What made you want to do the work you do? Please share the full story.
I founded Flamingo to fix problems I didn’t see other ASL interpreting agencies trying to fix. When I began working as a professional interpreter, I felt more like a number than a professional who had dedicated so much of their life to doing this work. Working with the larger players, it was incredibly common to feel like just another warm body. At the same time, I saw agencies focusing solely on the dollars and cents of an interpreter’s rate. They rarely prioritized quality of services and it showed. I could work with a client through the agency for years and be their preferred provider but if I raised my rates by fifty cents, they would replace me without a second thought. It seemed that nobody prioritized client choice unless they were willing to demand it. That never sat right with me.
When I started Flamingo it was to stand out among the other guys. I wanted our focus to be entirely client centered and I knew we needed to heavily cater to the interpreters willing to work with us if we wanted to build long term relationships.
Very early on it became clear that was the right direction. Interpreters were willing to lock in exclusive rates with us for so much of the work they did because they knew we would invest everything we could back into their career. One client would tell another they were always able to get the interpreter they wanted without any fuss and suddenly we were a proper agency.
The simple answer is that we wanted to change the industry for the better and when we saw it was possible, there was simply no stopping us.
Tell us 3 surprisingly easy and 3 surprisingly difficult things about your business.
In the interpreting industry it’s easy to…
Get lost in the services you provide. Nobody handles general volume as well as a specialist can. Doing everything decently has sort of always been the model. Only now are we starting to see more specialization which I think is the way we should be leaning
Assume underbidding the competition is the way to go. Knocking down your pricing will certainly increase your volume but those clients aren’t loyal. We’ve offered a discount for switching services to first time clients for years. Not a single person has ever asked for it. If cheaper worked for them, they wouldn’t be calling us trying to leave their agency in the first place.
Automation. For years I had a fellow agency owner tell me that someday I would need to automate everything. It was some of the worst advice I’ve ever received and I’m thankful I never followed it. Every single person we work with gives us the same feedback. It’s refreshing to have personal connection with the folks you work with and it shows in our performance. The interpreters we work with are our biggest supporters and the first to recommend us because we have a solid relationship. Automating creates difference from the people who are keeping your business successful.
The most difficult…
The standards for our industry can be a bit confusing and certainly not well known. There is a large education component that we’ve learned to manage but was scary in the beginning. It’s terrifying when you’re new to think if you tell a client what to do and how to do it they will just leave.
Setting your brand apart. Our industry is dominated by large agencies who all have the same names, same color schemes, same language, same vibe. While I twas easy to not follow any of that, it wasn’t always easy explaining why. It was a challenge in the beginning but we were the first to do it. Now other agencies are popping up doing things differently and with much more confidence. It’s great to see.
Keeping costs low.
What are the 3 things you like best about your work and why?
I am so lucky to be able to work with brilliant people. I mean that, our folks are genuinely the best in the industry. When we’re out at events or meeting students who will soon graduate, I always hear that interpreters aspire to work with us. It’s an incredible compliment because it means our focus on quality is carried by the brand in conversations we’re not apart of. Being known for that commitment to quality is a great feeling. In that same vein, we really love to work with interpreters at every level and provide them the resources and support needed to really find a home here. My favorite part of my job these days is going to events and hanging out with our folks. My interpreting practice is very limited these days. Instead of getting a chance to interpret for the cool gala or upcoming performance, I get to go and talk to the team. It’s great because it gives me a chance to see the work from another angle and I have alot more leverage to be able to influence how events are executed so that attendees have a prime experience. I love seeing our folks in practice. I also have loved seeing much more of the industry than I ever thought I would. As an interpreter, it’s easy to get into a routine with the work you’re doing and there is nothing wrong with that. As a freelancer, I would only see the interpreting I could fit into my own daily schedule. From where I sit now, I get to see hundreds of interpreters and the interesting things they’re all doing every day. Our clients are all so varied and captivating with their productions. I get really excited when we get something we haven’t seen before.
What do you think are your 3 biggest weaknesses and how are you overcoming them?
I am terrible at managing my inbox. I’m so incredibly thankful, I don’t have to manage it anymore. I typically look at the first page in the morning, then again in the afternoon and once more usually right before I head out or if I have time in the car. What I realized about myself was that I wasn’t prioritizing things correctly and needed to delegate. I wouldn’t say it’s 100% there but I’m actively working on being intentional about how I interact with it. I don’t need to read the majority of emails I receive and I’m getting better at saying no to those.
