Ivonne’s story: Mobile money translates to better business

Ivonne Ocrospoma is Managing Director of L&L Translation Services. Her company offers translation and interpreting, as well as business advisory services. She used our HerVenture app’s mobile money track to learn about mobile money, an emerging digital payment method, and how to implement it in her business. 

“For ten years I was stuck in a place that was giving me no job satisfaction, with no room for me to grow. I was already offering my services as a translator and interpreter on the side, just to get an extra income, so one day I just decided to take a chance and start my business. Here I am two years later, an independent businesswoman, an entrepreneur. My company, L&L Translation Services, translates documents and provides interpretation in different languages, as well as general business advisory.

I was attracted to the HerVenture app when I heard about it, partly because they had just launched the mobile money track. I downloaded the app and that’s when my journey began. 

The track helped me a lot. I not only conquered it, I enjoyed it. It was like playing a game, only instead of gaining points I gained knowledge. That knowledge has now been applied to my business.

Before learning about mobile money on HerVenture, I was losing customers in the remote regions because they had no way of paying me for my services. In some places there is no bank and the post office is not reachable. I used to have to tell those customers that I couldn’t offer them my services.  

Now, I have started using mobile money in my business and the impacts have been very positive. Those remote customers can now pay me for my services, no matter where they are. They get their documents translated and I get their payment. It’s a win-win situation.

Advancements in technology are changing the world and the way we do business, so we have to keep up with them. The HerVenture app is helping me, opening a door for me to step into and become part of the digital business world. It has also changed my outlook on accessing new markets. 

I have been speaking to my friends and other people I meet about what I learned from HerVenture. One day I was at this ministry in my neighbourhood and I was talking to a woman about it. I just popped out my phone and showed it to her and then we became friends. She told me that she uses the app now too, that she enjoyed it, and that she’d learned a lot. It’s important that I not just retain the information, but that I also share it. That way, other women entrepreneurs can see that there is hope.”