Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Julia Greco Finding Empowerment in Consulting Interview by Cameron Rasmussen it takes bravery to strike out on your own and create your own opportunities.
Compared to the security and guaranteed income of a staff position at a stable business, self employment requires a little more ingenuity, a lot more courage, and the self discipline to ensure goals and milestones are achieved.
The transition can be daunting, but the rewards are often worth the uncertainty. Just ask Julia Greco.
With a successful career that included a demanding tenure at Shopify, she possessed all the skills and experience she needed to thrive in language work.
Now she's bringing that knowledge to her new role as a consultant, helping both small businesses that are just starting out with international sales and established brands that require comprehensive localization solutions.
It's a new life, one brimming with excitement and new possibilities.
While the stresses are unique, so too are the rewards, chief among them the ability to shape work and life in your own image as opposed to a pre existing company identity and culture. Greco is the first to say it's not for everyone, but for the right kind of person, especially one struggling to find value and meaning when conforming to another's requirements.
It can be the definition of life changing.
Tell us about your career prior to consulting work. What experiences did you consider the most valuable in building the knowledge you now share with your clients?
[00:01:35] Speaker B: Two key chapters in my career laid the foundation for the consulting work I do today.
My early years as a freelance linguist and my eight year journey at Shopify, and then a couple of more personal experiences. But first things first.
Freelancing taught me how to ramp up quickly on unfamiliar topics, a skill that's proving invaluable now that I support clients with wildly diverse needs and problem sets. As an interpreter, you are expected to get familiar with a new topic and sector very quickly, and it's a skill that gets taught in school. You're trained to absorb and communicate complex information under pressure, often without deep context.
That training gave me the forma mentis. I rely on the ability to dive into unfamiliar territory with structured thinking, clarity under pressure, and the capacity to learn fast and deliver with confidence.
At Shopify, I built and scaled a global localization program from the ground up. That's where I developed deep expertise in international content strategy, localization operations, and how to tie it all back to business objectives and growth.
I learned how to work across functions from product to marketing to legal, and across geographies and cultures.
It's also where I built a strong global network of professionals, from multilingual search engine optimization, SEO experts to translators and growth Experts whom I can now tap into when clients need specialized support.
Much of the practical strategic knowledge I bring into consulting, from market prioritization to internal stakeholder management, comes from that chapter.
There are a couple of more personal experiences that have also shaped how I show up as a consultant.
The first goes way back when I was in my very early 20s. I volunteered at a kibbutz in Israel. I didn't even speak Hebrew and I barely spoke English, but I picked up and went on my own without knowing anyone.
I just showed up ready to work. While I mostly worked in the fields or in the kitchen, one day I was assigned to peel onions for hours in an icy cold vat of water, and I remember thinking, whatever I do with my life, it can't get any worse than this. My eyes stung, my fingers hurt from the cold, and the smell of onions permeated my nostrils for days.
And yet I did it, and I figured that the worst was behind me.
The kibbutz experience taught me to trust myself in unfamiliar territory and to be resilient.
The second is more recent.
As soon as I left Shopify, I enrolled in GrowClass, a growth marketing course.
I went in to fill some knowledge gaps and came out with a sharper growth mindset and an incredible community of smart, generous people who root for one another.
It was exactly the kind of support I needed to take the leap into consulting, and the growth frameworks I learned there now help me better support clients on international content, performance and experimentation.
All of these experiences, technical, strategic and personal shape not just what I know, but who I am and how I work with curiosity, always compassion for the people involved and a focus on real world business impact.
[00:04:49] Speaker A: What motivated your transition into consulting and how long did you consider it before making the decision?
[00:04:55] Speaker B: The motivation was both internal and external, and honestly, it was a long time coming.
People close to me, some of my best friends, my partner and my family had been encouraging me to consider this path for a while.
But when I first left Shopify, I assumed I'd look for something similar.
I started applying for jobs, but nothing really excited me. I felt flat and uninspired.
Every time I had an interview, I noticed a visceral, almost physical discomfort, like my whole being was pushing back against the idea of re entering the corporate world.
That's when I started wondering about the feasibility of consulting. I reached out to former colleagues who had launched their own consulting or freelance businesses in adjacent fields.
Every single one of them seemed not just successful, but joyful.
