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This episode features Isabelle Andrieu, a French linguist, co-founder of the AI-powered translation company Translated and CEO of Pi School. She moved to Italy for love and co-founded Translated with her husband Marco, leveraging her language skills and his tech background.

They bootstrapped the company over 26 years using creativity (like funding the startup with ad revenue from a top Italian website) and grew it into a global firm working with brands like Airbnb and SpaceX, integrating a large network of linguists and early AI adoption.

She recently joined the Ocean Globe Race, a no-technology, around-the-world sailing race, which profoundly changed her, making her feel less afraid and more present.

Her time at Harvard Business School's OPM program solidified her focus on culture and service as key differentiators in an AI-driven world. A mother of three, she hopes her children learn courage and resilience. Her advice to her younger self: don’t be scared and don’t stay silent.

Here are the Top 10 Takeaways from the conversation:

1. Start with what you have, not what you lack.
   Isabelle and Marco had no funding, no VC access, and no roadmap—just skills they combined creatively. Their story is a reminder that resourcefulness often matters more than resources.
2. Creativity can substitute for capital.
   Their early growth hack—building “1000 Free Services” to drive massive traffic and sell ad space—funded the company before raising money was even considered.
3. Tech enables scale, but humans create value.
   Translated used AI in 1999, long before it was trendy, but always positioned human linguists at the center. The sailing race further echoed this theme: human intuition, courage, and teamwork are irreplaceable.
4. Culture is a strategic asset, not an afterthought.
   Building offices in villas, emphasizing beauty and well-being, and creating an ecosystem around innovation showed how environment shapes performance.
5. Surround yourself with people smarter than you.
   When tackling the no-technology around-the-world race, Isabelle said:
   “How do you start a project that is so ambitious, you don't know about it? You surround yourself with people that know more about it.”
6. Hire for attitude, train for skill.
   When choosing crew members, she emphasized:
   “We selected from attitude because the skills you can gain over the trainings, but the attitude is what makes the crew exceptional.”
7. Resilience is a long game.
   From bootstrapping without a safety net to surviving multiple capsizes and rebuilding the boat twice, Isabelle’s journey shows resilience is not a trait—it’s a daily practice.
8. Building a company with your spouse can be a superpower.
   It brings unique challenges—no clean separation between work and home—but complementary strengths and shared purpose can create uncommon alignment and trust.
9. Stepping away from noise strengthens leadership.
   Months at sea without technology made her more present, less fearful, and deeply aware of human connection. The experience sharpened how she leads today.
10. Courage and expression matter more than perfection.
    Her message to her younger self—“Don’t be scared. Raise your voice.”—captures her belief that growth comes from leaning into discomfort, embracing ambiguity, and acting even when the path is unclear.

Books: Stillness Speaks