Hello, vibrant ProZ.com community! I’m Tanya Quintieri, and I’m thrilled to be leading the ProZ.com Mentoring Program 2.0. My journey in the ever-evolving and never-dull language industry started in 2002 as a freelance translator, working with direct clients exclusively. At the time, I didn’t know translation agencies existed, and to this day, the agencies I work with are few and far between.
About my career in the language industry
Over time, my one-woman show turned into what I would define as a studio. Today, my team and I offer comprehensive global corporate communication services, including translation, copywriting, web and brand design. As a translator, my working languages are German and English, and I mainly translate marketing collateral and corporate communications for IT companies in specific niches, such as ad tech, business process architecture, or digitalization.
Icebreakers
On a personal note, I’m a US/German expat living in the Czech Republic, and I have three children – two of them now grown men with wonderful careers of their own, and one trilingual girl in elementary school, who frequently finds herself interpreting for me when we’re out and about.
On a lighter note, here are three fun facts about me:
- I love cooking (and eating) Mediterranean dishes;
- I adore everything about the beautiful island of Corsica and hope to retire there one day;
- I’m an enthusiastic collector of tropical and subtropical houseplants. My collection held just over 750 plants not too long ago! It’s a bit smaller now – around 400, I would guess – but each has a story. Tending to my plants is my zen, especially when life gets busy.
Photo: Summer 2023, hike on Corsica with my little girl.
What mentoring means to me
Now, back to today’s topic: Mentorship has always been a passion of mine, and I’ve spent years mentoring fellow language professionals. Before that, in my corporate career, I was part of the wider HR team, where I mentored our students and young professionals and offered career guidance to our team members whenever needed. It’s been incredibly rewarding to share my insights, nurture growth, and foster collaboration.
But mentorship is a two-way street. Even with my experience, I continually seek guidance from mentors. Why? Because growth, both personal and professional, is an unending journey. My mentors have been pivotal in broadening my business vision; they’ve empowered me to turn my ideas into realities and provide honest feedback. This has been essential in refining my processes, tools, mindset, and approach in our dynamic industry. Their advice keeps me agile, grounded, and constantly innovating.
Rethinking the ProZ.com Mentoring Program
With the ProZ.com Mentoring Program 2.0, I aim to use my experiences to foster a nurturing environment. The new program is about more than building skills; it's about growing a community where language professionals at all stages in their careers can thrive.
Will you join me on this journey?
I’m excited to embark on this journey and would love for you to join me so we can elevate the professional lives of all ProZ.com members together. I have put together some initial events and a survey and I invite you to participate and to share your insights – because your insights are invaluable to me, and the team at ProZ.com:
- Meetup for (current and future) Mentees on January 9, 2024
- Meetup for (current and future) Mentors on January 18, 2024
- Mentoring Program Survey for all ProZ.com members
I look forward to meeting you online or in person. Let’s build something incredible together!
