Having been in localization for over 20 years, Tess Whitty now runs Swedish Translation Services and is a multilingual SEO & UX content strategist. She also volunteers as Marketing and Content Program Manager at Global Partnerships & Events for Women in Localization.
Tess has inspired many over the years with her long-running podcast and her take on all things language, localisation, and global business, especially as it relates to marketing. Here, Karen Tkaczyk interviews her to learn more about Tess’s various roles and transitions, which make Tess a great fit for W.L.’s Women That Rock series.
Karen Tkaczyk: For readers who don’t know your background, let’s frame things. Where did you come from, and what were your early influences? Have you had an interest in language and culture from an early age?
I am a Swedish-speaking Finn born in Finland. Growing up in a bilingual country, my interest in languages started early. At university, I studied International Marketing, but also as many languages as I could. At that time, a career in translation was not on my radar. After graduating from the university, I had studied and/or spoken six languages, though, and I was fascinated by other cultures. My early career was in marketing in Sweden, and it wasn’t until I moved to the US with my husband and two small children that I started considering a career in translation and localization. After some research and continuing education, I was hooked, and I’ve loved working as a translator for over 20 years. By that time, I had also lived in 5 different countries.
I benefited a lot from my marketing skills when growing my business, and after a few years, I started helping other freelance translators market their businesses. This led to the growth of my side business, Marketing Tips for Translators. I began by sharing my knowledge as a speaker at industry events and conducting workshops for organizations within the industry. In 2014, I published my first book, The Marketing Cookbook for Translators, which offers marketing tips in recipe format. Soon thereafter, I started the podcast “Marketing Tips for Translators,” which I hosted for five years. Over 280 episodes were published before I decided to stop the series to free up time for other endeavours. I also published a second book with a collection of marketing tips from the first 100 episodes of the podcast. All the knowledge I gathered during these years was distilled into online courses for freelance translators. I also ran these courses for five years.
Karen: Translators loved that podcast and your advice. I recall that phase of your career well! So, has your career followed a plan? It sounds like it was partly shaped around your family and moves.
Tess: No, not really. In the beginning, it was more according to a plan – I studied marketing and worked with marketing, but after we moved to the US, it evolved more by chance. I wanted to find a career that allowed me to work from home while raising my children. After a few failed business attempts, someone suggested translation, and I then followed the path organically. Now my career follows customer demands. I noticed that the clients needed SEO, so I trained in that. While localizing software, I noticed that the clients would benefit from UX expertise, so I trained in that area, and so on.
Karen: What drives your continued passion and curiosity, especially after achieving so much?
Tess: I’ve always been a lifelong learner and love to learn new things. I am also very customer service-oriented, so if I notice a customer’s need, I try to fulfil it. I guess I am curious too, and as long as something is fun, I continue.
That said, I easily get bored and cannot do the exact same thing for years and years. I crave new challenges and experiences.
Karen: New challenges bring growth, don’t they? What about giving back? Women in Localization’s mission includes mentoring and fostering the next generation. What has been your approach to mentoring and inspiring the next generation in the workplace?
Tess: I believe I’ve indirectly been a mentor to many translators through my podcast, books, and courses. I have also officially worked as a mentor for the American Translators Association and truly enjoy helping people and teaching them what I know.
Karen: Both Women and Localization and the ATA have great mentoring programs, don’t they? What advice would you give younger women in localization, specifically, trying to establish themselves in the mid-2020s?
Tess: It would be the same advice I’ve always given, but even more relevant today – to be successful in localization today, you need to find your niche and build real expertise in it. Whether you work as a freelancer, in-house, or in a management role, specializing makes you stand out and adds value in a crowded market.
At the same time, invest in learning beyond language — marketing, UX, AI-driven workflows, data literacy, and project management are all increasingly part of localization. Understand how your work connects to a company’s overall strategy and user experience.
Be proactive about staying current with technology — CAT tools, TMS platforms, AI-assisted translation, and analytics, and don’t be afraid to experiment and adapt.
And finally, build your network. Join professional associations, attend conferences, connect with mentors, and support other women in the field. Localization thrives on collaboration, and strong relationships will open more doors than any single skill ever will.
Karen: And how about a ‘dream’ question to close us out? In an imaginary world, if you could move somewhere, immerse yourself in the culture, and learn a new language for a year, where would it be?
Tess: I can’t think of a dream place right now. I recently moved back to my home culture in Sweden, and that has been my dream for a long time. However, I do love traveling, and my husband and I travel a lot. I tend to want to learn the language and culture of the places I go. Most recently, it was Portugal and Portuguese. Right now, we have two homes, one in Sweden and one in the US, but we also dream of another one in a warm place. It is undecided yet.
Karen: Congratulations on achieving a dream!
If you enjoyed this conversation, I recommend connecting with Tess on LinkedIn.