globalization requirements, however, meant the output – the “film” – needed to service launches from countries throughout the world, with cultural understanding. In other words, the images had to stay on-brand while accounting for cultural leanings in Asia, which are markedly different from those in Europe or the US, and be conscious of even regional differences. 
Hollywood was the first to adopt CGI technology, for special effects in movies and television; for the latter, it meant using the same sound stage for multiple shows, simply by altering the backdrop. The automotive industry was not far behind and Faruk helped lead the charge. 
He spent about 8 years perfecting CGI technology for vehicle images, ones matching the quality of a live, on-site shoot. The advancement meant no more worries around weather or location; and, once the “digital twin” – a 3D representation matching visual fidelity and quality of the car – is rendered, it takes just one week to create a final, working prototype image for the decisionmaker’s review. 
The result is “possibly even better” than an actual photograph, says Faruk. You can incorporate “creative choices” and the editing process, previously constrained by weather and other factors, is now relatively instantaneous so even “micro-edits” are incorporated. 
The Scope is based in Germany and Faruk’s multilingual, international background means he is well aware of the cultural nuances so important to car advertising. Any global launch first addresses a country’s cultural sensitivities; thereafter, the images and messaging are customized to specific markets. 
For example, some generalizations remain consistent across continents: 
Europe wants “authentic, not artificial” imagery. What’s accurate and true? Look for “rugged, tangible backdrops” and details. 
Asian countries prefer pristine, fresh air, clean, “aspirational,” high-end photos, in direct contrast to current climate issues such as smog in Beijing. 
The US looks for authenticity mixed with idealism. The culture differs enough from English-speaking European countries that it requires attention. What’s accurate and true, but with a hint at perfection. 
 “Authentic – that’s the big word these days,” says Faruk.

Josh Medow is CEO of Mercury, a healthcare and life sciences shipping company. After years as a leader in the Army Infantry and living abroad, he knew that he had an interest in running a global company. In this episode, he tells the compelling story of how he searched for and found the right company to buy and build. 
At first glance, Mercury met Josh’s requirements – global reach, a good culture, clear opportunity for growth, and a trustworthy reputation.  
The company specializes in logistics for medical device, diagnostic kit, biotech, life science research, and pharmaceutical companies, offering every shipping option in every geographic location. They are specialists in customs, packaging, import permits, harmonization codes, and dry ice, and positions itself as a dependable partner. 
Josh recognizes that many customer recipients have the potential to become Mercury clients, so Mercury is set up to handle shipments around the world, via an active partner network. The company finds potential shipping partners by attending industry trade shows such as the World Cargo Alliance, and also regularly fields inquiries from interested companies, vetting each one by learning about their experience and capabilities, then testing and tracking initial shipments. Companies are thereafter audited periodically to be sure they’re performing to Mercury’s high standards.  
Tune in to find out more about the world according to Josh, which includes advice from his lessons learned: 
His biggest challenge – running operations globally around the clock. 
His biggest piece of advice – stay curious. 
His biggest success – hiring a diverse team. 
His next steps – to expand Mercury’s marketing into other countries and languages. 
Links: 
Website: www.shipmercury.com  
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-medow/  
 
Connect with Wendy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendypease/ 
Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com