As the world becomes more interconnected, companies are realizing the enormous potential in the international marketplaces. To effectively reach these markets, they must overcome linguistic and cultural barriers. At this point, the localization sector enters the picture and becomes essential in facilitating smooth cross-border interactions. In this dynamic and multicultural setup, the presence of women leaders denotes diversity and resilience. Their diverse viewpoints are essential in developing localization tactics that can effectively connect with audiences worldwide. One such seasoned localization specialist based in South Korea is Eunnara Jo, Founder and CEO of JOEL Localization.

Eunnara’s journey in the localization services industry has been marked by diverse roles. With experience spanning from interpretation and translation to project management, her expertise is built on a foundation of hands-on experience and a deep understanding of the complexities of localization.

As the Founder of JOEL Localization, Eunnara offers tailored localization solutions and has forged partnerships with leading companies, such as Societe Generale and Notion Labs. With a focus on flexibility and customization, she ensures that each project receives the end-to-end localization services needed for success.

Embarking on a distinctive exchange with The Global Woman Leader magazine, Eunnara divulges the intricate facets of her journey as a prominent leader in South Korea. Let's explore further.

What led you to establish JOEL Localization? Tell us about the underlying idea behind the venture and its key areas of expertise.

My professional journey has allowed me to work with organizations looking for specialized solutions and startups entering the global market. This has enabled me to gain insights into the client's needs and become aware of the difficulties faced by players in the localization market.

There is a need for localization services to be more adaptable and tailored since most of them offer standardized solutions. Therefore, they are not able to meet the specific requirements of the clients.

I established JOEL Localization as a modular service provider, that offers customized solutions to meet the clients’ demand. We aim to provide clients with 360-degree solutions for all their localization requirements. We are experts in delivering comprehensive solutions from customizing the voice and tone for regional markets to offering guidance on the proper application of machine translation.

We also provide our clients with in-depth market expansion, consultation, and interpretation services for corporate gatherings. These services can be tailored according to the client's need and have proven efficient for firms on a shoestring budget trying to set foot in the international market.

Tell us about your current focus areas and priorities in terms of driving growth for JOEL Localization.

Our current area of focus is to accelerate our expansion by integrating human consultation with technology. We are constantly striving to strike a balance between utilizing technologies and harnessing the knowledge of human advisers and translators.

We are trying to achieve this by collaborating with IT companies that want to expand their global reach. Our team possesses the knowledge of subtle linguistic and cultural quirks, and that enables us to be at the forefront of the localization industry.

We are also looking for opportunities in relatively new markets such as Web 3, where expertise in both cutting-edge and conventional localization techniques can be a boon for the firms.

A business leader’s journey is replete with challenges. Throw some light on the major challenges you encounter in your current role. How do you overcome the said roadblocks?

One of the most important and challenging aspects of my work as a business leader in the localization and language services sector is communication. Maintaining good and transparent communication with linguists and clients is crucial, but it may be challenging given our line of work.

"Language is the bridge that connects us all & through localization, we build pathways for global understanding & collaboration"

I am open and honest from the beginning of every conversation to overcome this difficulty. As I work to give all parties involved complete knowledge, I never think that any detail is superfluous. This reduces miscommunication and removes unexpected events from the process.

I do admit that unanticipated difficulties can arise, even with our best efforts. Therefore, I have put safety precautions in place, like adding buffer time to project timeframes, so that any unforeseen problems won't have as much of an influence on the final delivery dates.

Another major challenge we face is handling the nuances of AI or machine translation. Although it is a beneficial tool to improve efficiency, there are certain downsides to it too. I continually assess when and how best to use machine translation for every project, because I believe it could limit our creativity.

In your opinion what have been the biggest ‘wins’ that you have achieved so far in your professional journey?

One of the biggest wins in my career has been the loyalty of my clients. I'm extremely proud of the fact that we have several repeat clients. This only proves that they know they can consistently rely on us to provide assured localization solutions.

Another major milestone for us is the expansion of our language profile. We started JOEL with a focus on Korean-English localization, but have grown to expand our support to a dozen languages. These include European languages such as French and Norwegian, and Asian languages such as Japanese and Chinese (both simplified and traditional).

How do you define success as an entrepreneur? What has been your success mantra over the years?

Success to me is about having a purpose-driven path. It is about having an immense amount of passion for whatever one does. There might be certain challenges along the way, but if we keep moving towards the goal, even in those times, we are sure to meet success.

My mantra for success has been taking things one at a time. As an entrepreneur, I must wear multiple hats to handle most of the operations. During those times, I tell myself to take each task one at a time. Dividing large projects into smaller and more tolerable portions helps me to keep my focus and face challenges head on.

A business leader you admire and why: The CEO of Todo Math, a digital education service, for her insightful ap­proach to leveraging technology to narrow knowledge gaps and empower individuals.

Message for aspiring women leaders and entrepreneurs: Achieving long-term success in all areas of life requires striking a balance between pushing yourself and engag­ing in self-compassion practices. Thus, strive to live a life of self-kindness and develop a positive relationship with yourself. This balance is essential for long-term satisfaction whether you oversee a large corporation or work for a small one.

Eunnara Jo, Founder & CEO, JOEL Localization

Eunnara Jo holds a Bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature, and Communication and Media Studies from Yonsei University and a Master's degree in Interpretation and Translation from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. Recognized as APAC CEO of the Year by APAC Insider and honored with the Innovation and Excellence Award by Corporate Livewire, she is dedicated to advancing localization services through her firm, JOEL Localization.