Meet Ali Wright.  She is a freelance transcriptionist.  She provides a much needed service by providing English/Spanish translation and transcription services.  She has several years of experience in this field and has worked for some of the major Southern California Universities on various research interviews.  She has also worked for lawyers on court cases and on many other projects related to business, teaching and medical papers.  Continue reading to learn what she views as the trends in this industry and the advice she has for those starting a business in this field.  You can visit her site at www.translationservicesby ali.com.

1.  Tell us about your business and the service that you provide:

I started my business a few years back.  I work from home and I provide English/Spanish translation and transcription services at an affordable price.

2.  How did you decide to get started?

I was offered to do freelance work from home and when I started I was just providing transcription services.  Then I started to translate papers and interviews as well.

3.  What kind of background or expertise do you have in your field?

I worked for a company for many years doing customer service work and data entry.  Since I'm bilingual I was able to help our Spanish speaking clients as well.  I also went to school and studied Business Communication.  Later on, since I type fast, I was offered a transcription job and then I started to translate documents for the same company.

4.  What trends do you see in your current industry?

Translating online.  There is a huge need for human translation instead of machine translation since the machine is not accurate most of the time.

5.  What things do you find to be the most demanding about your job?

Finding the next project is demanding.  It takes a lot of time to place bids and get feedback.

6.  What do you find to be the most rewarding about your job and your day-to-day routine?

The most rewarding is the flexible schedule, meeting new clients, and working on new and interesting projects.

7.  What advice would you give to someone else who is interested in starting a business like yours?

To be patient.  It takes a lot of time to establish a clientele.

8.  What are you most proud of as a 'parent-preneur'?

I am proud that I can show my kids that if you work hard and do a good job, a person can be successful and raise a family and be there for them.

9.  How have you been able to manage your time between work and your family?

My family always comes first and my work offers a flexible schedule so I can work around my kids' activities.

10.  What has been the most effective way for you to promote yourself?

By advertising locally and online.

Finally: What does your 'Milk Money' provide for you and your family?

It provides me with an opportunity to meet more parents like me and to learn from them and perhaps offer my services to them as well.