Episode 80: Smart Habits for Thriving in the Premium Market with Michael Schubert

Smart Habits for Translators

Episode 80: Smart Habits for Thriving in the Premium Market with Michael Schubert

If you’ve ever heard a colleague mention working in the “premium market,” you may have thought, “Hmm… how do I tap into that area of the market?” After all, who doesn’t want to work for clients who value our work and pay premium rates, right?!

Well… we’ve found the perfect guest to share insights with us about working and thriving in the premium market! We’re excited to welcome our colleague and friend, Michael Schubert to the podcast.

Michael is an ATA-certified German-to-English translator based in San Francisco, providing premium translation services with a focus on corporate communications in the software industry. He is also an Adjunct Professor for German-to-English translation at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.

Michael earned degrees in Music Performance and German Language in his native Los Angeles, including a scholarship year at the University of Heidelberg, where he studied musicology and German. Following his graduation, he worked in Germany for 10 years as an orchestral flutist. In 2000, Michael moved to San Francisco and launched his translation career. His clients have included small and medium-sized software companies in Germany as well as artists, orchestras, musicologists, and music publishers in Europe and North America. In addition to translating and teaching, Michael regularly presents at the ATA Annual Conference and elsewhere on the subject of business skills, pricing strategies, and successful client relationships.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• The services Michael offers, and how his career has evolved over time

• A habit he practiced earlier in his career… and why he let it go

• Why it’s so important for translators to consider their services premium when it comes to the clients they serve

• What translators should consider when it comes to their identity as a professional in the premium market

• Michael’s experience raising prices and providing value-based pricing, and what he has learned from sharing presentations on these topics

• What steps translators should take to enter the premium market

• What helps a translator thrive in this area of the market

• The kinds of professional development opportunities translators should look for to support the kind of work they want to do for the kinds of clients they want to work for long-term

• Other tips for translators on working in the premium market

• The advice Michael would give to his past self

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Follow Michael on LinkedIn and Twitter

• Visit Michael’s website

• Is That a Fish in Your Ear?: Translation and the Meaning of Everything by David Bellos

• Michael's favorite: The Ember mug

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/80