They talked about autonomy, fulfillment, and a renewed sense of agency.
Several of them said something that really stuck with me. I'm never going back. At the same time, I was doing some deep personal work and therapy, in conversation with a brilliant career coach and through reading a book called Finding youg Own North Star. I strongly recommend it. That book helped me tune into a different kind of intelligence, my intuition, my body. And when I finally let myself consider consulting seriously, I felt this lightness I hadn't felt in months.
That's when I knew I had my answer. The truth is, I had outgrown the corporate mold I was in, and consulting offers me a way to honor everything I have learned while also aligning with how I want to work and live. Moving forward from the moment I left Shopify to fully embracing consulting took about three or four months.
It was a lot of internal back and forth. But once I gave myself permission to stop forcing the job search and step into something new, everything shifted.
[00:06:43] Speaker A: What are the biggest pluses and minuses of consulting work compared to traditional employment? And how do you manage the challenges unique to self employment?
[00:06:52] Speaker B: I'm still early in my consulting journey, but a few are already clear.
The biggest plus, hands down, is autonomy over my time, my focus, and the kind of work I take on.
There's a deep satisfaction in being able to structure my day around impact, not around unnecessary meetings or performative mandatory fun. I'm an extrovert and I do love socializing, but I don't miss hour long webinars on the code of conduct or corporate off sites with fake positive socialization, if you know what I mean.
Another big benefit is variety. I get to work with companies of different sizes, industries and stages of global growth.
That exposure fuels my curiosity, pushes me to stretch my thinking, and keeps me learning.
It's deeply rewarding when I can help a client solve something that's been blocking them, and I learned just as much in the process.
As for the downsides, one big adjustment is no longer having a team of my own.
I've always thrived in team settings and working solo can be isolating, especially if you're used to bouncing ideas off colleagues or celebrating wins together.
That's why being part of collaborative communities like Nimzy Insights is so valuable to me.
I've also intentionally stayed connected with my global network and I make time for face to face connections locally. I've even started co creating communities like Organizing Law in Toronto with Global Sake and launching a local group for women dog owners who want to talk about career and life.
Another challenge is the steep learning curve of running a business I'm figuring it out as I go, everything from pricing and proposals to contracts and cash flow.
It can be overwhelming at times, but I try to remind myself that I've faced steep learning curves before.
When I hit a wall, I take a walk. Literally.
Walks are my reset button when I need to regain clarity or perspective. I'm lucky to have a dog who needs lots of activity and to be living in a very green, wooded area of the city. So I go into the woods with my dog and my brain quiets down.
So far, the biggest reward of consulting is not just the flexibility, but the sense of empowerment that comes from building something of my own and using what I've learned over the years to support others in meaningful, tangible ways.
[00:09:08] Speaker A: Do you know of many professional peers who have made a similar career choice?
If so, what do you think? Are the industry dynamics motivating it?
[00:09:17] Speaker B: Yes, absolutely.
I know many peers who have made a similar shift and the pattern is undeniable.
To be blunt, people are exhausted. There's a growing wave of experienced professionals, especially women around my age, who are burned out from not only the pace of work but also the emotional and logistical labor it takes to succeed in environments that don't always value them. We've spent years climbing ladders, leading teams and delivering results and in many cases doing it while navigating huge life responsibilities, parenting, troubled marriages and divorce, caregiving aging parents, and long distance family dynamics.
We paid the price to reach a certain level, and now we're looking around and realizing that the cost was too high and the rewards aren't what they used to be.
Since the pandemic burnout has hit hard in many cases, the response from companies has been disappointing.
We're seeing returns to rigid office mandates, unrealistic relocation requirements, and shrinking job markets for senior roles. The flexibility we gained during the pandemic is being clawed back.
For those of us in localization, this feels especially backwards because we were often hybrid or remote long before 2020.
Now it feels like we're being pushed into a mold that has never made sense for what we do.
And let's be real, there just aren't that many roles at the top. Once you reach a certain level, your options shrink. If the handful of available jobs don't align with your values or location, what do you do?
You build your own path. That's the choice many of us are making. Not just out of ambition, but out of necessity and self preservation.
We're tired of letting toxic or short sighted workplaces dictate how we live.
We want agency, alignment and space to do meaningful work on our terms.
