Article
EasywayTranslation
What was your career like before your arrival in India?
For over 15 years, I was a Human Resources Consultant for several large French companies and I had some experiences of business creation.
How did you move to Pondicherry?
It wasn't planned but it went very well. My approach is the one of a businessman on a trip. To be precise I went to meet « our neighbors » out of France and this trip (of 25 years) around the world, had for first idea to set up a business where it will end, and inspired by the meetings and local ressources, whether in Pondicherry, Perth or Caracas. After a serious accident in India, I've been stopped during 6 months here, and I started thinking about working in Pondicherry. A translation agency, why not ? After a brief business plan, I started direct marketing, and I had to work on the most difficult part : to build a clientele.
Gradually a team of local staff took shape, led by our Director of Quality and we have built our network of employees on 5 continents. I would add that it took up to a solid logistics between our human resources and technological tools in France run by
a partner for an effective internet marketing, a good market position and ensure the important appointments in customers ... otherwise no miracle!
What benefits to lead this activity of translation from here?
In India, with charges reduced structure, the contractor at the beginning of the activity has the advantage of having time for him to climb in charge of its operations, which is much more comfortable than a creator of company in France that does not enter an
order backlog overbooked, and therefore need time and cash.
Outside India, our network of approximately 150 professionals throughout the world, are all independant translators with whom we work on the basis of tariff agreements, but also professional ethic.
Who are your main clients?
We have an important variety of clients. Most are SMEs that invest significantly in R&D and need to share informations about their products and services in multiple languages to their commercial target. We also work with large industrial groups, local news agencies, Press groups, architects, medical research laboratories, software, business centers, SMEs located in International etc ...
What advice would you give to a future entrepreneur wishing to settle in Pondicherry?
Without an already experienced know-how, and a true entrepreneurial spirit, the chances of success and survival are limited. It's a great adventure to run a business up to 10 000 kms of its marks and professional codes. But, to stand, it requires lots of
energy added to a network of adventurer entrepreuneur of the same profile as yours. The danger would be to make his small lonely business, while it activates quickly and without nets in turmoil ... but that's all the charm of a spicy situation!
For the anecdote EasywayTranslation Private Limited started with a USB key, a bank card in the pocket, using for offices some net-tiny shops and telecom centers ... like how, everything is possible!
Portrait
Rémi Duvert
Rémi Duvert is the owner of an impressive collection of pictures and postcards of Pondicherry.
How did you get that passion and why did you chose this place rather than another?
I lived in Pondicherry during two years (from 1979 to 1981), I was a teacher at Le Lycée Français, as a cooperater. This stay marked me (as India, more generally) and once back in France, I continued to turn my attention to this country, particularly in Pondicherry, which seems to be a unique place with the Ashram, Auroville and the fact that the ciy is an old French trading Post.
This led me to deepen the history of this city, and I started collecting books on Pondy.
I also reported here a few old postcards, and it gave me the idea to collect as many of them as possible about Pondicherry and the surrounding area.
En quoi consiste exactement votre travail ? (Est-il difficile de collecter des photos de Pondicherry?)
Over the past ten years, I've been systematically looking for photos, both on the Internet, in trade shows or flea collectors and dealers in old maps.
I have now nearly 300, and of course, it's more and more difficult to find new ones!
But because there wasn't, on the Internet, any website presenting a consistent collection of old postcards of Pondicherry, I scanned my cards and put them on my personal site to benefit everyone.
Avez vous d'autres projets concernant Pondicherry ?
I returned last year in Pondicherry and I took nearly 2000 photos, but otherwise, I have no other specific project !
http://www.rduvert.fr/pondy_albumcp/indexalbumcppondy.html
