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Romeo M. |
June 26, 2024
I was one of the original members of eQQui Philippines when it was formed in 2017 with the humble goal of supplementing the company’s sales. Initially, it was a two-person team, co-led by Christine and me. The team remained small until Mark joined, followed by Kate, Nelwin (NJ), Gia, and others.
One of Lexcode Inc.’s main language solutions includes providing interpretation and interpretation equipment with eQQui. Today, it serves as a global platform for clients to connect with professional interpreters and provide other interpretation services for various needs, including business meetings, conferences, and legal proceedings. Over 1,700 interpretation projects have been completed for more than 600 corporations and organizations across the globe.
The beginning was challenging. We were up against well-established companies in the interpretation and conference equipment rental industry. It felt like a David versus Goliath battle. We had to be innovative in finding opportunities to meet prospective clients. Despite encouraging work-life balance, there were times when we had to meet clients after office hours and then do an ingress at midnight to accommodate requests.
During my time on the team, I went on countless business trips. While this might sound ideal, it becomes exhausting when you have three trips in a week, all while managing projects, sales, and marketing. Often, I had to prepare for upcoming projects while working on current ones. The past and current team members can attest to this challenge. It required high efficiency, effective multitasking, and consistent high-level performance. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it. Here’s why:
Building an Office from Scratch
Traveling for Work
Although business trips can be tiring, they have their perks. Traveling for work allowed me to visit different countries, try local foods, and experience life as a foreigner. Thailand and Malaysia were my favorites because I felt a cultural connection and enjoyed the affordable and delicious food. I ate pad thai almost every day in Thailand and nasi goreng in Malaysia. Unfortunately, I can’t enjoy these dishes in the Philippines anymore because I can taste the difference.
Learning New Topics
While monitoring interpretation quality at events, I had the chance to listen to and learn about various topics. Social justice and health-related events were particularly interesting to me. I gained a lot of knowledge about improving my diet, exercise routines, and overall health from attending these events.
Weird Experiences
Out-of-town events often required sending our booths via air cargo ahead of time. On one occasion, while waiting for our pallet to be processed, I noticed a pallet of cadavers next to ours, alongside another pallet of perishable goods. It was a strange sight, seeing perishables next to those who had perished.
Building Skills and Appreciation
Each project brought different challenges and clients. Some were easy to work with, while others were more demanding. This experience helped me develop patience, teamwork, and essential skills in sales, marketing, and client relations. It also made me appreciate the little things, like rest and family time, and taught me that time is more valuable than money.
Even though I am no longer based in the Philippines, the skills I acquired at eQQui Philippines have been foundational to my work ethic and quality of work. They have equipped me with the right mentality to thrive in a more competitive market and harsher weather. I doubt I would have grown the same way had I followed the advice to switch jobs every year or two. I’m glad I stayed.