I’ve also started telling people I have a limited amount of time to chat when we connect. Because I genuinely enjoy working with every single one of our partnering interpreters and clients, I have to keep an eye on myself. It’s so easy to get chatting with people and lose an entire hour when they just needed a quick answer in the first place. The amount of times I tell people “I’ve got 10 minutes if that works for you?” and it’s helped me stay focused.
I think the worst weakness I’m battling now more than usual is committing to too many things at once. When you genuinely enjoy what you do it becomes harder to say no. I love supporting other brands like ours and the folks that make them possible. So I say yes alot, then find myself with my laptop open during a movie and have to dial it back. Work-life balance is so important. You really have to continuously commit to it or you start to make excuses aren’t helpful.
Tell us about a time you were dead wrong about something.
As a freelancer I was terrible with invoicing. I always thought I was bad at managing the finance portion of things. When Flamingo opened, I was paying folks with Venmo. Like any bootstrapped company, you do what you can to avoid fees anywhere you can. I was so hesitant to hire someone for the role of bookkeeper because the cost just didn’t seem like it would justify the value. I dragged my heels for as long as I could. Once I finally was faced with the reality that finance was something I needed to delegate or we were going to lose business, I bit the bullet and hired. That bookkeeper found a massive amount of invoices I had just forgotten about, all money that was owed to us for recent work but slipped through the cracks. She found more than her annual salary.
A year later, we had a system in place that I could understand and manage if needed. It wasn’t that finance was impossible for me, it was that I was unwilling to find a reasonable solution out of fear.
What is the biggest challenge you face each day and how do you handle it?
Closing my laptop is without a doubt the hardest thing for me. When you head a company there is always more work to be done. Learning to pace yourself and give your schedule breathing room so you don’t burn out is key. I will say, on really lovely days when I am working on something creative, I don’t mind extending the day by the pool or the lake. Sometimes changing your environment can make all the difference.
I try to commit to scheduled things that I know will help me manage a healthy work-life balance. If I have a yoga class at 6, I know the guilt of not going is enough to get me out of office and keeps me in a healthy routine.
What is a habit you try to stick to and how has it helped you?
I do the crossword every day and I try to learn at least one new thing. It keeps my vocabulary fresh as well as my knowledge on current events. So many of our clients are into things I might not be, having a pulse on good topics of conversation that are currently relevant is so helpful. I also read up on the players in their spaces to make sure I can clearly understand not only their concerns but their objectives while being able to speak confidently on them. We want them to feel like we’re on their team, because we are.
What are 3 of your goals (could be mix of personal and professional)?
I’m currently studying for my pilot’s license. I’d really like to be able to fly with my Great Dane to warmer weather when it’s just a little too chilly to swim locally.
I’m very interested in owning a hotel. It’s been an interesting thing to dream about.
To master my great grandmother’s pie crust. There’s nothing as cool as someone’s legacy in a recipe. I think of it like a delicious epilogue.
What is your favorite movie and why?
The Birdcage with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. Nothing makes me laugh harder. I watch it multiple times every year.
The Way with Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen is what I watch when I need some inspiration and a fresh perspective.
Deaf President Now (Doc) because our team worked on it for over six years and it’s an incredible film.
If you do charity or volunteer work, what is it and why do you do it?
We make it a large part of our mission to give back to the community. We’re largely LGBTQ+ as a team and dedicate a significant portion of our services and our time to organizations that aim to move culture forward and support the community. We aim to be as active in supporting our folks as we can. It matters when you show up and people notice.
I also think it’s important to note that businesses can be built to make money and there’s nothing wrong with that but when they forget to support the people making that money… it communicates a message. I think more companies should be people first, profits second.
Are you willing to be a mentor? If yes, what is the best way to reach you?
I love mentoring and I love supporting budding business owners. I’ve taught freelancers how to build their own successful agencies that we now regularly partner with. I also have over a decade of experience in bootstrapping systems to keep costs low. We still do those same things to maximize our earning potential. I love sharing what we’ve learning and finding solutions together. All my contact information is on our website and my own instagram at @greysondale
Just for fun, what is your favorite food?
My mother’s chicken salad cannot be beat. She makes it for me every time I’m home and it somehow just keeps getting better.