So I'd say it's less about a shift in industry dynamics and more about a reckoning with modern work culture, one that's being intensified by economic instability and the way artificial intelligence AI is being deployed.
Yes, AI can be useful for a number of tasks, especially the repetitive ones.
But it's also being used quietly to justify team cuts and shrink headcount, especially in roles that deal with content, language and operations.
Entire teams are being replaced with AI agents under the guise of efficiency.
So, yes, new jobs will emerge, but right now it feels like a hollowing out. The paradox is that there is still a lot of meaningful work out there.
Many companies want to expand internationally or localize content for new markets, but they don't have the internal capacity to do it well.
They need guidance, they need help. That's where consultants come in.
We're stepping in to fill a need and in the process, reclaiming our autonomy.
[00:12:12] Speaker A: What is the experience of branching off on your own like? Is it frightening, thrilling, confusing, or some combination of multiple emotions?
[00:12:21] Speaker B: It's all of the above. A full spectrum rollercoaster, for sure.
When I was about to sign my first client, I felt this surge of excitement, followed almost immediately by panic. My brain immediately kicked into overdrive, thinking, what if I can't do it? What if I charge too much or too little? How do I even structure my pricing model? The internal chatter was loud. What helps is having people in my life who believe in me unconditionally. The kind of people who can talk me down from the spiral when the anxiety spikes. And I remind myself that I've done hard things before, I've taken risks.
Just because something scares me doesn't mean I shouldn't do it.
I refuse to let fear influence my decisions. But the highs, they're really high. There's nothing quite like the feeling of being wanted and valued for your own expertise.
It's deeply empowering.
And then there's the intellectual thrill. Working with different clients across different problem spaces with different needs.
I absolutely love that part. The variety keeps me on my toes and forces me to stay in a growth mindset.
I'm constantly learning and evolving. That's energizing. It makes the whole ride worth it.
[00:13:37] Speaker A: How long did it take you to establish a stable flow of work? And what processes and outreach efforts did you take to establish relationships with your initial clients?
[00:13:47] Speaker B: Network, network, network.
That's how it started, and it's still how it runs.
My early clients came almost entirely through my network especially, but not exclusively, former shopify colleagues who are now consultants themselves.
Often they'd already be working with a client, and when that client began expanding internationally but wasn't seeing the traction they expected, they'd call me in to help. That kind of warm referral is the foundation of my consulting work. I also think in terms of ecosystems and entry points.
I'm part of several communities, and for each one I try to tailor the way I show up and provide value.
For example, with a group of small Canadian entrepreneurs I'm involved with, I'm organizing a free workshop on Quebec's Bill 96, helping them understand how to navigate compliance.
They walk away with clear, actionable information, and if they need further help, I'm already a trusted resource. The workshop itself is a lead magnet, but it's also genuinely helpful, and that matters to me. It's taken me a little time to internalize that Every conversation can be a business conversation.
Every coffee chat, introduction, LinkedIn message, or quick question can eventually lead to paid work. Not because you're selling, but because you're building trust and showing expertise.
Some days all I do is talk to people, and that is the work. That shift from tangible output to relational investment has been one of the biggest mindset adjustments for me, but I'm embracing it.
[00:15:23] Speaker A: What kind of clients were you able to land upon? Transitioning to consulting work?
To whatever degree you can reveal details. What do prospective and active clients expect, and how do you deliver upon those expectations?
[00:15:37] Speaker B: I work with a mix of clients, from established brands, expanding internationally and meeting end to end localization strategy to small Canadian businesses, navigating Quebec's evolving language requirements.
The needs vary widely, which is part of what makes this work so dynamic.
One thing I've noticed is that clients often assume I'm a subject matter expert in everything related to global e commerce. And while I bring significant experience in this space, I also make a point to stay honest and curious.
Recently someone contacted me with questions around product information management systems, something that Shopify doesn't offer natively, so I've never had deep expertise there. I took time to understand their problem, but transparently communicated my limitations.
That client ultimately decided to consult another expert, which was the right outcome for everyone. Honestly, what clients value most, I found is not only my knowledge but also my approach, clear thinking, thoughtful analysis, and the reassurance that their international challenges are in good hands.
