This blog post is the first of our Get to Know G3 series, which provides insight into who our executive team is and why they’re so passionate about the purpose this company serves. Our first person to highlight is G3’s Global Compliance, Privacy and QA Officer, Stacey Watanabe. Stacey is on a mission to bring LGBTQ+ businesses to the forefront and give everyone a seat at the table.
The Journey Begins
Over the years, Stacey Watanabe has worn many hats. Within the translation industry, she has been a translator, an engineer, a project manager, a desktop publishing typesetter, a quality assurance specialist—she can do it all.
“I grew up in Japan, and back then the school system was very busy. Everyone was on one track or another to be successful. Going to a good high school, then a good university, getting to a good company, working for them, and getting promoted—it’s what everyone did. That’s when I realized that’s not what I wanted.
“Back then, studying abroad was becoming popular. So, I went to study in Australia. I found a master’s program for interpreting and translation between Japanese and English. At the time, there were only three universities offering this course around the world, and Australia had one of them. So, I applied and was able to join, and that’s how my profession came to be.
“After I graduated, I happened to see a related job posting for a position in Boston. I was looking to relocate to the United States, so I applied and got the job. When they offered a visa, I thought, ‘Why not?’”
The LGBTQ+ Market: An Untapped Source
After working in many roles for a handful of different language service providers in Boston, Stacey made her way to TransPerfect and then to G3, where she remains happily today.
“I’m currently doing the same role for G3 that I did for TransPerfect. As the Global Compliance and Privacy Officer, I help them with compliance to all of the requirements—getting ISO certified, legal framework, HIPPA requirements, GDPR, ITAR, anything like that.
“G3 is a woman-owned business and has an edge of being minority-owned. When I was asked if I could help G3 from the compliance point of view, I had a lot of ideas about what we can do with the largely untapped LGBTQ+ market. I’m part of multiple minority groups (ethnic minority, LGBTQ+ and woman), so I have my own motivations to push that area. Diversity, equality, and inclusion are my passion now, so that was something especially important to find in the workplace.
“I’m not out there like a huge advocate going to state parliament or something, but there are some areas like the corporate world where I can make a difference. With G3, I have an opportunity and access to a market that is equal to the seventh-largest country’s GDP—the LGBTQ+ market. One of the topics I’ve been speaking with Nancy [Hernon], Amanda [Ryan], and John [Labati] about is how we can get involved in LGBTQ+ business conferences and the national LGBT Chamber of Commerce to get our name out there as a translation vendor you can count on.
“I think being minority-owned or being led by women or LGBTQ+ leaders is marketable. It’s the reason I say, ‘Just use me!’ So, when companies are looking for diversity spending, we have a competitive edge that not many companies have.”
Representation Matters
Not only does Stacey want to access and promote the LGBTQ+ market, but she also wants to be a role model for other transgender and LGBTQ+ people in business.
“My involvement with G3 is something I’m personally very excited about. It’s a small company, so it feels like an open partnership and something we can build from scratch together. It’s women-owned and focused on a market we can serve that others cannot. We can make a change in our own way, and we can show LGBTQ+ people that it’s okay to be who you are and you can be a successful person and flourish.”
Stacey believes the translation industry has many opportunities for inclusion and overcoming biases, even if a person doesn’t speak more than one language.
“I know many people who are curious about or interested in other languages or cultures or traveling, so it’s something people can look into for their careers, even as a project manager who doesn’t translate. It ties to discussions I have with friends in the transgender community about the source of discrimination and the reason why I think LGBTQ+ visibility is so important. If you know somebody or if you have exposure to someone who’s transgender, people tend to realize that we’re part of the community just like anyone else.
“Visibility is important, to see us as LGBTQ+ people going into the translation industry, to see successful women working good jobs, and by default getting to know people from a different culture or another world.
“Especially for G3 being led by two strong women and John and other wonderful people, it’s a great example how the old-fashioned male-dominated company is really outdated, and there’s no reason for it anymore. I want to help G3 grow but I also personally want to be part of it—it’s so exciting!
“In a way, I found my new passion and I think G3 is one of the things that really helped me. I can be part of a great company while pursuing my own agenda of LGBTQ+ equality and inclusiveness, so it’s a win-win. And being LGBTQ+ is part of normalcy in this company—it’s a good thing to show people, and you can show me everywhere.”
To work with the diverse team at G3 for language services in the market research or life sciences industries, contact G3 Translate or G3 Life Sciences for more.