Open Mic is back!
At Day Translations we like to give our colleagues and partners a voice, share experiences and tips, and how it is to work in a company like DT. This time with Day Translations’ Open Mic vol.4 we talk to Mrs. Catherina Sole.
The Scope of Open Mic Vol.4
Cathe Sole is Day Translations’ Finance Assistant, dealing with numbers and payments. From the in-house team members to the numerous freelancing linguists that Day Translations is proud to work with, Catherina has been a previous help.
Open Mic:
Hi Cathe! Thank you for being with us at the Open Mic and sharing a bit about you and your work at Day Translations. We have a couple of questions for you today. Cathe you have been working for almost 3 years, at Day Translations. How did you start at Day Translations?
Cathe:
Hi! Thank you for having me! Actually, I’ve been a part of Day for nearly 13 years. I first started in September 2010, and in June 2019, due to a life-changing event, I needed to take a leave of absence. A few months later, I came back in a freelance capacity, still handling collections, and started taking on sales follow-ups and revisions. In September of the following year, I came back officially to Day as Collections Specialist, still doing sales follow-ups, and now as a Financial Assistant part-time.
When I first started at Day, it was just me and 4 other PMs working hand-in-hand with Mr. Hopwood, and experiencing first-hand the exponential growth to what we are now has been truly extraordinary!
Open Mic:
Cathe, working in finance for a company like Day Translation seems to be quite a lot of work. What tips can you share about managing, organizing, and keeping the focus on so many people working at DT?
Cathe:
I love what I do! I’m a numbers person and numbers never lie! The key to successful management and organization is to do things as they come, and not leave things for later. Prioritize and be resourceful! With today’s technology, we can set alarms for just about anything, and automate a bunch of processes and calculations, saving time.
Open Mic:
At Day Translations, we all love to learn and study, to evolve and grow as professionals and individuals. Recently you started a course and you were actually one of the winners of the Hopwood Scholarship. Congratulations are in order!! Share with us what are you studying and what are your goals.
Cathe:
Thank you! I’ve decided to complete my Accounting degree and get my license. I had started over 15 years ago and I guess my priorities were pretty jumbled up back then and didn’t finish. I have started from scratch again now because things have changed and evolved so much since then, and hope to have my Certified Private Accounting license by the end of this year.
Open Mic:
Working in finances, you have the normal tools that everyone uses (talking about those lovely excel sheets) but how do you see the future in finance? Working in a remote company, payments are done in many ways and all over the world. Do you think virtual banks and virtual invoices are the future? What you would to see change for the better?
Cathe:
I honestly think that we’re halfway there. There are numerous tools to calculate and track payroll and finances, with Excel being the most “old school” of the bunch. I guess we always go back to Excel because it can easily adapt to any line of business, but you will find tools for just about any commercial venture you can think of.
There are already several virtual banks, like Wise, Skrill, Payoneer, and PayPal, to name just a few, which they’ll guard your money for you, even pay interest and they offer debit and credit cards to be able to use anywhere in the world, just like any other conventional bank. Personally, I’d make these options more easily accessible to everyone, no matter where you’re located.
Open Mic:
For a bit of calm after work, what do you do after your shift ends? How do you unwind and relax?
Cathe:
My family is my place of comfort and relaxation, so after work, it’s all about my hubby and daughter! I also love to scrapbook and read. I like to use my hands to make things, from my own datebook to my daughter’s notebooks, tags and labels, and even party decorations. It keeps me focused and centered!
Open Mic:
For our last question: Tell the past YOU some words or tips you would have liked someone to have told you back then.
Cathe:
Slow down, life is too beautiful and short to be always stressing and rushing. There’s no need to constantly be looking out there for material treasures when the most valuable one is right next to you at home!
Open Mic:
We at Open Mic have a surprise for you! Here is what your colleagues say about you!
Cathe:
Aww thank you so much!
What Colleagues say about Cathe:
“Cathe is always prompt to help. She is always ready to learn and to solve problems when they appear. Her opinion is definitely valuable to DT.”
“Cathe is a supportive colleague, diligent and resourceful with a keen eye for detail that makes her organizational skills outstanding and which reflect on the completion of her daily tasks and beyond.”
“I got the chance to work closely with Cathe last year. She proved to be such a caring and supportive colleague. Wishing her a lot of success in all future endeavors.”
“Cathe is a great coworker, professional, detail-oriented, and has a strong work ethic. Always willing and available to help.”
“Cathe’s is a proactive and detail-oriented member of the team, whose ongoing commitment to DT makes her a very important team member. Cathe it organized in all her communication and tasks and is a great colleague to work with!”
Open Mic:
Thank you, Catherina, for your time and for sharing your knowledge, experiences, and tips on Open Mic Vol.4.
Cathe:
Thank you so much for having me!
Don’t forget to check in soon for our next Open Mic Interview.