I deliver that through a balance of confidence in what I know, humility about what I don't, and an unwavering commitment to finding the right answers, even when that means bringing in additional resources One.
[00:16:55] Speaker A: Such partner is Nimzi Insights, which relies upon deep industry knowledge for its day to day operations.
What kind of work do you do with them and how have you found it?
[00:17:06] Speaker B: I wear a few hats with Nimzy. I write and contribute content for them, hold office hours for their clients. Usually when their client success managers think someone would benefit from picking my brain about something specific and serve as a go to voice for the client perspective. When language service providers LSPs need insights, this last aspect has proven particularly significant.
LSPs are navigating challenging waters as they face pressure from AI advancements and changing market dynamics.
They're actively seeking insights on how to diversify their offerings and maintain relevance.
As someone who sat on the buyer side, I bring a perspective that helps them understand what clients truly value beyond the traditional services they offer.
Beyond these core activities, I also provide ad hoc consultation on various topics. Whether it's providing off the record input to NIMD's Chief Executive Officer CEO before an important vendor meeting, or offering critical feedback on industry reports to colleagues, the work is delightfully varied and intellectually stimulating.
What makes collaborating with Nimzy refreshingly different from traditional employment is the beautiful lack of rigid structure. It reminds me of my early days at Shopify. There's an energizing startup atmosphere where everyone wears multiple hats and embraces a certain productive chaos.
The team is filled with big, vibrant personalities, so I fit right in and there's an exhilarating momentum to the work we do.
Yet unlike the corporate intensity I've experienced previously, this collaboration feels balanced. Working across time zones with a mix of full time team members and collaborators like myself creates a natural rhythm that respects boundaries.
I never feel the overwhelming pressure that characterize some of my corporate roles, and after what I've experienced in traditional employment, that breathing room feels like exactly what I need right now. I've had enough pressure to last me a lifetime.
[00:19:06] Speaker A: What steps would you recommend professionals take if they're considering a career path similar to your own?
[00:19:12] Speaker B: If you're considering a similar path from corporate life to consulting, I'd recommend starting with your network.
Reach out to people who've made this leap before you buy them coffee and ask questions. Lots of them.
Their insights will help you avoid common pitfalls and give you a realistic picture of what lies ahead.
Before making the jump, have an honest conversation with your loved ones about what this choice will entail financially. There will likely be months without steady revenue, so build a financial Runway. Give yourself a timeline.
Perhaps commit to trying it for a year before reassessing this makes the whole thing feel less like jumping off a cliff and more like a structured experiment.
Take some time for self reflection too.
Consider whether the freedom of consulting will feel liberating or terrifying given your personality.
Not everyone thrives with the same level of structure, or lack thereof. If you're deeply introverted, shy about pitching yourself, or uncomfortable with self promotion, you'll face additional challenges compared to someone who naturally enjoys networking and putting themselves out there.
The reality is that you need to become comfortable with being uncomfortable.
It's such a cliche, I know, and yet it's profoundly true in this context.
Each day brings new uncertainties from where your next project will come from to how you'll handle the inevitable dry spells. But if you can embrace that discomfort as part of the growth process, the autonomy and variety this path offers can be incredibly rewarding.
[00:20:43] Speaker A: Is there anything else you'd like to add?
[00:20:45] Speaker B: While I'm embracing this solo journey, I actually dream of creating something bigger. A kind of professional commune bringing together the most brilliant minds I've had the privilege to work with over the years.
I'm already taking small steps in that direction, connecting with talented translators, multilingual SEO specialists, and other experts for collaboration.
The solo adventure feels like just the beginning of something that might soon require more hands on deck.
Throughout my career, I've always considered my ability to spot exceptional talent and build high performing teams as my superpower. It's a strength I intend to keep nurturing, even in this new chapter. There's something magical about creating the right combination of skills and personalities where everyone elevates one another's work, don't you think? And finally, I want to express my sincere gratitude for this interview opportunity.
Multilingual Magazine has long been a touchstone publication in our industry, helping bridge the various worlds within our global language community.
I'm genuinely honored to share my experiences with its readers. It's conversations like these that help us all grow and evolve together.
[00:21:58] Speaker A: This article was written by Cameron Rasmussen, a senior writer and editor for Multilingual Media.
Originally published in Multilingual Magazine, issue 2 42July 2025.
