Hello, dear friend from afar,
I’m Olivia, the founder of Pegasus.
When people introduce themselves, they often list out titles and achievements to gain credibility. I could do the same: nearly ten years in the translation industry, a graduate from the prestigious “Harvard of translation schools,” a former guest lecturer at a renowned foreign language university, a certified simultaneous interpreter, translator for prominent figures, first-place winner in interpretation competitions, and recipient of national English competition grand prizes…
But beyond these accolades, I’m simply a girl who deeply loves the T&I industry (Translation & Interpretation).
I’m a young entrepreneur with a simple yet steadfast goal: to create a healthy ecosystem for the industry, improve the standards and quality of China’s language services, and increase the public’s understanding, respect, and recognition of the T&I field.
If you’ve followed me on Weibo @同传Livi, you might already know me. Over the past eight years, I’ve published more than 150 articles on Sina Weibo, covering every aspect of the T&I industry.
So, how did Pegasus come to be?
The Beginning
The difficulty of getting into top translation schools is well-known, so I won’t go into that. What I remember most vividly is the time spent studying in the U.S., practicing simultaneous interpretation with classmates day in and day out, rain or shine, without fail. It was during the pandemic, and being alone in a foreign country was tough, but I persevered through the isolation and pressure, completing a high-stakes conference interpreting project.
With the encouragement of my professors and classmates, I came to Shanghai, a bustling international city full of promise. But when I first encountered the domestic translation market, I quickly realized the gap between my ideals and reality.
The market was filled with unregulated practices, which made me wonder: perhaps there is a real need for a company that values craftsmanship and adheres to international standards. This thought took root and became the driving force behind the founding of Pegasus.
I hope that through our efforts, we can not only provide higher-quality services to clients but also bring positive changes to the industry.
The Journey
Once the idea of starting a business came up, we immediately jumped into action. In the early stages of entrepreneurship, we truly built everything from the ground up. From finding an office space, carefully selecting furniture, to even buying office supplies—every detail was handled personally.
There were many nights when I came home completely exhausted, falling into bed as soon as I walked through the door. But no matter how tiring it was, I would wake up early the next day, ready to pour myself into building the company. Watching the office slowly come together from scratch, the sense of accomplishment made all the hard work and fatigue seem insignificant. Each late-night hustle and every bit of persistence was a step toward realizing our dream.
Challenges
The language services industry faces many internal and external challenges, but there is still hope. In today’s era of artificial intelligence, people often ask me, “Olivia, do we still need human translators with AI on the rise?” Recently, I shared my thoughts in a group, part of which goes like this:
Machines are just products, while human interpreters provide a service—they’re not on the same level. When it comes to interpretation, machines can only handle basic travel conversations, but they fall far short of the standards required for professional conferences. Even in English translation, machines are just a convenient tool, not a premium experience. And when it comes to less common languages, machines still have a long way to go.
Even as technology advances, at best, machine translation will match human translators in certain areas, each with its own strengths. Clients can choose freely. Machines don’t get tired, but without power or the internet, they stop working. Plus, a machine can’t hold an umbrella for a client in the rain or give a warm hug at the airport—that’s the human touch.
It’s like choosing between a learning machine and a teacher, or a cooking robot and a chef. The answer is clear. Ultimately, clients who seek high-quality and meaningful communication will still choose interpreters who excel in cross-cultural understanding. Language carries with it culture, customs, and traditions. Imagine a client relying on a translation machine during negotiations—the machine can’t build trust or explain the cultural nuances behind traditions. Especially with Spanish in Latin America, where local expressions are abundant, machines can’t compete with interpreters who truly understand the language.
In written translation, while machines can lighten the workload and improve efficiency, even if a machine’s accuracy reaches 90%, clients still need professional translators to address the remaining 10%. And that 10% requires 100% of the translator’s effort. So, even with machine assistance, the necessary cost-saving isn’t guaranteed.
Vision
Our mission is to make China’s translation industry more standardized, ensuring translators receive fair compensation, while enabling excellent clients to connect with top-quality services.
We aim to change the inefficiency and lack of transparency in traditional translation sourcing methods. Current search engine bidding and layers of outsourcing often leave skilled translators underpaid and quality clients mismatched with subpar translation services.
This isn’t just about translation services. It’s about improving communication quality and fostering deeper cultural connections in a globalized world.
If you’re ready to embark on this transformative journey with us, to break through language barriers and engage in true cross-cultural communication, we’ll be by your side every step of the way.
Thank you for choosing us to be part of your communication journey. Should you have any needs, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we’ll take care of every detail.
Looking forward to working with you and growing together.
𝓞𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓪 𝓛𝔂𝓾