Interview with Michel de Ruyter - MDR textbureau - Finland
Interview with Michel de Ruyter - MDR textbureau
'You only have to adapt to the market and to the style of doing business, which is probably easier said than done, but there are interesting opportunities everywhere'.
What does your company do and which products or services do you offer?
I am a translator and proofreader, mainly from English to Dutch, and sometimes Finnish to Dutch together with a colleague. The difference between a translator and proofreader is obvious; the translator translates the text, the proofreader checks the translation. This is the usual 2 step procedure, where you sometimes have a third step called quality management. My main fields are marketing, corporate law (for example terms and conditions, the so-called small letters in contracts), journalism, renewable energy, culture and sports.
Because of mild RSI issues some time ago I have moved mainly to proofreading. I think currently my assignments consist of 75% proofreading and 25% translating, with some copywriting every now and then too.
The jobs come via translation agencies and some end clients from all over the world. I am in the database of a few big bureaus and they have a lot of work. Nowadays I try not just to produce but to pick the assignments that fit my skills the best and that I like the most. My workflow is divided into approximately 50% end clients and 50% agencies.
How did you end up in Finland?
I met Hanna, my Finnish wife, in Amsterdam around the year 2000. She was studying there. Our first child, Mika, was born there 19 years ago. When our second child was on its way we needed a bigger home, as we were living in a 2 room apartment in the middle of the city, and that was one of the reasons why we decided to move to Finland, first to Tampere. Hanna finished her studies first and then she got a job in Tampere as a doctor.
How did you start your own business?
After moving to Finland, the plan was that I would take care of the children during the first years. Quite soon I noticed that I needed something else besides that and I started my own company as a freelancer in translation and writing services. In the Netherlands I was working at the Central Library of the OBA in Amsterdam and I was also involved in book services for the elderly, where I visited care homes across the city on a weekly basis.
I have always been interested in writing and have written short stories, poetry and interviews. In Amsterdam I wanted to improve my writing skills and explore my interest in writing and journalism so I went to the so-called ‘Schrijversvakschool’ (professional school for writing) and followed a journalism course.
Do you also have experience with running your own company in the Netherlands?
Not really. I wasn’t registered as an official company but I was independently working as a freelancer for a while, mainly doing copywriting for websites and writing for a small local newspaper.
What are the major differences and similarities in the field of entrepreneurship between the Netherlands and Finland?
It’s pretty hard to say in my case. I had to start totally from scratch in Finland without having any contacts in the field here or without getting any help, besides the official institutions like for example vero.fi. Then of course there was the language barrier, but as the translation world is so international, that didn’t give me any problems in that perspective, only in my daily life sometimes. Just building up a new life in another country is not so easy, I think most immigrants can relate.
On a general level I think in Finland things are more formal and often more structured, which has its positives as you have a better overview of what’s going on. But all this hasn’t really affected me as I work online with clients abroad.
Do you have any tips for other Dutch, or international, people who want to do business in Finland?
Well, I think the advantage in Finland is that the market in general is small. This can for sure be a downside but things are also pretty clear and somewhat more organised. In Finland it is probably easier to grow when you come up with something good, either a product or service, because there is less competition. You only have to adapt to the market and to the style of doing business, which is probably easier said than done, but there are interesting opportunities everywhere. My tip would be, that if you have a good idea, develop it and try to put it in a business format and make it work (=sell) in the commercial environment.
A peek into the future: where do you see yourself and your company in 5 years?
We recently moved from Seinäjoki to Espoo and we are planning to live in the capital area for a while, as we are building a house here. I want to keep my company small and continue the way I am doing it at the moment. Some translators decide to start a bureau or outsource work to others, but I have chosen to not do that. I like how it’s going now, the flexibility and the balance how I can organise my work, with my own office close-by. I am happy with the experience that I gained over the years and will keep building on that. I would however be interested in assignments for online simultaneous interpreting or during local meetings/events in Finland. I started offering this during the harsh corona period but have not actively promoted it, so let’s see how it goes.
Anything else you would like to bring forward?
Be nice to each other!