Ep. 51 - Carmen Hiers – TransForma Online

Carmen Hiers is owner and managing partner of TransForma Translation Services, a Miami-based virtual multilanguage services company whose mission is to help individuals and businesses achieve their goals by overcoming language barriers. With clients in the United States and Europe and a global network of experienced linguists, designers and technical specialists, TransForma serves the legal, financial, corporate and B2C sectors with a full array of services in more than 150 languages.

After a career in Latin American corporate communications, Hiers switched gears and leveraged her knowledge and connections to establish herself as a Spanish-English freelance translator. Soon she was working for companies like MasterCard, Polaroid, Benetton, the Miami Herald, Univision Network and Polaroid. Eventually she made the decision to move from translator to business owner. Working from a spare bedroom with a laptop, a cell phone and $50 in business cards, Hiers began TransForma Translation Services in 2009 and focused on expanding the company's scope of services. Today, TransForma offers translation, interpreting, transcription, website localization, graphic design, audio, subtitling, dubbing and many other services.

Current and past clients include HBO Latin America Group, The History Channel, A&E Networks, The Biography Channel, DirecTV Latin America, MasterCard International, Microsoft, the International Bank of Costa Rica, Northern Trust, Discovery Networks, Fortune International Realty, Sonesta Hotels, Carlton Fields, City National Bank, Insigneo Financial Group, The Related Companies, and individual law firms, mortgage brokers and other professionals.

Hiers is a graduate of the University of Florida and a graduate of Goldman Sachs' 10,000 Small Businesses program. She is a former member of the board of directors of Global Ties Miami (a global citizen diplomacy organization), and is president of the South Florida chapter of the Organization for Women in International Trade.